Episode 63: Trust, Media Literacy, and Regulation—How to Think about Fake News, Misinformation, and Disinformation in Germany and the United States

On this episode of The Zeitgeist, AICGS President Jeff Rathke is joined by Alex Sängerlaub, the director and co-founder of futur eins in Berlin, and Rebekah Tromble, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for Data, Democracy and Politics at the George Washington University, as they discuss the spread of misinformation and disinformation in Germany and the United States. How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected the spread of misinformation? Are Americans and Germans “media literate” enough to distinguish between real and false information? What forces are shaping the public’s perception of news and media and their trust in institutions and expertise? How does the media landscape in Germany and the United States affect the countries’ approaches to tackling the issue of misinformation? Is it possible for governments to quickly enact effective laws and regulations in the EU and the United States? Host Jeff Rathke, President, AICGS Guest Alexander Sängerlaub, director and co-founder, futur eins Rebekah Tromble, Associate Professor, School of Media and Public Affairs and Director, Institute for Data, Democracy, and Politics (IDDP), George Washington University This podcast episode is part of the AICGS project “The Importance of the Transatlantic Partnership in Times of Global Crises” and is generously funded by the the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).