How Fake News and Social Media challenge the oldest Democracy in the World
An online event on democracy, fake news, social media, and a new kind of publicity with Amerikazentrum staff member and Political Science student Oliver Mühring of the University of Hamburg. This event tries to give a Transatlantic perspective and exchange on what happened around the U.S. election in 2016 and 2020, and to create a better understanding of fake news and their consequences.
With social media on the rise and the availability of the internet, journalism and communication within societies have seriously changed. Public discourse can be heavily manipulated by fake news. This development provides a serious threat to a political community and to democracy itself. The United States experienced the negative consequences and side effects of fake news over the last years. Democracy is a fragile good, that needs and relies on engaged citizens to protect it.
Oliver Mühring is a 24-year-old bachelor student of Political Science, who studied at the University of Bremen and is now enrolled at the University of Hamburg. He joined the Amerikazentrum Hamburg in August 2021 and has been working on the Amerikazentrum’s BEST Journalism program. He was an exchange student at a high school in the State of Ohio, USA, in 2013/2014. Ever since he has had an interest in American culture and was fascinated by the country and its people. Oliver is watching American politics up close, on the one hand because of his studies, and on the other hand out of personal interest. He is concerned with media coverage of American politics and American culture, and he is eager to share his knowledge with others. He is looking forward to learn about the students’ perspective on democracy and fake news.
Oliver would like to reach out to high school students and aims to create a better understanding of the value of democracy and on how the oldest democracy in the world is under pressure. With in that, we will take a closer look into the U.S. election in 2016, talk about the 2020 election and examine current news topics (e.g. the war in Ukraine). We will also talk about the consequences of fake news, the responsibility of social media companies and what students can do to strengthen democracy and counter disinformation.
The participants will learn to distinguish between “what is real?”, “what is fake?” and to value verifiable Information. The event consists of a presentation, interactive games and allows enough room for discussion and questions.
This event is targeted at high school students of the United States and Germany and part of the BEST Journalism program by the Amerikazentrum Hamburg. The event will take place on April 2.,2022 at 4:00 PM (CET) / 9.00 AM (CST) via Zoom.
Register for the event via Email: info@amerikazentrum.de
