The working group “Digitization and Democracy” published their statement on the relationship between digital technologies and democratic systems. The group includes Prof. Dr. Barbara Pfetsch and Prof. Dr. Jeanette Hofmann of our division and Prof. Dr. Thorsten Faas of the Otto-Suhr-Institut as well as other researchers with backgrounds in communication studies, political science, computer science, law, and other disciplines. In the statement, the authors present their analysis of changes in democratic public spheres, dynamics of public communication as well as new opportunities for participation. Additionally, they lay out guidelines and recommendations for handling future developments.

The statement “Digitalisation and Democracy” was published jointly by the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities, and the National Academy of Science and Engineering acatech. The statement is in German, but an English summary can be found here.