New publication on democracy and digitalization

Polarization, market-dominating platforms, fake news – democracy is under pressure and must face the challenges of the digital world. In a new anthology, researchers from TA and other disciplines search for possible solutions.

Cover der Publikation Digitalisierung und die Zukunft der Demokratie — Proceedings of the 9th Conference of the Network Technology Assessment. (Source: Nomos)

How can the polarization of opinions on digital platforms be addressed? What steps can be taken against digital hate speech? And what can be done effectively to counter fake news? In all these questions, technology assessment (TA) plays a central role, as stated by deputy head of ITAS Constanze Scherz and the co-editors of the recently published anthology “Digitalisierung und die Zukunft der Demokratie” (Digitalization and the Future of Democracy).

The volume is based on the contributions of the ninth conference of the Network Technology Assessment, which took place in May 2021. In the book, numerous authors from TA and other disciplines look into the tense relationship between digitalization and democracy. Using concrete case studies, they analyze the influence of digitalization on democratic processes. They also shed light on forms of digital participation, the challenges of digital sovereignty, and the benefits and limitations of TA-specific democratization efforts. (07.06.2022)

Bibliographic data:

Bogner, A.; Decker, M.; Nentwich, M.; Scherz, C. (eds.)
Digitalisierung und die Zukunft der Demokratie. Beiträge aus der Technikfolgenabschätzung. Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlag, 2022, 288 S., ISBN: 978-3-7489-2892-8 (Gesellschaft – Technik – Umwelt, Neue Folge)

Publication available here: Digitalisierung und die Zukunft der Demokratie