Internet Governance Explained

As AI-generated text, images, and videos become increasingly difficult to distinguish from reality, how can we trust the information we encounter online? In this episode, researchers Mykola Makhortykh and Victoria Vziatysheva from the University of Bern explore how AI tools are reshaping the misinformation landscape. We discuss what makes digital-era mis- and disinformation distinct from earlier media environments, why chatbots can appear highly reliable while still spreading partial or misleading information,who should be held accountable when AI systems disseminate false or deceptiv content, and what global governance can look like in a world where risks and resources are unevenly distributed.

Is your coffee machine a security risk? Dr. Reaz Khan from Freie Universität Berlin breaks down how we understand the Internet of Things today, and how that understanding is being challenged by the rise of autonomous AI agents. We talk cybersecurity, post-quantum security, and why government regulation is struggling to keep up with these drastic technological shifts. Along the way, we explore why Blade Runner might be more relevant now than ever.

In this podcast episode, we are joined by Prof. Dr. Matthias C. Kettemann (University of Innsbruck) to discuss the concept of platformisation and its impact on journalism and democracy. We explore how the growing role of digital platforms in curating content is shifting power away from journalists and traditional media. Against this backdrop, we discuss the changing role of journalists as gatekeepers of information and examine whether they can still fulfil this function as Big Tech companies increasingly determine visibility and information flows. In the final part of the discussion, we turn to existing regulatory frameworks and assess their effectiveness in addressing the expanding influence of platforms over public communication.

In recent years, cybercrime, particularly large-scale online scams linked to human trafficking and money laundering, has become a pressing transnational challenge, especially in Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia and Myanmar.What are the main obstacles states face when attempting to regulate cybercrime effectively? To what extent can the UN Convention against Cybercrime (UNCAC), also known as the Hanoi Convention, contribute to combating organized cybercriminal networks? And does this new legal framework offer meaningful protection for citizens?In this episode, VTV (Vietnam Television) Reporter Hoàng Hà, who covered the signing ceremony on site, shares her firsthand observations, key insights from the event, and her perspective on what still needs to be done to translate international commitments into effective action.

We all spend time in online communities, from private group chats and Reddit forums to newer platforms such as Mastodon. But who actually makes the rules there? And who decides what content gets promoted, removed, or shut down? In this episode, we talk to Sohyeon Hwang, a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Policy, about how online communities can govern themselves. We take a closer look at what protocols are, whatcommunity-led moderation can look like beyond banning, and why smaller communities can feel more human while still being challenging to run.

How does China govern its digital space, and what is their defintion of internet sovereignty? In this episode, Dr. Jia Lianrui, Lecturer in Digital Media and Society at the University of Sheffield, discusses China’s platform ecosystem, as well as Eastern and Western perspectives on technology.  The conversation unpacks the tensions between commercialisation, regulation, and freedom of expression, and asks what role China’s model may play in shaping the future of the global internet.

The regulation of digital platforms, particularly in combating disinformation, is a highly debated issue. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently caused a controversy when he announced plans to discontinue fact-checking program on Facebook and Instagram. This decision raises serious concerns that, without oversight, the platforms could be flooded with disinformation and used for propaganda purposes. Martha Stolze is focusing closely on these challenges. She is a research associate in the “Platform Algorithms and Digital Propaganda” research group at the Weizenbaum Institute. Her dissertation is dedicated to the role of gender in Russian online information campaigns. In this episode, she shares insights into how certain gender narratives are strengthened, why the topic should be given greater attention by both research and society and what regulatory solutions could look like.

The digital world holds the key to participation in nearly every aspect of modern life - but for people with disabilities, significant barriers remain. In this episode, we sit down with Michael Wahl, head of the German Federal Agency for Accessibility of Information Technology (BFIT-Bund), to explore how digital accessibility can bridge this divide. Drawing from his professional expertise and personal experiences as a blind person, Michael Wahl shares his thoughts on the challenges, opportunities, and technologies shaping current and future digital inclusion. From legal frameworks to AI innovations, discover how we can all contribute to creating a more equitable digital space.

In this episode, we explore a particularly controversial topic: content moderation.  What is content moderation? What role does AI play in this context? How do platforms decide which content is allowed? We discuss the challenges and ethical dilemmas surrounding content moderation, as well as the impact these decisions could have on free speech and public discourse.  Sophie Butz and Cassandra Audibert are joined by David Hartmann, researcher at the Weizenbaum Institute to discuss these questions. With his expertise in computer science and philosophy, David Hartmann talks about biases in algorithmic systems and the advantages and risks of using AI for content moderation.  For further information about the topic and his work feel free to look at the following links: Hartmann, D., Oueslati, A., Munzert, S., Staufer, D., Pohlmann, L., & Heuer, H. (2025). Lost in moderation: How commercial content moderation APIs over- and under-moderate group-targeted hate speech and linguistic variations. Paper accepted for presentation at the CHI 2025 Conference, April 2025. Hartmann, D., Oueslati, A., & Staufer, D. (2024). Watching the watchers: A comparative fairness audit of cloud-based content moderation services. Paper accepted for presentation at the EWAF 2024 Conference, February 2025. Data workers worldwide report on their workplaces: https://data-workers.org/#Inquiries

Platforms significantly impact societal fields such as politics, economics, and society at large, prompting growing efforts to regulate them. In 2024, the European Commission implemented the Digital Services Act to ensure data security, transparency, the prevention of hate speech, and the protection of human rights. In this episode of Internet Governance Explained, we speak with Rita Gsenger, a researcher on platform regulation at the Weizenbaum Institute. She shares her insights, offering a deeper understanding of the legal frameworks for governing digital platforms.