New publication alert: Lea Schneidemesser, @schneiss.bsky.social & @janaheim.bsky.social investigate the role of data work in the implementation of AI systems in traditional industries, exploring the labor and power dynamics embedded in these processes. 🔗 doi.org/10.34669/WI....

Out now: Our latest Policy Paper dives into the key provisions of the Digital Services Act #DSA on data access, highlighting its goals, procedures, limits, & external factors impacting implementation: 🔗 doi.org/10.34669/WI....

"Die Verbreitung von #Desinformation ist nicht das Resultat neuer #Medien, #Algorithmen und #KI, sondern sie ist Ausdruck der Erosion von Vertrauen in die #Demokratie", machte @jeah.bsky.social im Forum Medienzukunft deutlich. Das Transkript ihres Vortrags gibt es hier: medien.epd.de/article/3479

🚨Deadline approaching for this years' PlatGov: abstracts welcome till Sept 2nd! Great chance to pitch your research and connect with wonderful people. @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social @digipolicy.bsky.social @wzb.bsky.social

Looking forward to your abstract submissions for our workshop "Generative AI & The Faces of Power" on 20-21 Novemeber! Further details: www.weizenbaum-institut.de/en/events-1/...

Looking forward to your abstract submissions for our workshop "Generative AI & The Faces of Power" on 20-21 Novemeber! Further details: www.weizenbaum-institut.de/en/events-1/...

Great to speak with @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social about the sustainability issues with generative AI when I was in Berlin recently!

Am 20./21.11.25 veranstalten wir am @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social einen Workshop zum Thema "GenAI&Power". Wir freuen uns über Einreichungen, die eine theoretische & konzeptionelle Perspektive auf das Wechselverhältnis von GenAI&Macht werfen. Alle Infos zum Workshop finden sich im CfA:

Thank you @robyncaplan.bsky.social for visiting us in Berlin and giving a wonderful presentation on your recent research! Last week we hosted Duke University's Robyn Caplan for her talk on why big (social) media companies have changed their self-descriptive narrative, and why that matters.

Brand new TechDo Digest from the @digipolicy.bsky.social research group "Technology, Power, and Domination" @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social and @wzb.bsky.social: www.weizenbaum-library.de/handle/id/917

📣 Call for abstracts: Workshop on Generative AI & the Faces of Power, Nov 20-21 at the Weizenbaum Institute, Berlin Does your work deal with theoretical questions surrounding GenAI and power? Submit your proposals (ca. 500 words) by Aug 15! 👉 Full call: cloud.weizenbaum-institut.de/index.php/s/...

Working on platform governance? Join for PlatGovNet 2025 Free online conference Dec 1-2 Extended abstracts (800-1000 words) due Sep 2 Amazing community, opportunity to share work, get feedback, meet others working in this area. Glad to be part of organizing it Details: platgov.net/conferences/...

Tomorrow! 📅 We will welcome Robyn Caplan @robyncaplan.bsky.social (Duke University) for her talk on why media companies have changed their rhetorical narratives in the light of new regulation policies. 📍 Weizenbaum Institute, Hardenbergstr. 32, 10623 🕥 11:30-13:00 (originally 11am) 📝Sign up below

🎤♻️ At our event “Sustainable AI: Narratives and Impacts” @paulschuetze.bsky.social‬ (Uni Osnabrueck) and @parismarx.com‬ (@techwontsave.us‬) discussed if and how #AI can be a leap forward in the sustainability project or if it is reproducing the status quo. 📺 Full recording: buff.ly/XJKPPHe

Why media companies now insist they are media companies, and why that matters 🌐🏢 Duke University assistant professor Robyn Caplan (@robyncaplan.bsky.social) will present her research on this exact topic 💬 24 June 2025, 11:00-12:30, WI Please sign up here: survey.lamapoll.de/Why-media-co...

🤩 Only 2 days until #WIConf25 Empowering People in Online Spaces: Democracy and Well-being in Digital Societies! Don’t miss one of the highlights: Our Roundtable on Democracy and Media in Europe w/ Jeffrey Wimmer, @nicocarpentier.bsky.social, Merja Mahrt and Maren Hartmann. 👉 buff.ly/firE4Gx

👉 Find out more and register (for free) here: www.weizenbaum-conference.de

The 7th Weizenbaum Conference is about to start! 🤩 Join the conversation via #WIConf25 about empowering people in online spaces. We‘ll also be posting updates throughout the day!

What is the role of digital infrastructures in the current challenges for liberal democracies?
What do they mean for vulnerable people, for activists and for democracy as a whole? The #WIConf25 offers insights into the latest Research with speakers from over 25 countries and multiple diciplines.

#WIConf2025 @Rainer_Rehak#wiconf2025on #ai #narratives 💡Keep in mind: Models are only pragmatic reductions 🪛Fairness is a political issue not a technical one 📍Optimization is also a political matter: Optimal for who and for which goal?

We knew it! Turnout at the first #WIConf2025 session on “Gen AI and Algorithmic Dispute" is high - @rainerrehak.bsky.social opening this session.

My liveblogging from the @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social Conference 2025 has started – great opening keynote on AI and democracy from @claesdevreese.bsky.social… #WI2025 snurb.info/node/3304

Another great conference liveblog from @snurb.info ⬇️ Neat recap of why we need a societal perspective on AI, in addition to individual level initiatives. Summarised in even clearer language than the actual presentation #WIConf2025

Inspiring topics coming up for 2 days at #WIConf2025

Taking place now: @claesdevreese.bsky.social giving the #WIConf2025 @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social Keynote Speech on “Are we, citizens, ready for an AI democracy?”. Spoiler: we are not!

Is #AI messing with our #democracy? The #WIConf25 keynote by @claesdevreese.bsky.social looks at the evidence from elections in 2024. It‘s part of the campaign toolkit rather than a magic wand.

@Rainer_Rehak at #wiconf2025 "We need to deconstruct AI narratives"

Interesting keynote by @claesdevreese.bsky.social at the @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social #WIConf2025. Something to follow: consequences of combination of AI and social media for election transparency - a boost in the creation and spread of misinformation.

It is on! This is year our group is super proud and happy to co-chair the #WIConf2025 #WIConf25. Here is @claraigk.bsky.social kicking off with @dscheykopp.bsky.social. Stay tuned here and @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social for updates!

What’s behind the story of Sustainable AI? 🌏 Can this power hungry technology really path our way to the future? Today, we spoke with @parismarx.com, Paul Schütze and Weizenbaum researchers @janafapa.bsky.social and @rainerrehak.bsky.social about the real impacts AI has on our environment.

Consider submitting a paper to our workshop “AI x Crisis: Tracing New Directions Beyond Deployment and Use,” which will take place at the Aarhus Conference (Critical Action, Theory, and Practice in Computing) on August 18-19! More information: sites.google.com/view/ai-x-cr...

Don't miss this exciting talk and panel next week, May 22, as we explore the promises, and real-world impacts of #sustainable #AI 🌏 w/ @parismarx.com (@techwontsave.us), Paul Schütze, Jana Pannier (@wzb.bsky.social) & @rainerrehak.bsky.social. Join us 👉 www.weizenbaum-institut.de/news/detail/...

Can AI really help save the planet—or is it just another resource-hungry illusion? 📅 22 May 2025, 16:00-18:00 📍 Weizenbaum Institute Sign up to explore the promises, pitfalls, and real-world impacts of "sustainable AI" in two talks and a panel discussion: www.weizenbaum-institut.de/veranstaltun...

Join us at the 7th Weizenbaum Conference! 💡 Under the title "Empowering People in Online Spaces", the two-day panel event will provide a deep dive into democracy and well-being in digital societies 🌐🌎 June 4-5, Berlin Find more information and sign up at www.weizenbaum-conference.de

How has Trump changed platform content moderation policies? 💬 On May 14th, our research lead @claraigk.bsky.social will take part in a panel discussion on content moderation and freedom of expression at @humboldtuni.bsky.social Sign up using the link below ✍️ www.rewi.hu-berlin.de/de/lf/oe/rhp...

Ein ganz besonderer Nachklang der #poloeff -Tagung: Heute wurde der @futurehistories.bsky.social-Podcast vom Gespräch mit @frieder-vogelmann.net veröffentlicht: www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blo... - Der Podcast transportiert ganz wunderbar die konzentrierte Atmosphäre der Tagung. Danke!

📖 🗓️ Read the full interview, be a part of the the Weizenbaum Conference from 4-5 June 2025, and register today ➡️ www.weizenbaum-institut.de/news/detail/...

✨ How can we empower people in online spaces — and why does it matter now more than ever? 🎤 We spoke with Conference Chairs Clara Iglesias Keller and Jakob Ohme about the upcoming #WiConf25. They shared insights on the theme, the program, and their hopes for what this gathering can spark.

Unsere Forschungsdirektorin @jeah.bsky.social (@wzb.bsky.social + @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social) spricht im Hintergrund-Podcast über digitale Kommunikation, Chilling-Effekte & Machtasymmetrien zwischen Plattformen & Nutzenden. #Deutschlandfunk 👉 Sendung: www.deutschlandfunk.de/vierteljahrh...

KI-Systeme sind massive Stromfresser – nicht nur im Betrieb, sondern auch bei der Hardwareproduktion. Aufklärung wird zudem erschwert durch fehlende Transparenz der Unternehmen. 🔋⚡ Mehr dazu im @taz.de Interview unseres Kollegen Rainer Rehak (@rainerrehak.bsky.social): taz.de/Stromfresser...

Today our group hosted @pjleerssen.bsky.social (University of Amsterdam, Institute for Information Law) at @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social for his presentation on platform ownership and the political economy of content moderation governance. 💬🌐 Thank you for visiting us and sharing new insights! 🎓

🏚️ New location! The launch and presentation of the book "Blockchain Governance" will be held on Friday at the following location: 📍 Georgenstr. 47, 10117 Berlin We are looking forward!

🌾💡 #Bluesky Starter Pack of the Weizenbaum Institute 🚀 We've gathered the Bluesky accounts of Weizenbaum researchers for networking and connecting on #digitalization research: go.bsky.app/NH1NhmS @wzb.bsky.social @fokuspublic.bsky.social @freieuniversitaet.bsky.social @tuberlin.bsky.social

What are the political and legal implications of #blockchain technology? 📖 Book launch: “Blockchain Governance” 📅 28 March 2025, 5PM 📍 Am Kupfergraben 5, Berlin / online (DM for more info) With @wesselreijers.bsky.social, @katrinbecker.eu and @annanosthoff.bsky.social. See you there!

Join us on April 10th for a conference on Free Knowledge by @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social and @wikimediade.bsky.social - our Research Group organized a panel on 'Asymmetrical Power Structures in Free Knowledge Today'. We are excited to see you there! 👩‍🏫 Please register using the link below.

How do democratic institutions respond to disinformation when it is weaponized by elected officials for illiberal purposes? Read the new paper by @claraigk.bsky.social & Diego W. Arguelhes for insights from Brazil into the tension-filled role of courts: www.nomos-elibrary.de/de/10.5771/0...

Our research group lead @claraigk.bsky.social joined @friedrichmoser.bsky.social at the German premiere of his new documentary “How to Build a Truth Engine” to discuss disinformation, propaganda, and the possibilities for resistance on and off the Web — especially through the regulation of Big Tech.

Want to know what our research group has been reading? The latest version of the TechDo Digest is out, with a new section on disinformation: www.weizenbaum-library.de/items/ceb12c...

Letzte Woche haben wir auf dem #weizenbaumforum mit @jsmirnova.bsky.social und @juliareuschenbach.bsky.social über die #BTW25 diskutiert. Dabei ging es u.a. um den Einfluss von Desinformationskampagnen und die Rolle von sozialen Medien und Qualitätsjournalismus. Vielen Dank an alle, die dabei waren!

Our research group organized a discussion with Publix about disinformation, resilient democracies and the challenges of reporting on this electoral cycle. A recording of the event can be found at youtu.be/cXYXmt1uVzs. 🎦 German and English transcripts are available at publix.de/news (30.01.25). 💌