Free democratic decision-making is increasingly being challenged by disinformation spread via messenger services (e.g. WhatsApp and Telegram), as demonstrated by the mass dissemination of false, inaccurate or misleading information in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic (“infodemic”).

In contrast to public posts on social networks and quasi-journalistic platforms, communication via messenger services predominantly takes place in the shadows (so-called “dark social”). This form of dissemination is also characterised by the fact that information flows quickly, directly and in masses between individuals as well as in groups, channels and broadcasts.

In order to comprehensively investigate the highly dynamic subject of digital disinformation, the research project DYNAMO (Dynamiken der Desinformation Erkennen und Bekämpfen) involved interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers from the fields of computer science, journalism, social psychology and law.

Building on previous research results of the project partners in the field of digital disinformation, the DYNAMO project focussed on messenger services and the media formats used there, such as audio and video messages. Firstly, the project selected topics with a high potential for disinformation and identify relevant channels. Next, automated data collection was carried out, whereby data protection was ensured by a privacy-by-design infrastructure. In addition, usage practices, emotional components and characteristics of disinformation that lead to particularly strong dissemination were analysed. Finally, social, technical and legal measures to combat disinformation were examined.

The University of Kassel, Chair for Public Law, IT Law and Environmental Law, focused on the legal analysis of the subject, discussing fundamental constitutional problems associated with the dynamics of digital disinformation. In particular, the privacy of some dissemination spaces and the invisibility of the flow of information posed new legal questions with regard to recognising and combating disinformation in accordance with fundamental rights, in comparison to publicly accessible social media and quasi-journalistic platforms. It was found that fundamental rights such as the privacy of communication, freedom of expression, as well as the principle of democracy, which is based on the free formation of will, are crucial to the subject and need to be optimally balanced.

Further key questions arose in relation to the legal responsibility of messenger service providers and the legal requirements for community standards.

In addition, the impact and effectiveness of given legal measures were examined. During the course of the project, significant changes occurred in the legal framework addressing disinformation in messenger services. At the beginning of the project, national regulations such as the “Telekommunikationsgesetz”, “Telemediengesetz”, “Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz” and the “Medienstaatsvertrag” represented the central legal sources of analysis. In the further course of the project, numerous new regulations and legal acts – in particular at the EU level – were adopted, some of which have already entered into force. In particular, the Digital Services Act (DSA) has meanwhile assumed a key role in the EU’s platform regulation and is intended to counter disinformation. Also of importance are the Regulation on the Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising, the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), as well as the revised EU Code of Practice on Disinformation of 2022.

The DYNAMO research project showed that the now largely harmonised EU legal framework takes better account of the public functions of messenger services than the national laws before. However, the current provisions contain only a few measures that can directly address disinformation.

Furthermore, ideas for additional regulatory instruments were developed. In particular, the opportunities and risks of so-called prebunking as a measure against disinformation in messenger services were examined. Prebunking is an umbrella term encompassing preventive measures aimed at protecting individuals from the influence of false information and strengthening resilience against disinformation.

The project was coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology SIT (Prof. Martin Steinebach). Further project partners were the University of Duisburg-Essen, Social Psychology (Prof. Nicole Krämer), and Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart, Journalism Studies (Prof. Katarina Bader and Prof. Lars Rinsdorf).

Further information on DYNAMO can be found on the ministry's website.

Funding:
Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Duration:
September 2021 - December 2024

Project leader:
Prof. Dr. Gerrit Hornung, LL.M.

Staff:
Tahireh Panahi