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A breath of fresh air.

Our new research focuses are
available for exploration!

A breath of fresh air.

Our new research focuses
are available for exploration!

NEWS FROM THE INSTITUTE

Wahlkompass Digitales: Online-Tool to compare election programmes

How do we use data purposefully and justly? How should we react to populism and social bots? How can we protect ourselves against cyber…

Blog launch: Elephant in the Lab

Elephant in the Lab targets problems in science. The new blog explicitly adresses »elephants in the lab«, so that scientists can keep up with…

New paper: Remix as a form of innovation

The reuse of existing knowledge is an indispensable part of the creation of novel ideas. Our project manager Sascha Friesike is doing research about…

Public lunch talk: Towards P2P online voting protocols

While online services emerge in all areas of life, the voting procedure in many democracies remains paper-based as the security of current online voting…

DISRUPTED! at Tech Open Air

For the first time ever and in collaboration with HIIG, Tech Open Air offers an exclusive conference format for Mittelstand, Corporates and Startups. At…

Digitaler Salon: Dr. Algorithm

Longer and better living through personalised pills and nanorobots? What is the influence of AI on medicine? And what to do with the health related data? Discuss with us on 30 August!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Further events

  • August 24
    Are the kids alright? The protection of minors online and social media bans
    14:00 - 15:00 | Online |
  • August 26
    Digitaler Salon: Massenpropaganda auf Knopfdruck
    19:00 - 20:00 | Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society | AI
  • September 01
    Workshop: Erfolgreichere Werbung durch informiertere Entscheidungen
    14:00 - 16:00 | Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society |

    • More to come soon.

    Explore our current issues
    while we reshape our research agenda…

    More to come soon.

    Explore our current issues
    while we reshape our research agenda…

    Featured Topics

    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

    Playing cards on a table with a hidden ace, representing the high-stakes game of platform regulation under the Digital Services Act.

    Cards on the table: Making sense of the Digital Services Act

    This article revisits the origins and core mechanisms of the Digital Services Act and asks what lessons they hold for the upcoming review process.

    Daniel Pothmann on 5 August 2026
    The photo shows yellow lockers, symbolising data protection.

    Why data protection doesn’t protect data, but people

    This article explains why “data protection” is something of a misnomer, and why the main responsibility for making it work doesn’t rest with users alone.

    Max Lukat on 3 August 2026
    Rows of empty blue chairs in a plenary hall, symbolizing the question of whether AI can strengthen democracy.

    Can AI strengthen democracy? A data collection on AI projects aiming to serve democratic processes

    This article introduces a dataset of 98 AI projects claiming to serve democracy, built to help researchers test these claims.

    S. Youssef, T. Züger, L. Winter on 13 July 2026