EFFEKTE Festival

EFFEKTE Festival

  • Date: 23.05.2025

Thank You for an Inspiring Weekend at the EFFEKTE Festival

On May 17–18, the KIT Zentrum Mensch und Technik and the FZI House of Participation were proud to contribute to the Wissenschaftsfestival EFFEKTE in Karlsruhe. Under the theme "Resilient Digital Democracy", our joint stand invited the public to explore how emerging technologies can help strengthen democratic resilience in times of increasing disinformation, deepfakes, and political disengagement.

Visitors engaged with a range of interactive research demonstrations at the intersection of technology, creativity, and societal impact. Among them was Micro-TWONy, a simulation of a social media platform that demonstrates how small changes in design can influence the tone and emotionality of online debates. This experiment shed light on the responsibility platform developers hold in shaping digital discourse.

Another key feature was DeFaktS, which demonstrated how artificial intelligence can detect and analyze online disinformation. As misinformation becomes increasingly sophisticated, tools like DeFaktS offer promising pathways for safeguarding the integrity of public information.

Our presence at EFFEKTE extended beyond the demo booth. On the evening of Sunday, May 18, Dr. Jonas Fegert, manager of the house of participation, participated in the unique late-night show STULLE – wissenschaftlich belegt, hosted by Benjamin Binder. This entertaining and thought-provoking program combined interviews with scientific guests, interactive quizzes, and live music from regional artists. As part of this innovative science communication format organized by kultunauten and TRIANGEL Transfer | Kultur | Raum we could reach a broad and curious audience.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who visited our stand, participated in the demonstrations, and joined the conversations. Events like the EFFEKTE Festival show how important public dialogue and transparent research communication are in shaping the digital futures we want to live in.