The digital world offers countless opportunities to disseminate information. But not everything shared is true or respectful. A current example is the photo of Tessa Ganserer, a well-known German politician, which is currently circulating on the Internet. But who is really behind it and what are their intentions?
But first a look back to 2019, because Tessa Ganserer was already a topic there
In 2019, a photo of five people circulated, especially in relevant circles ( we reported ). The claim at the time: They were members of the Green Party in the Bavarian state parliament. One of the people pictured is actually a politician: Tessa Ganserer, who successfully took action against an internet platform that had defamed her and the other people in the photo.
What happened ? In 2019, Tessa Ganserer, along with other people, was defamed in a photo that was shared on the Internet. A right-wing populist platform spread this image and commented on the people depicted as “laughing stock” and other derogatory comments. The politician concerned decided to take legal action against the platform.
An initial judgment imposed a fine of 3,200 euros on the platform operator. However, after an appeal, the Nuremberg-Fürth regional court increased this amount to 24,000 euros and justified the decision by saying that the operator's comments were viewed as a human rights violation and insult. The operator now faces the possibility of another appeal, but at the same time risks a fine of up to 250,000 euros or six months in prison if he publishes the image and its comments again.
Who is Tessa Ganserer?
In 2018, Tessa Ganserer became the first German MP to make a name for herself by making her trans identity public. With her election to the Bundestag in 2021, she and Nyke Slawik have set a milestone in the history of the parliament: two trans women in the German Bundestag. A courageous decision in an often conservative political landscape, especially considering how difficult the path to official recognition as a woman was for her. Treating your identity with respect should be a given. But as the current photo shows, this is not always the case.
Now another photo is circulating online and it remains to be seen whether Tessa Ganserer will take legal action again. Since the image is constantly being reposted, it will be difficult to find the original author of the “Sharepic”.
The controversial photo – Deep-rooted discrimination in digital form
The photo of Tessa Ganserer, taken during a Bundestag session, seems at first glance to be an ordinary portrait of a politician.
The picture says “It’s not the train station line, no, it’s a German Green politician in the Bundestag. Reflects the state of the country” (sic!)
Is it an authentic photo?
Yes, the image actually comes from the “Imago-Images” image database. Imago is a German news and picture agency based in Berlin. The company was founded in 1997. It markets current and licensed news images.
The accompanying photo caption reads: “Politician Tessa Ganserer (Greens) during the 116th session of the German Bundestag in the Reichstag building. Taken on July 7th, 2023 in Berlin, Germany.” The photo can be found HERE at IMAGO .
Now another question arises: Was the photo legally acquired by the actual creator of the Sharepic listed or simply copied from the Internet and stolen?
Such photos are subject to a licensing requirement “Who can purchase licenses from IMAGO? Our offer is aimed at professional users. Licenses can be purchased by both companies and individuals (e.g. if you work as a freelance editor for several clients)” FAQ contains the following important note: “The applicable regulations for the protection of personal rights are applicable when publishing natural or legal persons depicted must be observed; These can be found, for example, in §22, 23 KUG. In particular, defamatory or distorting use of the image material should always be avoided .
IMAGO also writes in its terms and conditions under point 18: “ If the image and video material is used or passed on without approval or not reported, the fee will be charged five times the respective fee recommendations that can be found in the most recent publication of the medium-sized photo marketing community. This will be published on the website of the Federal Association of Professional Image Providers www.bvpa.de.”
However, it is cast in a dark light by the deliberately misleading accompanying text. This disrespectful comment, “It's not the train station line, no, it's a German Green politician in the Bundestag. Reflects the state of the country” (sic!), which aims to ridicule Tessa Ganserer because of her trans identity, is more than just a single thoughtless act. It is a disturbing symbol of the targeted and conscious discrimination that trans people continue to experience in a variety of forms.
But what drives people to spread such distorting and damaging information? It is usually prejudice and misguided beliefs that motivate such actions. At a time when the recognition and acceptance of sexual identities is becoming increasingly important, there are still people who oppose this progress. They see diversity as a threat to their own world view and try to sow uncertainty and discord by spreading such inflammatory content.
There are also groups and organizations with specific agendas that specifically attempt to manipulate public opinions and perspectives. In some cases this is done to discredit political opponents, in other cases to deepen social divisions and inflame tensions.
The distribution of such photos, especially with manipulative and misleading comments, is therefore not just a direct attack on the person concerned. It is also an attempt to anchor prejudices in society and influence people's opinions. In order to counteract this type of disinformation, it is important to remain critical and always obtain information from reliable sources.
The growing phenomenon of targeted online hate speech
In the digital age we have seen: the Internet has revolutionized communication. However, this revolution also brought with it undesirable side effects. One of these is targeted hate speech online, a problem that has increased alarmingly in recent years.
The digital world has given us a platform for exchanging opinions, thoughts and ideas. Unfortunately, it has also given a voice to those who want to spread hate, prejudice and intolerance. Under the cloak of anonymity, many feel safe and entitled to spread harmful stories without fear of consequences.
Tessa Ganserer: In the crosshairs
The case of Tessa Ganserer is a clear example of how quickly and extensively targeted hate can spread on the Internet. As a prominent trans politician, she became a lightning rod for those seeking to express their own prejudices and intolerance online. But why are trans people in particular so often targeted?
Transgender people often live in tension with social norms and expectations. This makes them an easy target for those who fear the unknown or want to see the world in strict binary terms. The targeted hate speech against them attempts to delegitimize their existence and spread the narrative that they are “different” or “less than.”
Protecting the digital community
The speed at which information (or disinformation) can spread across the internet is unprecedented. A single tweet, image or comment can go viral and change someone's life in a matter of seconds. It is therefore our shared responsibility to deal critically with the information we encounter on the Internet.
What does “trans” mean?
Gender identity can manifest itself in a variety of ways: from a simple change in clothing style to a social change in gender role to hormone therapy or surgical adjustments to match one's internal sense of gender. In this context, “trans” is often used as a collective term to summarize the multitude of gender identities and variations under a common term.
Conclusion: The responsibility of the information age
We all need to take responsibility in an age where everyone is a producer and consumer of content. Tessa Ganserer's example reminds us how devastating online hate can be and how important it is that we all work together against discrimination and prejudice. It is up to us to make the digital space safe, respectful and inclusive for everyone. This is the only way we can ensure that the Internet remains a place where ideas and communities thrive and are not destroyed.
Article image:
Credit: IMAGO / Panama Pictures
Information: Politician Tessa Ganserer (Greens) in the 116th session of the German Bundestag in the Reichstag building. Berlin, 07.07.2023 Berlin Germany *** Politician Tessa Ganserer Green Party in the 116 session of the German Bundestag in the Reichstag building Berlin, 07 07 2023 Berlin Germany Copyright: Christoph Hardt
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )