Study on systemic risks of platforms on behalf of the Federal Network Agency

A research group involving ZeMKI members Prof. Cornelius Puschmann and Patrick Zerrer has been awarded the contract for a study by the Federal Network Agency on the systemic risks of platforms in the context of the Digital Service Act.

The study “Societal Impacts of Systemic Risks” is being conducted by researchers from the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), the Leibniz Institute for Media Research, Hans Bredow Institute (HBI) and ZeMKI. It analyzes the role of large online platforms and search engines with regard to the social risks that can arise from their reach. The client is the Digital Services Coordinator of the Federal Network Agency, which monitors whether online services comply with the rules of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).

The study focuses on the spread of disinformation and its influence on social discourse and political processes in Germany. The study is divided into two work packages:

• Work package 1: Examines the realization of systemic risks, in particular the spread of disinformation and the actors and technologies involved.
• Work package 2: Analyzes the impact of these risks on users and society, including social and political effects such as social division and loss of trust in institutions.

The research group will start work on the study for the Federal Network Agency in October 2024.