"The messenger Telegram has gained importance for the mediated constitution of counterpublics in German-speaking countries since 2020. However, most research on Telegram focuses on the content shared and the networks that have developed on the platform. Meanwhile, knowledge about the users of counte
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rpublic Telegram channels and groups and their processes of appropriating the messenger is very limited. Based on 14 in-depth interviews with users, this article explores how individuals connect with like-minded people on Telegram, how they process the information they receive there and why they are attracted to the medium in general. We group them in our analysis according to the meaning they ascribe to the Telegram community, their media repertoires, and how they negotiate contradictions between counterpublic and mainstream information, developing a typology of four types: (1) topic-oriented users, (2) confident researchers, (3) libertarian activists and (4) alienated users." (Abstract)
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"Der Info-Monitor der Medienanstalten dokumentiert, wo und wie sich die Bevölkerung in Deutschland zum aktuellen Zeitgeschehen informiert. Nutzung: Der Bedarf in der Bevölkerung an Informationen zum aktuellen Zeitgeschehen ist groß. Mehr als 90 Prozent interessieren sich für aktuelle Themen und
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informieren sich mindestens wöchentlich. Die sog. etablierten Medien erfüllen diesen Bedarf nur (noch) bedingt, weil nur 60 % der Befragten die für sie relevanten Themen aufgegriffen sehen. 34 % sehen ihre Themen nicht repräsentiert. Vertrauen: Der Info-Monitor belegt einen klaren Zusammenhang zwischen Medienvertrauen und Demokratiezufriedenheit: Von den etablierten Medien Überzeugte (22 %) und diese kritisch Betrachtende (45 %) sind meist auch mit der Demokratie in Deutschland zufrieden. Skeptische (26 %) und Ablehnende (7 %) äußern häufiger systemkritische Ansichten. Nutzungsmuster und Medienvertrauen dieser Gruppen variieren stark: Von den etablierten Medien Überzeugte bevorzugen öffentlich-rechtliche Angebote und Tageszeitungen, Skeptische nutzen deutlich häufiger Suchmaschinen, Soziale und sog. alternative Medien. Ablehnende vertrauen vor allem Videoplattformen, sog. alternative Medien und Suchmaschinen. Skeptische vertrauen vor allem öffentlich-rechtlichen Angeboten, Informationen der Tageszeitungen und von privaten Radiosendern. Vertrauenswürdigkeit sozialer Medien: Die nicht gezielte Informationsnutzung zum aktuellen Zeitgeschehen überwiegt. Besonders stark ausgeprägt ist die Nebenbei-Nutzung bei Sozialen Medien, die vor allem für Jüngere eine wichtige Informationsquelle darstellen. Die Vertrauenswürdigkeit von Sozialen Medien als Nachrichtenquelle fällt gleichzeitig gering aus. Die große Mehrheit sieht in Personalisierung, Desinformation und Hassrede eine Bedrohung für Gesellschaft und Demokratie - und findet, dass die Anbieter der Social-Media-Plattformen zu wenig gegen diese Phänomene tun." (Auf einen Blick, Seite 2)
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"This publication offers a comprehensive overview of digital development in the CIS region. The data reveal a region where nine in ten people are online—well above the global average—and where mobile broadband networks now cover virtually the entire population. These are important milestones. At
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the same time, disparities remain between countries and communities. Fixed broadband is still out of reach for many, ICT regulation is uneven, and digital skills remain limited in key areas. Seven of the nine CIS countries are landlocked, which presents unique challenges for international connectivity, infrastructure deployment, and access to global Internet infrastructure. These constraints make regional collaboration particularly important—not only for physical infrastructure development but also for the harmonization of policies and regulatory frameworks. The second part of this report features case studies that illustrate how digital initiatives are making a tangible impact across the region. From expanding rural broadband access to enhancing youth entrepreneurship and strengthening cybersecurity readiness, these stories highlight the diversity of challenges—and the creativity of responses—emerging across the CIS." (Foreword)
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"Die Reichweite der Cybercrime-Branche hat einen neuen Höhepunkt erreicht. 72% aller Organisationen weltweit berichten vom steigenden Cyberrisiko. Der Schaden durch Cybercrime betrug 2024 allein in Deutschland 178,6 Mrd. Euro. Das sind 20% mehr als im Vorjahr. Cyberkriminelle hängen Organisatione
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n bei der Nutzung von KI ab: 91 % der Sicherheitsbeauftragten weltweit erwarten in den nächsten drei Jahren einen deutlichen Anstieg KI-getriebener Angriffe. Und obwohl sich 96% der Sicherheitsexperten einig sind, dass es wichtig ist, KI-basierte Angriffe zu erkennen, schätzen nur 26 % ihre eigene Fähigkeit diesbezüglich als hoch ein. Angreifende nutzen jeden verfügbaren Kanal als mögliches Eintrittstor: 56% der Sicherheitsbeauftragten in der DACH-Region zufolge ist E-Mail immer noch der primäre Angriffskanal. 98% der Organisationen in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz berichten von einem Anstieg bei Multi-Channel-Angriffen via E-Mail, Messaging-Apps, Social Media und Deepfake-Sprachanrufen.." (Executive Summary)
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"Con este informe, se pretende arrojar algo de luz sobre un fenómeno especialmente complejo y todavía difícil de delimitar, en parte por la falta de una definición única y por la ausencia de datos que revelen su prevalencia real, pero también en parte por la normalización de determinadas cond
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uctas que contribuyen a ocultar su gravedad. Para ello, se ha preguntado a profesionales y personas expertas en la materia, provenientes de diversos ámbitos: jurídico, ciberseguridad y delitos informáticos, psicología, criminología, academia e investigación, y del ámbito de la protección y los derechos de la infancia. Además, se quiere conocer qué riesgos asociados a la explotación sexual digital identifica, asume y naturaliza la adolescencia en el entorno digital. Para ello, se ha realizado una encuesta a 1.008 jóvenes de entre 18 y 21 años, en la que se les ha preguntado por sus percepciones y conductas online durante la adolescencia, con especial foco en los conocimientos, creencias y experiencias relacionadas con la explotación sexual en línea. También se organizaron dos talleres presenciales con adolescentes de entre 15 y 18 años, para profundizar en las preocupaciones y riesgos que identifican en su uso de Internet, así como en cómo perciben y distribuyen la responsabilidad frente a la exposición a estos riesgos.
A partir de este análisis, se busca formular recomendaciones que fortalezcan la protección de niños, niñas y adolescentes frente a esta forma de violencia, también a través de los procesos legislativos actualmente en marcha, para que puedan ejercer de forma segura todos sus derechos en el entorno digital. Y se hace desde un enfoque de infancia, entendiendo que la tecnología y el mundo digital forman parte de la esfera en la que los niños, niñas y adolescentes se desarrollan, y que lo tecnológico está intrínsecamente ligado a su socialización, y también a cómo descubren y exploran su sexualidad, lo que implica riesgos específicos. Pero entendiendo también que estos riesgos no se originan en el vacío, sino que el ecosistema digital proporciona el caldo de cultivo que facilita y condiciona estas dinámicas." (Introducción, páginas 5-6)
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"• Engagement with traditional media sources such as TV, print, and news websites continues to fall, while dependence on social media, video platforms, and online aggregators grows. This is particularly the case in the United States where polling overlapped with the first few weeks of the new Trum
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p administration. Social media news use was sharply up (+6pp) but there was no ‘Trump bump’ for traditional sources.
• Personalities and influencers are, in some countries, playing a significant role in shaping public debates. One-fifth (22%) of our United States sample says they came across news or commentary from popular podcaster Joe Rogan in the week after the inauguration, including a disproportionate number of young men. In France, young news creator Hugo Travers (HugoDécrypte) reaches 22% of under-35s with content distributed mainly via YouTube and TikTok. Young influencers also play a significant role in many Asian countries, including Thailand.
• News use across online platforms continues to fragment, with six online networks now reaching more than 10% weekly with news content, compared with just two a decade ago. Around a third of our global sample use Facebook (36%) and YouTube (30%) for news each week. Instagram (19%) and WhatsApp (19%) are used by around a fifth, while TikTok (16%) remains ahead of X at 12%.
• Data show that usage of X for news is stable or increasing across many markets, with the biggest uplift in the United States (+8pp), Australia (+6pp), and Poland (+6pp). Since Elon Musk took over the network in 2022 many more right-leaning people, notably young men, have flocked to the network, while some progressive audiences have left or are using it less frequently. Rival networks like Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon are making little impact globally, with reach of 2% or less for news.
• Changing platform strategies mean that video continues to grow in importance as a source of news. Across all markets the proportion consuming social video has grown from 52% in 2020 to 65% in 2025 and any video from 67% to 75%. In the Philippines, Thailand, Kenya, and India more people now say they prefer to watch the news rather than read it, further encouraging the shift to personality-led news creators.
• Our survey also shows the importance of news podcasting in reaching younger, better-educated audiences. The United States has among the highest proportion (15%) accessing one or more podcasts in the last week, with many of these now filmed and distributed via video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. By contrast, many northern European podcast markets remain dominated by public broadcasters or big legacy media companies and have been slower to adopt video versions.
• TikTok is the fastest growing social and video network, adding a further 4pp across markets for news and reaching 49% of our online sample in Thailand (+10pp) and 40% in Malaysia (+9pp). But at the same time people in those markets see the network as one of the biggest threats when it comes to false or misleading information, along with Facebook.
• Overall, over half our sample (58%) say they remain concerned about their ability to tell what is true from what is false when it comes to news online, a similar proportion to last year. Concern is highest in Africa (73%) and the United States (73%), with lowest levels in Western Europe (46%).
• When it comes to underlying sources of false or misleading information, online influencers and personalities are seen as the biggest threat worldwide (47%), along with national politicians (47%). Concern about influencers is highest in African countries such as Nigeria (58%) and Kenya (59%), while politicians are considered the biggest threat in the United States (57%), Spain (57%), and much of Eastern Europe." (Executive summary, page 10-11)
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"This book responds to mounting calls to broaden the theorization of digital journalism, addressing critical questions about an emerging yet rapidly expanding area of study, and presenting multiple entry points and approaches that help us understand digital journalism better. Seeking to establish it
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self as a rich resource and a defining reference point for the evolving field, the handbook provides a critical appraisal and a useful overview of novel approaches and concepts, backed by a full breadth of dynamic and diverse interactions drawn from overlapping and critical studies by some of the leading experts on digital journalism. This handbook presents multiple methodological perspectives, reporting strategies, threats and opportunities and valuable insights on future trajectories for digital journalism practice in an era dominated by digital media technology. Split into four parts, it has been uniquely assembled to investigate and critique the full potential of digital journalism capturing broader, cross-cultural perspectives from all four corners of the world." (Publisher description)
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"Through extensive fieldwork and archival research, Febe Armanios explores how Western evangelicals and indigenous Christians harnessed terrestrial and satellite technologies to promote Christian television in the Middle East. The sixteen channels analyzed in this study fall into three main categori
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es: Western-backed conservative outlets with a charismatic and apocalyptic outlook; middle-ground channels that sought to balance their international sponsors' expectations with local interests; and grassroots initiatives rooted in ancient church traditions. The histories and programming strategies of primarily Arabic, but also Turkish and Persian, Christian channels reveal how media producers forged unexpected political alliances, pursued sectarian objectives, and navigated various transnational influences. Satellite Ministries explores how modern expressions of faith, technology, and political power intersected and clashed across the Global South and beyond." (Publisher description)
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"This joint report from OpenMinds and the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) analyzes the activity of a network of 3,634 automated accounts that posted pro-Russian comments on Telegram channels between January 2024 and April 2025 targeting Ukrainian populations inside Russian-occupied territorie
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s. These accounts crafted tailored messages to target the occupied territories, differentiating their content from that aimed at other audiences across Russia and Ukraine. Our investigation found that automated Telegram comments targeting local audiences in Ukraine fell into three overarching categories: pro-Russian propaganda, anti-Ukrainian propaganda, and abstract anti-war messaging and calls for peaceful coexistence. Individual narratives were often tailored to respond to current events and changes in local conditions, such as power or water outages, but there was also evidence of proactive narratives initiated by the network unrelated to external events.
The bot network used similar messaging when targeting channels based in Russia; however, a significantly larger share of comments targeting the occupied territory channels emphasized positive portrayals of Russian culture and government. Across the sixty-nine narrative themes identified (see appendix), the bot network pushed essentially the same menu of talking points in both Russia-wide and occupied territory channels. What differentiates the content aimed at the occupied territories from that aimed at a wider Russian audience is the proportion of talking points: themes that praised Russian culture, social services, and governance dominated in occupied territory-based channels, accounting for a markedly higher share of content than in Russia-based channels. The pattern points to an effort to cultivate the appearance of local consensus in favor of occupation and Russian administrative control, but not necessarily to create genuine agreement." (Executive summary)
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"Bringing together perspectives from academia and practice, this second edition Research Handbook provides fresh insights into debates surrounding digital technology and how to respect and protect human rights in an increasingly digital world. New and updated chapters cover the issues posed by the m
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anagement of key internet resources, the governance of its architecture and the role of different stakeholders." (Publisher description)
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"Knapp 93 Prozent der deutschsprachigen Bevölkerung ab 14 Jahren hören der ma 2025 Audio I zufolge regelmäßig Audioangebote. Fast drei Viertel schalten täglich mindestens ein Radioprogramm ein und dies über vier Stunden lang. Der Radiomarkt fragmentiert weiter – die Anzahl der genannten Send
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er, an die sich die für die ma Befragten erinnern, hat sich von 1996 bis heute mehr als verdoppelt. Rund drei Fünftel der Radiohörerinnen und -hörer weisen eine hohe Senderbindung auf und schalten an einem Durchschnittstag nur einen Sender ein. Am Beispiel des Saarlands zeigt sich, dass Radiosender mit einer starken regionalen Verwurzelung auch in einem sich verändernden Marktumfeld weiterhin in der Hörergunst vorne liegen." (Kurz und knapp, Seite 1)
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"Una ricerca di dottorato triennale ha indagato il rapporto tra i seminaristi in Italia e i social media. L’indagine, di cui vengono pubblicati qui i risultati, è stata condotta sotto la responsabilità scientifica della Facoltà di Scienze della Comunicazione sociale dell’Università Pontifici
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a Salesiana, promossa dall’Associazione dei WebCattolici Italiani (WeCa) – grazie alla disponibilità dei seminaristi e dei Rettori dei Seminari maggiori d’Italia – in collaborazione con l’Ufficio nazionale per la Pastorale delle Vocazioni e l’Ufficio per le Comunicazioni Sociali della Conferenza Episcopale Italiana (CEI). Più libri in un solo testo: lo stato della questione del rapporto dei giovani con i social media e dei pro e contro di tale relazione; la ricostruzione del cammino della presenza della Chiesa italiana nell’ambiente digitale dagli anni precedenti il 2000 sino ad oggi; le nuove tecnologie e la pastorale durante il lockdown; un focus sulla formazione nei Seminari; una fotografia aggiornata e, a tratti inedita, dei seminaristi in Italia, e i risultati della ricerca." (Descrizione della casa editrice)
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