Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow- Institut

Guests at the HBI

International Exchange: Visitors from Eight African Countries

As part of an informational tour organized by the Goethe-Institut, African media professionals met with Jan-Hinrik Schmidt at the HBI to discuss the German media system and current trends in media consumption.

Interview on Bayern 2

Could the European Platform W Social Be an Alternative to X?

W Social is emerging as a European alternative to well-established social media platforms like X, offering greater data protection and less hate and disinformation. However, for such platforms to truly be an alternative, there needs to be "societal momentum," Jan Rau says in an interview.

Interview for The Guardian

How Elon Musk Is Meddling in German Politics

In the daily newspaper The Guardian, Jan Rau explains how the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party benefits from Elon Musk and why its influence is nevertheless limited. He studies the dynamics of media attention at the HBI's Research Institute Social Cohesion.

Protection of Children and Young People

EU KIDS Act – Proposed Social Media Regulation

In his statement for the Science Media Center, Stephan Dreyer explains that with the EU KIDS Act, the European Commission is proposing "nothing less than a comprehensive EU regulatory framework for the protection of minors in the digital space." The draft regulation aims to enforce new requirements for digital services to better protect children and adolescents.

Expert Opinion for the SMC

Should AI Development Be Slowed Down?

In his statement for the Science Media Center, Matthias Kettemann explains that the proposal by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei for a controlled slowdown in current AI development should be taken more seriously than previous calls for a “pause.” Unlike those previous calls, Amodei's proposal is not vague.

Interview on radioeins

How the AfD Is Using TikTok for Its Election Campaign

On 6 September, Saxony-Anhalt held elections for a new state parliament. Dr. Azade Kakavand examined the parties’ presence on TikTok in the run-up to the election and explains on the programme Das Medienmagazin (radioeins, rbb) how the AfD was able to achieve significant reach on TikTok.

Digital Protection of Children and Youth

Expert Commission Presents Final Report

The expert commission on "Protecting Children and Youth in the Digital World" submitted its final report to Federal Minister for Family Affairs Karin Prien. The report contains the commission's findings from the past year, including an assessment of the current situation, recommendations for action, and the results of the child and youth participation process and the strategic foresight process. The commission incorporated Claudia Lampert’s expertise into its work.

Tricky Accessories

Should Smart Glasses Be Banned?

Smart glasses, which are data glasses equipped with a camera, AI, and an internet connection, raise new questions about the protection of personal rights. However, according to Matthias Kettemann, new bans are not necessarily needed. Rather, existing laws must be enforced more consistently. He explaines this on the ZDF heute program.

International Workshop at the HBI

Visitors from Brisbane!

Last week, eleven researchers from Australia and Germany worked intensively together at the HBI on the “Mapping Polarization in News Media Content” project, which compares climate reporting in both countries. Among other things, they conducted further analyses and prepared conference papers and publications.