Platforms, Social Media and Responsibility: What role do Google & Co play? With Sabine Frank (Google Germany)

The world is becoming more complicated, the amount of information is increasing, its distribution is growing rapidly, even beyond known and relevant channels. Internet platforms spread information, becoming media, controlled by artificial intelligence. But what data controls the algorithms that fill my news feeds?

Not only since Donald Trump’s election are the questions on the responsibility of search engines and social media a topic for politics and consumers. The German Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG), which has been in place since January, should help to remove illegal entries with hatred and hate crimes faster and more consistently from the Internet. Critics complain that this is implemented by the companies and not by courts, which could lead to premature deletions of actually harmless content and thus endanger the democratic culture of debate. At the same time companies such as Google run their own campaigns against hatred on the net such as the project #NichtEgal with prominent YouTubers.

What is the assessment of one of the most important Internet companies half a year after the entry into force of the NetzDG? What are the responsibilities of the platforms on which content is posted, how do they operate? How successful are campaigns like #NichtEgal, is the effectiveness checked? We would like to discuss these and other questions with you and Sabine Frank.