The Geosocial AI researh group’s DEGENET focuses on identifying and countering threats to democracy online.
While digital media promotes social cohesion, it also facilitates the spread of fake news, hate speech, and conspiracy theories that undermine democratic values. DEGENET seeks to understand how these harmful dynamics operate across geo-social media platforms. Therefore, virtual networks on social media are examined for their spatial-geographical patterns to identify where “hotspots” and communities of conspiracy theories can be found. The project aims to inform policy makers and the public about the need for potential regulation and to adapt educational and civil society strategies to address these issues. Using advanced data analysis methods, DEGENET investigates how anti-democratic content spreads and establishes links between national and international networks. This research lays the groundwork for future efforts to combat these dangerous trends, promote informed discourse, and safeguard democratic systems.
Credits: Bernd Resch, Nefta Kanilmaz, Christina Zorenböhmer, Thomas Steinmaurer
