An employer association close to the Social Democrats (SPD), the SPD Economic Forum, has advocated for the establishment of a national disinformation defense center. In a position paper cited by newspapers from the Funke media group, the organization criticized the handling of the dangers posed by digital disinformation and its resulting impact on the economy.
Nora Heer, vice president of the SPD Economic Forum, informed the Funke papers that disinformation is becoming faster, cheaper, and more professional due to generative AI. She noted that while technology presents a massive challenge, the greatest hurdle remains coordination, as official state responses are often fragmented.
Heer emphasized the critical need to combine existing competencies from security agencies, media oversight, political education, and administration into a unified, real-time architecture. According to her, disinformation operates in minutes, while state structures frequently operate on the timeline of fiscal years. “We must close this speed gap-with institutional courage and clear responsibilities, but without creating new bureaucracy,” she stated.
The SPD Economic Forum characterizes digital disinformation as a tangible economic risk to Germany, noting that in recent years it has evolved into one of the greatest challenges for democratic societies. The focus of these threats, the paper asserts, is often on coordinated, targeted disinformation campaigns, frequently backed by state or state-sponsored actors.
Although Germany already has several institutions addressing online dangers, the SPD Economic Forum’s position paper views these examples merely as preliminary steps toward coordination and analysis. The authors insist that their proposed national center must fulfill four core responsibilities: the early detection of disinformation campaigns; coordinating counter-measures among the state, platforms, media, and civil society; strengthening societal resilience through educational and awareness programs; and developing practical recommendations for politicians, authorities, and businesses, especially in vital sectors. Furthermore, the forum supports the advancement of technological innovations, recommending investments in systems based on artificial intelligence.
