The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding the priority program “Rethinking Disinformation (Re:DIS)” with 6.9 million euros over an initial period of three years. The joint project is being led by Dr. Romy Jaster, Prof. Geert Keil and Prof. Verena Wagner at the Institute of Philosophy at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU).
“In a way, our project is a crisis winner,” says Romy Jaster, spokesperson for the research network. “There have always been political lies, but the diversity of disinformation that is spread in the digital space today creates a new need for research. Understanding comes before fighting, and there is still a lot we don't understand”. False information, lies, rumors and manipulated images are deliberately used in public communication to manipulate people's beliefs and opinions. Disinformation undermines trust in reputable sources of information and is used to influence elections, discredit political opponents, destabilize democracies and wage hybrid warfare.
The priority program explores fundamental theoretical questions that lie at the intersection of several disciplines. To date, for example, research into fake news and conspiracy theories has been conducted in philosophy, psychology, communication and media studies and media law without being aware of the state of research and discussion in the respective neighboring disciplines. Re:DIS aims to create a joint research platform for disinformation research in various disciplines.
One of the aims of Re:Dis is to develop a common conceptual and theoretical framework and, in particular, to better understand borderline cases of disinformation in which the persuasion of the addressees is subtly manipulated. Among other things, this is essential for the legal regulation of disinformation: society and the legislator must make a well-founded decision as to which type of information is acceptable in a liberal democracy and which falls outside the scope of protection of freedom of speech, freedom of opinion and freedom of the press.
For further information, please contact Romy Jaster.
Dr. Romy Jaster
Department of Philosophy at Humboldt University of Berlin
romy.jaster@hu-berlin.de
Prof. Geert Keil
Department of Philosophy at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
geert.keil@hu-berlin.de
Prof. Verena Wagner
Department of Philosophy at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
& Berlin School of Mind and Brain
verena.wagner@hu-berlin.de
