Election Integrity: Digital Committee Debates Without Platforms
Berlin, January 30, 2025 (hib) – The Bundestag’s Digital Committee met on Wednesday to discuss election integrity without representatives from major platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
The decision to exclude the platforms was made after they declined invitations to attend the hearing, citing concerns about potential interference in the upcoming 2025 federal election.
Committee chairman Jens Zimmermann (SPD) expressed disappointment over the platforms’ absence, saying it was “essential” to have their input on the issue of election integrity.
“We need to ensure that our elections are fair and secure, and that means working with all stakeholders, including the major platforms that play a significant role in political discourse,” Zimmermann said.
Despite the absence of the platforms, the committee heard testimony from a range of experts, including election officials, academics, and civil society organizations. They highlighted the challenges posed by online disinformation, hate speech, and foreign interference in elections.
“The spread of false information and hate speech online can have a corrosive effect on our democracy and undermine public trust in our elections,” said Dr. Sarah Reuter, a political scientist from the University of Mannheim.
The experts also discussed possible solutions, such as increased transparency and accountability from platforms, stronger regulation, and media literacy education.
“We need to empower citizens to critically evaluate the information they encounter online and to identify and report false or misleading content,” said Professor Matthias Kettemann, director of the Institute for Democracy and Civil Society.
The committee is expected to produce a report on its findings and recommendations in the coming weeks. The report will likely focus on the need for greater collaboration between platforms, election authorities, and civil society to ensure the integrity of the 2025 election.
Wahlintegrität: Digitalausschuss debattiert ohne Plattformen
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