The ubiquity of disinformation and hate speech online makes it clear that the next federal government needs to take urgent action.
In order not to lose young people online, political consultant Martin Fuchs urgently needs advice centers for victims, improved reporting mechanisms on the platforms or the expansion of specialized criminal prosecution. Offers for media education and for promoting the culture of political discussion can only have a broad impact if they are more oriented towards the digital living environment of young people than before
8.7 million young voters, including 2.8 million first-time voters, could cast their votes in the federal election on September 26th
Not only movements like “Fridays for Future”, but also current data show: The young generation is highly interested in politics and wants to shape things. Almost two thirds of 14 to 24 year olds say that it is important to them to discuss political issues with others. At the same time, misinformation, hate speech and bullying are part of young people's everyday digital lives. Three quarters of them see fake news at least once a week and around a third have already been insulted, threatened or bullied on messenger services alone. Young women and those with little formal education are particularly affected. These figures make it clear that the next federal government needs to take urgent action. Based on representative data collected by the Vodafone Foundation Germany for a series of youth studies between 2018 and 2021, the political consultant and journalist Martin Fuchs has formulated twelve recommendations to strengthen young people against disinformation and hate speech online to promote digital discussion culture.
Better digital structures are needed to combat hate speech and bullying
In Fuchs's opinion, social media reporting systems should be expanded and at the same time the competence of law enforcement authorities for the digital space should be strengthened. An expansion of contact points for digital violence, where victims can receive advice and support, is another important component, especially for groups with less education.
In order to improve the culture of discussion, especially among digital natives in the digital space, the author suggests, among other things, the creation of a socially broad competition and support program: a “Youth Debates” for the digital space
At the same time, political education offerings should be significantly expanded in channels relevant to young people. This includes, in particular, messenger services such as Whatsapp or Telegram as well as social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat or Tik Tok. In order to combat the effects of digital disinformation, the topic should be treated across disciplines in schools and teachers should receive appropriate training. A success factor could be to involve students in the classroom, as they usually have much more experience in using social media than their teachers.
The author also emphasizes that it is not just young people who should be made strong against digital disinformation. Suitable educational opportunities are needed, especially for the 40+ generation, who have not been socialized with the Internet and social media. To this end, the idea of establishing a federal center for digital education should be revived. Such an institution could bundle and further develop educational offerings for all age groups and give greater importance to the topic of disinformation and digital discussion culture overall.
Author
About Martin Fuchs
Martin Fuchs is a political consultant, journalist and speaker. He advises governments, parliaments, parties and administrations on digital communication. He works as a lecturer in digital communication and politics at various universities. His columns currently appear in the magazines “politik & kommunikation” and “STRIVE”. The books “Democracy Amplifier” and “Parliamentary Democracy Today and Tomorrow” have recently been published, in which he is a co-author. www.martin-fuchs.org
About the Vodafone Foundation Germany
Actively shaping the digital world requires new skills. We must understand new technologies, critically question changes and work together to create creative solutions to the challenges of the 21st century. That's why the Vodafone Foundation is rethinking education for the digital society. Together with pioneers from politics, science and civil society, we research, engage in socio-political debates and develop innovative educational offerings. www.vodafone-stiftung.de
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