Since their introduction roughly twelve years ago, smartphones have fundamentally altered the political and media landscape. Mobile devices have penetrated almost all fields of life. At the same time, false information, manipulated images and videos, as well as new surveillance practices are posing the question how political dangers of communication technologies might be hedged in the future.

The project “Pocket Democracy“ wants to focus on ideas and agents who see the dangers but who also investigate how digital technologies can be used for alternative political solutions. These concern algorithms that recognize false information or manipulated images and videos, that make visible discriminatory malpractice or that digitally enable free and secret elections. “Pocket Democracy“ begins with a day-long workshop to explore current developments in the field of digital democracy and to work on solutions for new forms of political engagement.
 
Keynote: Opal Tometi (co-founder Black Lives Matter)
Participants: Armen Avanessian (Thomas Mann Fellow), Lance Bennett (University of Washington), Jessica L. Beyer (University of Washington), Christoph Bieber (Universität Duisburg-Essen), Damian Borth (Thomas Mann Fellow / Universität St. Gallen), Paulina Fröhlich (Das Progressive Zentrum / Berlin), Adriana Groh (Prototype Fund / Berlin), Philipp Hübl (Philosoph / Berlin), Sarah Lohmann (Johns Hopkins University), Alexander Peterhaensel (Universität der Künste Berlin / Berlin), Ramesh Srinivasan (UCLA), Alexander Sängerlaub (Stiftung Neue Verantwortung / Berlin), Max Senges (Google / Berlin, tbc), Niko Switek (University of Washington), Mellina White-Cusack (Blogger), et al.