#rp25 speaker Katja Muñoz: How to protect digital communication

Our democratic resilience is not only endangered by the mere existence of disinformation: The fact that social media is fundamentally different from traditional media also plays a role. We talk to Katja Muñoz at re:publica 2025 about the impact this has on our digital communication.

Parasocial relationships form the foundation of social media. Emotional reactions influence reach, and dissemination via social channels lends a deceptive legitimacy to dubious content. In other words, our humanity makes us particularly vulnerable by how and by whom information is disseminated and emotionally anchored.

How can we reclaim the spaces in which we inform ourselves? And how can we protect ourselves from massive strategic manipulation and increase our democratic resilience?

Katja Muñoz has been a Research Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) since June 2022. As part of her work, she is interested in the interplay between social media and politics. Her focus is on the mobilization potential of influencers in social media, on disinformation and platform regulation. In addition, her research deals with the interface between artificial intelligence and democracy.
 

The motto of re:publica 25 is ‘Generation XYZ’. What is your message for future generations with regard to the digital society?

Katja Muñoz: ”In a world driven by algorithms and AI, our greatest opportunity lies in preserving and strengthening what makes us unique: our empathy, creativity and ability to make real connections.“