Welcome to the Blog of the Research Group Dynamics of Digital Mobilization of the Weizenbaum Institute and Freie Universität Berlin!
Our research group investigates the logics and interrelationship of digital information infrastructures, (transnational) mobilizations in networked digital publics, the dynamics of diffusion and manipulation of information under conditions of automation and algorithmic control, and the quality of public debates in Europe and on an international scale.
RESEARCH BLOG
- ECREA 2024 – 10th European Communication Conference at the University of Ljubljana, SloveniaFrom September 24th until the 27th the DigiMoD-Team attended the 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA 2024) at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Under the theme ‘Communication & social (dis)order’ the ECC 2024 conference invited the participants to rethink the state of communication in light of ongoing political, economic, environmental, health, and technological disruptions, reflecting on their (dys)functional unpredictability and lasting societal impact. Attendees were also reminded that, although the rapid pace and scale of current communicative and social changes may create a sense of unprecedented transformation—this feeling is not unique to our time. In this light, our team members, and […]
- Right-Wing Election Campaigning on Telegram: “It Works Like a Media Outlet”In an interview with Leonie Dorn from the Weizenbaum Institute, Dr. Kilian Buehling and Baoning Gong (both Freie Universität/Weizenbaum Institute) explore how right-wing politicians used Telegram during state elections in East Germany to mobilize supporters. Their ongoing study combines quantitative and qualitative methods to understand how Telegram’s platform architecture enables extremist actors to manipulate their image and spread disinformation and conspiracy theories. For instance, Telegram’s unrestricted public channels function like independent media outlets, providing far-right groups with a direct line to their audience without interference from algorithms or censorship. Discussing challenges, the researchers highlight the growing difficulty of social media […]
- MISDOOM 2024 – Symposium at the University of MünsterOn the 3rd of September, our doctoral researcher, Miriam Milzner, participated in the 6th Multidisciplinary Symposium on Disinformation in Open Online Media (MISDOOM) held at the University of Münster, Germany. This event brought together an international community of disinformation researchers from diverse fields, including communication science, computer science, computational social science, political communication, and media studies. Miriam Milzner (Freie Universität/Weizenbaum Institute) presented her work “Coordinated Social Media Manipulation: State of the Art,” co-authored with Daniel Thiele and Baoning Gong (both Freie Universität/Weizenbaum Institute). The systematic literature review scrutinizes the emerging yet unsystematic research field of Coordinated Social Media Manipulation, mapping […]
- ECPR General Conference 2024 at University College DublinFrom August 12th to 15th, we had an amazing chance to participate in the ECPR General Conference at University College Dublin! The event featured a comprehensive program of 24 panel sessions, covering the full spectrum of political science and offering dynamic platforms for discussion and debate. We had the opportunity to be the discussant at a panel session and present our work. The conference covered key areas including political science, political theory, international relations, and European studies. Some of our team members participated in the event: In addition to the headline events and networking opportunities, we engaged in inspiring conversations […]
- 74th Annual ICA Conference “Communication and Global Human Rights”This year’s 74th Annual ICA Conference on “Communication and Global Human Rights” was held from June 20th to 24th in Gold Coast, Australia. This event focused on exploring the critical intersections between communication studies and human rights scholarship, showcasing current practices, research, and future directions. Topics ranged from the media’s role in advocating for marginalized groups’ rights to challenges posed by digital surveillance and technology’s role in documenting human rights violations. The symposium provided a platform for in-depth discussions on how communication influences perceptions, policies, and advocacy efforts in global human rights. During the conference, several of our team members […]
- Discussions and exciting insights at the Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance (CDDGG), University of Canberra, AustraliaThe Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance (CDDGG) at the University of Canberra, Australia, is a globally recognized leader in deliberative governance research, dedicated to exploring how inclusive and reflective communication can empower people in political decision-making. The center explores the impact of public deliberation in polarized and post-crisis contexts and advances theoretical debates and methodological innovations in deliberative democracy. Following an invitation by Professor and Centre Director Selen Ercan and Dr Jordan McSwiney, former fellow of the Weizenbaum Institute, Dr. Annett Heft presented her collaborative work done with Dr. Killian Buehling and Xixuan Zhang at the Centre’s research […]
- Podcast: Understanding Conspiracy Theories on Alternative PlatformsIn the latest episode of the NEOVEX podcast, Maik Fielitz from the Institute for Democracy and Civil Society in Jena, responsible for the area of right-wing extremism and democracy research at the IDZ, sits down with Dr. Kilian Bühling, a researcher at the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society, working on the researching diffusion dynamics of conspiracy theories and adaptation strategies in hybrid information spaces. During their conversation, Fielitz and Bühling discuss the critical role alternative platforms play in the communication systems of right-wing extremists and conspiracy theorists. They explore how the platform cultures influence the spread of conspiracy theories […]
- New Edition of The Research Monitor (fyi 15): Right-Wing Movements and Their Threat to DemocracyThe Research Monitor (fyi 15) published on the 4th of June a new edition which compiles seven studies and an interview with Dr. Annett Heft. The publication entails the current state of research on right-wing movements, highlighting why they pose a serious threat to democracy and suggesting which efforts can be made to counteract them. In her interview, Annett Heft discusses the significant challenges that anti-democratic movements present to modern democracies and social cohesion. These movements reject essential democratic principles such as equality, political diversity, and minority protection. Moreover, she points out that the rise of such movements, evidenced by […]
- Fellow Talk with our Research Fellow Dominik SchindlerVisiting the research group in May Dominik Schindler, Ph.D. candidate in Applied Mathematics at Imperial College London, gave a talk on his latest research on May, 14. In his talk, titled “Bayesian Knowledge – Situated and Pluriversal Perspectives on Machine Learning”, he explored the fundamental mathematical structures of machine learning (ML) and challenged some of the assumptions underlying ML at a mathematical level. Informed by feminist and decolonial critiques of Western epistemologies, he demonstrated that seemingly innocent mathematical structures can inscribe epistemologies that invalidate other forms of knowledge production, resulting in epistemic violence. Lastly, he explored the potential of subjective […]