Internet regulation in the age of hate speech and fake news

Political debates and civic engagement are increasingly shifting to the digital space, above all to social media. The internet is visibly susceptible to problematic content such as hate speech, harassment, racism, extremism, disinformation and fake news. A look at the comment columns shows an increasingly harsh tone and that women are particularly badly affected by verbal escalations online.

Against this backdrop, the Equal Opportunities Office at the University campus Freiburg is hosting an event on Monday, May 4, 2026 entitled "Measuring digital communication: Internet regulation in the age of hate speech and fake news". The speaker will be Dr. Johanna Rinceanu, lecturer at the University campus Freiburg and senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law in Freiburg. In her lecture, Rinceanu will discuss various forms of problematic digital content and explain models for regulating the internet. She will also discuss the risks to democracy - such as surveillance, censorship and control - associated with their use. Dr. Regina Herzog, Equal Opportunities Officer at the University campus Freiburg, will moderate the event.