Communication, Digital Publics and Democracy: New Challenges

Colloquium
Caja Carola Thimm,  Laura Solzbacher,  Inga Brentel,  Marike Bormann,  Jan Philipp Kluck,  Celine Fabienne Luecken  

Networked media and the opportunities for digital participation that they provide have changed forms of political participation. Various digital platforms open up new forms of communication for citizens, who are now able to (re) distribute political content and preferences whenever they wish. In particular, the rapidity of responses, the high density of information exchange and the worldwide distribution of content point to digital dynamics of political communication. But these options of strengthening democratic participation has been counterbalanced by negative effects such as fragmentation, elite discourses and algorithmic filtering of information. Also more and more anti-democratic, racist and sexist content can be found on the Internet. Currently, particularly antisocial forms of communication such as hate speech, cyberbullying or “fake news" are a challenge for a networked public. Consequently, we need to discuss fundamental questions like the balancing between individual freedom and activities endangering democracy. Increasingly, so it seems, online cultures of communication are putting pressure on democracy. The Panel will include the following presentations: (1) New ethics for online information? The impact of fake news on journalism Laura SOLZBACHER (presenting), Aline Franzke (presenting) & Caja THIMM (presenting) (2) Incivility in Political Online-Communication: Types, Causes, Effects and Interventions Marieke BORMANN (presenting), Jan-Philipp KLUCK (presenting). Nicole KRAEMER & Gerhard VOWE (3) Audience and market fragmentation online: Resulting challenges for democracies – The case of Germany Inga BRENTEL (presenting), Céline Fabienne LÜCKEN (presenting), Olaf JANDURA, Olexiy KHABYUK