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How dangerous are TikTok & Co. for democracy?

February 13, 2026

Online radicalization is splitting whole societies. Many blame social media and AI algorithms. Are these platforms becoming a danger to democracy itself?

https://p.dw.com/p/53aTm

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Boy wearing headset sitting at a desk, typing on a keyboard and looking at a computer screen. A graphic depicting speech bubbles playfully adorned with eyes and others containing the word "comment" is partially superimposed

Boy wearing headset sitting at a desk, typing on a keyboard and looking at a computer screen. A graphic depicting speech bubbles playfully adorned with eyes and others containing the word "comment" is partially superimposed

How extremists target kids through games

How extremists target kids through games

Most parents have no idea: extremists are targeting their kids through chats and games like Roblox. Sometimes, the recruiters are barely any older than their victims and the radicalization happens right under families' n

A woman with shoulder-length dark hair speaks in parliament. Several speech bubbles containing emojis and four-letter words represented by special characters are superimposed

A woman with shoulder-length dark hair speaks in parliament. Several speech bubbles containing emojis and four-letter words represented by special characters are superimposed

Are politicians exploiting emotions online?

Are politicians exploiting emotions online?

Are facts being replaced with anger? Politicians on social media are appealing to strong emotions. Social media expert Luna Möbius explains why the strategy works — and when it backfires.

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More from this show

An illustration showing a tattered US flag on a tablet screen, overlaid with the logos of Google, Amazon and Meta. The logos are crossed out with a red X

An illustration showing a tattered US flag on a tablet screen, overlaid with the logos of Google, Amazon and Meta. The logos are crossed out with a red X

Can the EU replace US Big Tech?

US tech like WhatsApp, Google and Instagram dominate digital life. But European alternatives are growing.

A split-screen image showing a US flag on the left, overlaid with the logos of six US tech companies. All have a red X through them. On the right is a DW reporter, a woman with long dark hair, wearing a top with red, white and black zig-zag stripes.

A split-screen image showing a US flag on the left, overlaid with the logos of six US tech companies. All have a red X through them. On the right is a DW reporter, a woman with long dark hair, wearing a top with red, white and black zig-zag stripes.

Can you survive without US tech?

No smartphone apps, no chatbot, no streaming: an experiment reveals how deeply US tech shapes everyday life.

A splitscreen of a TikTok and Instagram feed

A splitscreen of a TikTok and Instagram feed

Susanne Siegert faces pushback on Holocaust history

Through TikTok and Instagram, Susanne Siegert shares history about the Nazi era. Not without pushback.

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About the show

Shift — Living in the Digital Age

Can I use blockchain technology? Will artificial intelligence take over my career? What exactly is "Machine Learning"? These are some of the questions „SHIFT – Living in the Digital Age“ tries to answer.

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