Media literacy initiatives address digital disinformation and hate speech in Germany

The initiative ‘Keine Bildung ohne Medien’ (KBoM) has released the ‘Media Pedagogy Manifesto – Addendum 2026,’ outlining five educational policy demands to address digital transformation. The group calls for the mandatory integration of media and digital literacy into all educational institutions, curricula, and teacher training programs. They also advocate for media education to be treated as a societal task linked to political, cultural, and sustainable development education, alongside expanding academic positions in media science.

In response to rising digital hostility, a free workshop titled ‘Digital Civility: Argumentation and Action Possibilities on the Internet’ is scheduled for November 12, 2026, in Betzdorf. Organized by the Institute for Media and Pedagogy and the Rhineland-Palatinate State Agency for Civic Education, the session aims to teach citizens how to identify disinformation and navigate online aggression.

This initiative follows data from the Landesanstalt für Medien NRW showing a significant increase in perceived online hostility. A 2026 survey reported that 79 percent of respondents perceived hate speech online, with 59 percent observing increased hostility toward differing political views. The survey also noted high levels of perceived right-wing extremist, antisemitic, and islamist content in digital spaces.