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Impetus for the digital society

NEWS FROM THE INSTITUTE

Digitaler Salon: App’s Anatomy

The doctors in the phone track our cycle or analyse the blood sugar level. Have family physicians become obsolete and do digital tools turn…

Happy new year!

What was your favorite HIIG moment in 2017? Our advent calendar gives you a glimpse of the past year’s research and hot topics in…

Otfried Jarren honored by Schader-Stiftung

The HIIG congratulates Otfried Jarren, chairman of the foundation board of the Foundation for Internet and Society, which supports the institute, for his award…

Workshop: Nudging and Digital Platforms

Are digital platforms the new ‘iron cages’ of society? Will Big-Data-based nudging lead us into a technocratic future of cyber-social control? Is China’s Social…

Video: Manuel Castells in Berlin

On 12 December, the influential sociologist Manuel Castells inaugurated our new academic lecture series on “Making sense of the digital society“ at Kino International…

Castells inaugurates lecture series on digital society

The current rapid social and technological change brings about enormous uncertainties – a great need for explanations and sense-making but also of shaping our…

UPCOMING EVENTS

Further events

  • September 24
    Digitaler Salon: Im Tal der Ahnungslosen
    19:00 - 20:00 | Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society | Talk series: Digitaler Salon
  • October 09
    Risik narratives in the field of privacy, surveillance, and data protection
    All Day | Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society |
  • October 29
    Omnipresent & hidden: Impact, costs, and futures of AI
    14:00 - 18:00 | Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society |

    • RESEARCH ISSUES IN FOCUS

    Platform governance

    In our research on platform governance, we investigate how corporate goals and social values can be balanced on online platforms.
    Du siehst eine Tastatur auf der eine Taste rot gefärbt ist und auf der „Control“ steht. Eine bildliche Metapher für die Regulierung von digitalen Plattformen im Internet und Data Governance. You see a keyboard on which one key is coloured red and says "Control". A figurative metaphor for the regulation of digital platforms on the internet and data governance.

    Data governance

    We develop robust data governance frameworks and models to provide practical solutions for good data governance policies.
    Du siehst Eisenbahnschienen. Die vielen verschiedenen Abzweigungen symbolisieren die Entscheidungsmöglichkeiten von Künstlicher Intelligenz in der Gesellschaft. Manche gehen nach oben, unten, rechts. Manche enden auch in Sackgassen. Englisch: You see railway tracks. The many different branches symbolise the decision-making possibilities of artificial intelligence and society. Some go up, down, to the right. Some also end in dead ends.

    Artificial intelligence and society

    The future of artificial Intelligence and society operates in diverse societal contexts. What can we learn from its political, social and cultural facets?

    Digitalisation and sustainability

    In terms of sustainability, digitalisation faces countless opportunities and challenges. We explore how technology is used responsibly.
    Du siehst eine Bibliothek mit einer runden Treppe die sich in die höhe schraubt. Sie steht sinnbildlich für die sich stetig weiterentwickelnden digitalen Infrastrukturen unserer Wissensgesellschaft. You see a library with a round staircase that spirals upwards. It symbolises the constantly evolving digital infrastructures of our knowledge society.

    Open higher education

    We explore the use of open higher education & edtech to create, share and disseminate knowledge for all in our knowledge society.
    Man sieht einen leeren Büroraum ohne Möbel und braunen Teppichboden. Das Bild steht sinnbildlich für die Frage, wie die Arbeit der Zukunft und digitales Organisieren und Zukunft unseren Arbeitsplatz beeinflusst. You see an empty office room without furniture and brown carpeting. The image is emblematic of the question of how the work of the future and digital organising and the future will influence our workplace.

    Digital future of the workplace

    How will AI and digitalisation change the future of the workplace? We assess their impact, and the opportunities and risks for the future of work.

    Experts for Media

    HIIG Expertise – Startseite - Micro - single

    Here you will find our experts on current press topics relating to the Internet and digitalisation.

    AI Compass

    KI Kompass Startseite

    Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI). But what is all the hype? Find out with this card game.

    Data Governance Guide

    smart city_startseite

    Our new handbook provides guidance on the legally compliant and efficient use of data for administrations.

    DIGITAL SOCIETY BLOG

    Further articles

    A lone shark in the blue ocean symbolises pressure, rivalry and the “shark tank” metaphor. The image reflects emotionless competition at work, where AI can trigger feelings of inferiority and lead to a loss of trust in the technology.

    Emotionless competition at work: When trust in Artificial Intelligence falters

    Emotionless competition with AI harms workplace trust. When employees feel outperformed by machines, confidence in their skills and the technology declines.

    Lorenz Graf-Vlachy on 4 September 2025
    Rowers hold on to each other in boats forming a row. The image illustrates that defending Europe’s disinformation researchers against coordinated attacks needs a united strategy.

    Defending Europe’s disinformation researchers

    Disinformation researchers in Europe face lawsuits, harassment & smear campaigns. What is behind these attacks? How should the EU respond?

    Ben Shultz on 27 August 2025
    The picture shows a man wiping a large glass window. This is used as a metaphor for questioning assumptions about disinformation and seeking clearer understanding.

    Debunking assumptions about disinformation: Rethinking what we think we know

    Exploring definitions, algorithmic amplification, and detection, this article challenges assumptions about disinformation and calls for stronger research evidence.

    Ann-Kathrin Watolla on 20 August 2025