Femnet e.V.

Berlin, 04.03.2025

Protecting democracy, promoting the common good: Online platforms need control

Dear Mr Merz,
Dear Dr. Söder,
Dear Mr Klingbeil,

The news surrounding Donald Trump's inauguration underscores the problematic combination of political, media and economic power in the field of digital platforms. Germany and Europe are also affected.

The polarisation of platform-based exchanges and the stimulation of anti-democratic forces is not an unfortunate coincidence, but a programme: Algorithmic recommendation systems that promote the extreme, the emotionalizing and the splitting are a highly lucrative business model. This has consequences for our democracy. The increase in hate speech in the digital world drives marginalized groups out of public discourse and leads to threats, even in analogue life. Disinformation complicates constructive exchange and policy-making on the pressing issues of our time, such as the climate crisis.

The concentration of market power and the control of the platforms by a few, especially the dependence on tech companies from the US and China, pose a risk to Europe's digital sovereignty, prosperity and democracy. Who, how and when can participate in the exchange is in the hands of corporations and their CEOs, whose interests are partly influenced or determined by right-wing radical or authoritarian forces. This shows Musk's massive support with his Platform X for Trump and right-wing parties in Europe, as well as Meta's departure from fact-checking and hate speech moderation in anticipatory obedience to Trump. At the same time, large tech companies are exploiting their alliance with political forces to influence platform regulation in their interest. This is demonstrated, for example, by the threat from the new US administration to respond to corresponding regulation in the EU through retaliatory measures in other policy fields.

This development is not inevitable: With the right framework conditions for algorithmic systems, online platforms can promote social discourse without such negative side effects. Important steps are the consistent enforcement of existing EU law, the closing of regulatory gaps and the targeted strengthening of platform alternatives for the common good.

For Europe, the development of platforms for the common good could also represent an economic opportunity: 80% of the technologies and services critical to Europe's digital transformation are still developed and manufactured outside the EU. A stronger focus on the common good and the reduction of market concentration can also offer European digital companies better prospects. These often suffer from the power of big tech companies and their one-sided business practices.

We therefore call on you to make a firm commitment in the coming legislature to ensure that online platforms promote the common good and democratic discourse in order to limit hate speech, disinformation and social division. Three areas of action are central here:

1. Effectively implement existing regulation:
The new federal government has the task of effectively implementing EU laws such as the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act. The pressure from the US and big tech companies must not cause Europe to bend over. For implementation, the competent authorities at federal and EU level must be well equipped and enforceable. In addition, existing competition and antitrust law must be applied consistently and tightened selectively in order to counteract the problematic monopolisation of the market.

2. Complement regulation in a targeted manner:
The main goal is to achieve more transparency in the algorithmic systems of platforms. Furthermore, addressing the problematic business models and practices of platforms, such as tracking-based online advertising and addiction-promoting design, must pave the way for alternatives for the common good. The new federal government should advocate for this at EU level within the framework of the Digital Fairness Act. Furthermore, the new federal government should support the strengthening of interoperability, for example through free and open software, in order to facilitate the switching between platforms.

3. Building and strengthening digital platforms for the common good:
To this end, the debate on democratically controlled, common good-oriented and sovereign digital infrastructures must be promoted at European level. Existing projects in the public interest, such as the decentralised Fediverse, should be strengthened by the new federal government. Furthermore, it should support and put into practice research on the transfer of models of public services of general interest to digital infrastructure. To this end, existing ideas such as platform councils, but also best practices from model projects of democratic management of digital infrastructures at the municipal level should be collected, evaluated and applied.

Dear Mr Merz,
Dear Dr. Söder,
Dear Mr Klingbeil,

Enabling open, fact-based discourse and protecting against anti-democratic interference are cornerstones of a vibrant and defensive democracy. We call on you to make dealing with the challenges described in this letter a priority task for the next legislature.

Signatory organisations

101LAB / Agentur für digitale Transformation, AlgorithmWatch, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung Bundesverband e.V. (ANU), Attac, BAUM, Berlin Ethics Lab, Bioland e.V., Bits & Bäume, Blue 21 e.V., Brot für die Welt, BUND Jugend, campact, Chaos Computer Club (CCC), ConPolicy Institute for Consumer Policy, CorA Network for Corporate Responsibility, D64 - Centre for Digital Progress, DAASI International GmbH, German Union of Journalists (dju) in ver.di, Deutsche KlimaStiftung, Deutsche Vereinigung für Datenschutz e.V. (DVD), Deutscher Naturschutzring (DNR), Digitalcourage, Digitale Gesellschaft, Diocesankommission für Umweltfragen, Bistum Trier, Ecosia, Eine Welt e.V./Weltladen Halle, A WORLD Network Saxony-Anhalt e.V., Development Policy Network Hesse, Europe Calling, Evangelical Church of the Palatinate, Facing Finance, FEMNET, FIAN Germany, Research and Documentation Center Chile-Latin America e.V., Forum InformatikerInnen für Frieden und Gesellschaft Verantwortung e.V. (FIfF), Forum Ökologie & Papier, Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung, Frauen Computer Zentrum Berlin, Friedenskreis Halle e.V., Germanwatch e.V., Global Marshall Plan Foundation, Global Policy Forum Europe, Goliathwatch , Green Web Foundation, Greenpeace, Grüner Strom Label e.V., HateAid, Informationsstelle Peru e.V., Inkota , Institute for Church and Society, Evangelical Church of Westphalia, Klima-Allianz Deutschland, LAG 21 NRW, LobbyControl, People for Animal Rights, NaturFreunde, Nextcloud, Offene Kommunen.NRW, Öko-Institut, Open Knowledge Foundation Deutschland e.V., Open Source Business Alliance, Partner Südmexikos e.V, Rat für digitale Ökologie (RDÖ), Rebalance Now, RENN e.V., SÜDWIND e.V. - Institut für Wirtschaft und Ekumene, Superrr Lab, Systopia, Together for Future, Topio e.V., Umweltinstitut München, urgewald e.V., ver.di, VERBRAUCHER INITIATIVE e.V. (Bundesverband), Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (vzbv), WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, WEED - Weltwirtschaft, Ökologie & Entwicklung, Wikimedia Deutschland, Yeşil Çember, Ev. Church in Hesse and Nassau