Episode Overview

A normal day on social media. You scroll through your news feed, share a few posts, and check your latest followers. Without realizing it, you may have interacted with a bot. Not a human, but an automated account programmed to influence users' opinions.Social bots are much more than harmless chat programs: they act strategically on social networks, interfere in political discussions, and have the potential to distort the tone and direction of public debates. They are used in numerous contexts, especially in political debates, election campaigns, and social crises. But how exactly do bots work and, more importantly, how can they be recognized?In this episode of “Digital Discourse,” Dr. Adrian Lüders and his team take a close look at social bots. They explain how they work and show how bots are used in political and social contexts—from the 2016 US election and Brexit to the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Dr. Magdalena Wischnewski from the “Trustworthy Data Science and Security” research center at the University Alliance Ruhr is also a guest. She explains how bots can be recognized and why users are better at recognizing bots when they do not correspond to their own political views.Watch episode 1 here. 

How does a symbol manage to mobilize millions, challenge entire governments, and change societies?Hashtags are much more than just a means of categorizing content—they are symbols of digital activism and can shape social movements. From #MeToo to #BlackLivesMatter to #FridaysForFuture, hashtag campaigns have mobilized people worldwide, drawn attention to injustices, and in some cases even triggered political change. But how exactly does this work?In this episode of Digital Discourse, we analyze the mechanisms behind hashtag movements. We look at how hashtags influence public opinion, why they create identity, and what factors are crucial for a hashtag protest to have an impact beyond the digital space.We also talk to Tobias Schrimpf from the University of Hohenheim about the dynamics of online protests: Why do some movements succeed in bringing about real change, while others quickly fade away? And what role does the connection between digital and physical protest play?Watch episode 2 here.

What does building a termite mound have in common with your last online purchase? Why do viral trends on social media sometimes resemble the trails of an anthill—and what does that reveal about our digital society?

In this episode of Digital Discourse, we dive into a fascinating concept from insect research: stigmergy. The term describes a decentralized principle of organization in which individuals communicate indirectly through traces left in their environment—without central control, without a plan, and yet with remarkable precision. Originally observed in termites and ants, this principle now appears in a very different setting: our digital lives.

Our behavior on social media often follows stigmergic patterns. When a video goes viral, a review pushes a product up in the rankings, or a hashtag starts trending, it’s usually not the result of central decisions or deliberate planning. Instead, digital traces—likes, shares, user ratings—influence the behavior of others, much like pheromone trails among social insects. But what happens when this principle is applied to humans?

In conversation with Dr. Megan Vine, psychologist at the University of Limerick, we explore how stigmergic principles can be transferred to social media. Why do users follow certain trends but ignore others? What role do platform algorithms play in amplifying particular digital “pheromone trails”? And most importantly: how do these processes shape the perceptions and attitudes of social media users?

Watch Episode 3 here.

What if even your breakfast, your streaming subscription, or your favorite pair of shoes suddenly got read as a political statement? When everyday life is no longer neutral, but becomes an expression of your stance—and a potential spark for social division?

In this episode of Digital Discourse, Dr. Adrian Lüders and his team ask: How political has our daily life become—and what does that mean for us as a society? Polarization no longer shows up only in political debates. It unfolds right in the middle of everyday life—when shopping, grilling, or watching a series. Daily routines are increasingly charged with ideology, and preferences or consumer choices turn into markers of political identity. What feels like a meaningful stance to some may strike others as provocation or moral lecturing. Digital Discourse examines the mechanisms driving this development—and also looks to the U.S., where Democratic and Republican worlds of life have almost completely drifted apart. In his research, sociologist Daniel DellaPosta shows how deeply political divides now reach into leisure, media consumption, and lifestyle. But what about Germany?

Dr. Ole Kelm, communication scholar at the University of Düsseldorf, explains in our interview how consumption habits and political values are increasingly intertwined in Germany—and the role social media plays in this dynamic.

And on campus, Annkathrin Sproeßer and Carolina Martens asked students directly: how do they perceive political signals in everyday life?

Watch Episode 4 here.

Did you know that iconic dishes like Pasta Carbonara, Döner Kebab, or Salmon Maki were all inventions of the 20th century?

What and how we eat is constantly changing. While wars, colonialism, trade, and migration once shaped our eating habits, today social media plays a growing role. Whether it’s #foodporn or #cleaneating, fusion or authentic, soul food or fine dining—platforms like Instagram and TikTok are overflowing with food trends. And it’s no longer just about nutrition, but about lifestyle and identity.

To explore the role of social media for those shaping what ends up on our plates tomorrow, Dr. Adrian Lüders and the Digital Discourse team visited the New Food Festival at the University of Hohenheim—a startup fair for young, innovative food entrepreneurs. There, they sampled vegan foie gras, mushroom-based coffee, and kombucha soda, and spoke with founders about the influence of food trends and the importance of digital platforms.

They also met Franziska Grabow, moderator and startup consultant, for a behind-the-scenes look at online marketing, and joined gastro-influencer and pizzaiolo Nico Zingariello to bake pizza. Along the way, they asked: When is a pizza actually Instagrammable? And what makes a great food video?

With this episode, Digital Discourse heads into its summer break and says: Chin-chin, and see you soon!

Watch Episode 5 here.