Driving Potential: Why Politics and Technology Are Inseparable

They wield profound influence on our daily lives, bearing weighty ethical, legal, social, and policy ramifications.—New technologies and innovations cannot exist in a vacuum. Hence, understanding their societal impact is pivotal for shaping the future and tackling global challenges. That's why in this episode of our newsletter, we shine a spotlight on our Bachelor's Program, with applications open until 15 July 2024, integrating technical aspects into a political science program. Apply now and spread the word among your family, friends, and network!

Our Highlight

?? Applications open until 15 july 2024

Upcoming Opportunities

Festival der Zukunft at Deutsches Museum

EVENT | 29.06.2024 What should our common future look like? Saturday is family day (free entrance!) at the festival of the future. TUM Think Tank and HfP welcome you at their booth to present their offers and discuss. Drop by! Read more.

Algorithmic decisions and self-determination | I2SC Goes to Town

EVENT | 02.07.2024 | 6 pm The importance of AI continues to grow and is affecting more and more areas of life. An important question is therefore: How does AI influence our social behavior? Prof. Jürgen Pfeffer provides insights into this in a new event. Register now!

Does the Community Understand the Community Guidelines?

EVENT | 09.07.2024 | 1 pm How do community guidelines on social media platforms influence the rating of potentially harmful content on social media? Friederike Quint and Yannis Theocharis discuss the impact of policy details on user ratings. Register now!

Floating boat exhibition on climate change | PPiP Project 100 Voices – One Planet

EVENT | 14.05. – 15.09.2024 How is the climate crisis making itself felt worldwide? The HfP study project at the TUM Think Tank "100 Voices - One Planet" has collected voices from the most affected countries. Their stories can be seen at the "MS Wissenschaft" exhibition. Register now!

Our recent activities

Russian War Propaganda – Is Social Media really the critical factor?

PUBLICATION Social media is considered the backbone of Russian disinformation campaigns. However, a new study led by researchers from HfP shows: Those most susceptible to Russian war propaganda are those who already lean towards conspiracy thinking. Read more.

How Can We Responsibly Harness Quantum Technology?

Quantum technology is poised to revolutionize our lives, bringing both significant advancements and challenges. Prof. Urs Gasser , Rector of HfP, along with fellow researchers, proposes ten guiding principles for responsibly navigating this future technology. Read more.

HfP Seed Funding for Outstanding Postdoctoral Projects

NEWS Four postdoctoral researchers at the HfP have secured seed funding for their research projects, recognized for their relevance and innovative potential. The projects address the crucial topics digitalization, climate policy, AI, and conspiracy beliefs. Read more.

Prof. Urs Gasser Confirmed as HfP Rector

UNIVERSITY POLITICS Prof. Urs Gasser has accepted his reappointment as the Rector of the Munich School of Politics and Public Policy (HfP). The HfP advisory board reelected him on 17 June 2024. Gasser will continue his successful tenure, leading and representing the HfP. Read more.

TUM ranks 28th worldwide

NEWS The Technical University of Munich (TUM), to which the HfP is affiliated, has moved up to the 28th spot in the QS World University Rankings. This makes it the best German university in the renowned ranking for a decade. Read more.

The rules may be thick, but not too much so | Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

IN THE MEDIA Living with artificial intelligence: Urs Gasser and Viktor Mayer-Sch?nberger on guardrails for handling algorithms. Read more [GER].

Study: Russian social media campaign not really catching on | Evangelische Zeitung

IN THE MEDIA How does Russian propaganda influence belief in misinformation about the war in Ukraine? Prof. Yannis Theocharis shows that Russia's social media attacks were largely unsuccessful, even though they were conducted intensively. Read more [GER].

Analysis: Why doesnt anyone actually monitor what happens at Tiktok? | Augsburger Allgemeine

IN THE MEDIA Why are social media operators not held responsible for disinformation and hate speech? Lena Ulbricht, Professor at HfP, explains why the legal framework is not sufficient and why social media are treated differently to traditional media. Read more [GER].

Beijing involved in Bytedance | N-TV

IN THE MEDIA Is TikTok threatened with extinction in the USA? A possible sale or ban is imminent as the Chinese parent company is accused of espionage. Lena Ulbricht, Professor at HfP, explains on how China's government is influencing the short video platform. Read more [GER].

Can we trust AI to make Decisions? | SKEPTIC

IN THE MEDIA How does machine learning influence our decision-making? Prof Urs Gasser, rector of the HfP and Prof Viktor Mayer-Sch?nberger shed light on the opportunities and risks of outsourcing decision-making to intelligent technology. Read more.

News from our Network

Sebastian D?tterl compares the approaches of the US and the EU in regulating #AI. Read more.

Professor Neil Lawrence on how to approach AI regulation. Read more.

The Ethical Data Initiative shares the recording of their latest event on Navigating Gender Disparities in Data and AI with you! Read more.