Parliament - Culture Minister warns against manipulation on social media
North Rhine-Westphalia's Culture Minister Ina Brandes (CDU) sees dangerous anti-democratic tendencies in social media. She has found frightening examples on TikTok, Brandes said on Friday in a debate on democracy in the Düsseldorf state parliament.
"It really is unbelievable what is going on there and the way in which young people, who are essentially TikTok users, are being misinformed, disinformed and deliberately discredited in order to encourage them to reject our democracy and, above all, our politicians," Brandes warned. Hate on the internet, disinformation and conspiracy narratives are the order of the day. The fight for democracy must be shifted from the analog to the digital world and, above all, won there.
The debate was prompted by a motion from the SPD opposition, which proposed a mandatory "Democracy Week" in all educational institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia. Especially in times of war, crises and uncertainty, such an offensive in daycare centers and schools is just as important as in vocational colleges, universities and master schools, said SPD parliamentary group leader Sven Wolf.
TheCDU, Greens and FDP welcomed the initiative, but believe it is not far-reaching enough. A "Week of Democracy" or the distribution of brochures is no longer enough these days, objected CDU MP Thomas Okos.
Green parliamentary group leader Verena Schäffer also emphasized that democracy should be permanently strengthened in everyday life - in nurseries, for example, through children's conferences and co-determination over lunch. Urgent issues could not wait for the next "Democracy Week". FDP MP Dirk Wedel complained that current studies on the threat to the basic democratic consensus should be incorporated more strongly into new action plans.
Only the AfD does not see German democracy in crisis. On the contrary, it has become more diverse, more lively and more honest in recent years, said its MP Sven Tritschler. The parliamentary groups agreed to discuss the topic further in the state parliament committees.
Agenda
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- To combat the increasing influence of manipulation and disinformation on social media, Ina Brandes suggests shifting the fight for democracy from the analog world to digital platforms, particularly on TikTok.
- The CDU, Greens, and FDP all support the SPD's initiative for a mandatory "Democracy Week" in all educational institutions across North Rhine-Westphalia, but believe it isn't sufficient.
- CDU MP Thomas Okos objected to the "Week of Democracy" initiative, stating that other methods, such as children's conferences and co-determination in nurseries, are necessary to strengthen democracy.
- Green parliamentary group leader Verena Schäffer emphasized the importance of permanently strengthening democracy in everyday life, including in childcare facilities like nurseries.
- FDP MP Dirk Wedel suggested incorporating recent studies on the threat to the basic democratic consensus more strongly into new action plans, noting that urgent issues cannot wait for the next "Democracy Week".
- Despite concerns about anti-democratic tendencies on social media, the AfD sees German democracy as becoming more diverse, lively, and honest in recent years, according to MP Sven Tritschler.
- In a debate on democracy in the Düsseldorf state parliament, Education Minister Ina Brandes warned about the deliberate misinformation and disinformation of young people on TikTok, encouraging them to reject democracy and politicians.
- The parliamentary groups have agreed to discuss the topic further in the state parliament committees, recognizing the importance of addressing conflicts between politicians and the spread of conspiracy narratives in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Source: www.stern.de
