Online Seminar

Democracies today face profound challenges, including the proliferation of fake news and online disinformation, the rise of digital authoritarianism and digital fascism, the big tech monopolies of online platforms such as Google, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Amazon, WhatsApp, ChatGPT, etc., post-truth and algorithmic politics, the danger of a new world war, political polarisation, the breakdown of the democratic public sphere, the emotionalisation of politics, echo chambers, etc.

Therefore, it is an important question how the future of digital society will look, and how digital democracy can be made resilient against its destruction. Digital futures research helps us to envision what the future of digital society and the Internet can look like and trigger discussions about what digital futures are desirable and undesirable, how democratic digital futures can be advanced, and how resilient digital democracy can be achieved.  

In this online seminar, INNOVADE’s Paderborn University team will present its research on digital futures conducted in the project. The Paderborn team will outline four scenarios for the future of digital society that together form a white paper on digital futures that uses a realist science fiction methodology. It will also present the methodology and selected results from the Futures of Digital Democracy Survey (FDDS) that was conducted in February and March 2026. The presentations will be followed by a discussion.

Who should attend?  

The event offers a forum for reflection and dialogue on urgent questions and will be of interest to:

• citizens interested in how digital technologies change society;
• policymakers and public officials working on democratic innovation, digital governance, or civic engagement;
• researchers and students in political science, digital governance, media and communication studies, sociology, computer science, and related fields;
• civil society organisations and practitioners seeking to strengthen citizen participation;
• civic tech developers and innovators designing tools for inclusive democratic practices.

Agenda

10.00-10.05 Introduction

10.05-10.15 Kevin Friesch: The Futures of Digital Society: Four Scenarios

10.15.10.25 Joel Museba: The Futures of Digital Democracy Survey’s Methodology 

10.25-10.45 Christian Fuchs: What Digital Futures, Digital Society, and Digital Platforms Do We (Not) Want? The Futures of Digital Democracy Survey (FDDS): Results and Policy Implications 

10.45-11.30 Discussion