In response to escalating disinformation campaigns originating from actors like Russia and China, the Green party is demanding the establishment of a “national democratic shield against disinformation” to protect a “defensive, digital public sphere.” According to an initiative passed by the Greens’ parliamentary group, measures currently being implemented by the federal government are deemed insufficient.
The party insists that combating disinformation must be a central component of the government’s overall strategy against hybrid threats, warning that these campaigns are deliberately used to destabilize German society. They caution that autocratic actors such as China and Russia leverage these efforts to weaken Germany’s geopolitical influence and steer its policies toward their own interests.
Digital politician Anna Lührmann of the Greens criticized the government for underestimating the threat of hybrid attacks, stating, “The federal government is undervaluing the risk of hybrid attacks. We need an end to naivety.” She urged the governing coalition to better shield democracy from disinformation, arguing that simple monitoring and analysis are not enough, and the government must finally take action.
Among the specific demands is the creation of an independent agency for digital media. This body would strategically integrate several regulatory and educational functions, including oversight and awareness campaigns. It would be tasked with investigating whether major platforms and intermediaries comply with regulations and could launch campaigns to expose attacks.
Lührmann also called on the government to prioritize and promote European social networks, advocating that Germany become more independent of foreign platforms, such as X, which profit from disinformation. The initiative insists that fostering a digital communication infrastructure-upon which a state-neutral ecosystem of decentralized, publicly beneficial social networks could grow-should be regarded as a “core public task.” Furthermore, Germany must actively push for consistent enforcement of European platform regulations.
The Greens pointed out that while many Germans use privatized platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, algorithms determine what users consume. This dynamic is exacerbated in familiar messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, whose public channels often disseminate false information and conspiracy theories without moderation.
Finally, the party advocates for a national media competency strategy, viewing the cross-age promotion of these skills as crucial since many citizens struggle to distinguish credible news from unreliable sources. They cite the declining trust in traditional media and the increasing appeal of far-right, supposedly “simple” worldviews as justification for nationwide funding. The proposal also calls for a central, continuously updated overview of hybrid threats, drawing on insights from all relevant authorities. Additionally, the parliamentary group suggested a completely independent media fund, financed by taxes on online advertising revenues generated by large digital corporations, intended to support local journalism.
