Description
In social media, it is no longer a traditional censor who decides what becomes visible. In social media, it is no longer a traditional censor who decides what becomes visible. Instead, algorithmic systems determine visibility, with their logic remaining a black box for users, and political content is often downgraded-as a result, creators adapt on their own initiative. This "censorship" happens in the mind: words are replaced, topics are rephrased, tones are softened-a self-restriction in response to opaque rules and the ever-present possibility of sanctions by the platform. This dynamic, which Simon David Dressler describes precisely, is exemplary of the digital age: algorithmic control that produces self-censorship. The political scientist and religious educator reported from crisis areas in Latin America in the 1980s. He trained as a systems analyst and founded a company in Berlin for the development of industrial control systems and database-based application programs for processing medical patient data. For several years now, Vilsmeier has worked exclusively as a freelance journalist, blogger, and author. As part of his journalistic work, he interviews people from all social spheres. The author was chairman of the party DIE LINKE for three years in the Niederbayern Mitte district and has been active again in the peace movement since leaving the party.
