Democracy

In a world shaped by accelerating technological progress, we explore the transformative impact of digitization on democracy. Within the Futurium Lab, we focus on this intersection while exploring the responsible use of digital tools such as social media, artificial intelligence and data analysis. How can these tools influence the development of our democratic systems?

Central to this exploration is the concept of digital participation, a key-element for well-functioning democracies. However, new structures and processes are required for its implementation. How important are digital tools for the proactive inclusion of citizens in the democratic process? What are the opportunities and associated risks?

The "Data Correlations" project by Studio Brüll offers a glimpse into potential future debates. Visitors share their perspectives on local issues. Different points of view are visually linked on a canvas to contextualize commonalities, fostering inspiration through exposure to diverse perspectives.

Power of social networks

Traditional sources of information such as public broadcasting and newspapers are still crucial for forming political opinions. However, more and more young people under the age of 30 are using social networks to find out about political events. These platforms work differently to traditional media as they adapt content to user behaviour. The "Opinionator" from Tactical Tech examines the potential impact of this trend on the dynamics of opinion formation. The exhibit shows how political actors and interest groups use the internet in a targeted manner. It encourages critical reflection on the power of social networks and emphasises the urgent need to understand the mechanisms of opinion formation. Education about how influencing technologies work and are used is important to enable users to make informed decisions.

Playing ‘Citizen Quest’ by IMAGINARY allows visitors to experience what active participation by citizens could look like in the future. Visitors learn what is important when taking part in a debate. They learn which factors and players influence the opinions of others. The importance of digital platforms and technologies to promote an inclusive democracy is emphasised.

The importance of our digital independence is illustrated in the Futurium Lab with the exhibit ‘Smile to vote’ by Alexander Peterhaensel. It speculates on what it could look like in the future if we let AI systems decide. What looks like a wooden voting booth from the outside is equipped with a screen, camera and computer on the inside. A quick glance at the camera is all it takes for the AI to determine which party you vote for. The intelligent voting booth chooses the party for you whose representatives most resemble you in terms of facial features. The system has been trained with 700 images of members of the German Bundestag.