Resurrection of FEFE: media manipulation and our fears!

Resurrection of FEFE: media manipulation and our fears!

Lindenau, Deutschland - On June 30, 2025, there will be news about Felix von Leitner, better known as FEFE. According to overton he lives and is not captured. Özgür Kesim, Managing Director of Code Blau, published a contribution on Mastodon in which he would like to recover. This has triggered lively discussions online that relate back to previous hate campaigns, especially from taz, and the Conzelmann case.

In the social media, the term “conspiracy theory” is often used, which is not new, but gained popularity in the 1960s, especially in the context of the Kennedy murder. The author of Overton criticizes the use of this term and suggests speaking of "hypothesis" or "presumption" instead. He raises the question of whether people can be easily influenced by rumors and assumptions and warns that such distribution could undermine confidence in state organs.

The role of social media and Ki

The progressive digitization and the changed information behavior have profound effects on society. According to bpb , access to reliable information is crucial for democracy. In recent years, information consumption behavior has changed, which has led to an increased vulnerability in society. Especially influencers: inside have established themselves as alternative sources of trust.

The trust of the German population in traditional media fell from 48% in 2023 to 47% in 2024, while trusting the government fell from 47% to 42%. This development is accompanied by increasing social polarization and changed media consumption behavior. Artificial intelligence (AI) is identified as a central risk in relation to incorrect and disinformation.

manipulation of the public debate

The systematic manipulation of social media proves to be problematic, especially in the context of political elections. Political actors are increasingly using platform algorithms to maximize the visibility of their messages and thus influence public opinion. Psychological mechanisms such as the confirmation bias and emotional activation are used in a targeted manner to achieve more mobilization.

• 67% of the population in 2024 related their news primarily via the Internet.
• 34% receive your information exclusively through social media.

The AfD is an example of how targeted algorithms and influencers: inside are used to spread political messages. Due to a massive digital infrastructure, the AfD increases its range and visibility, which further drives the fragmentation of the public discussion and erodes trust in institutions.

In order to counteract this, measures such as a code of conduct for political parties and public reconnaissance campaigns are required. The cooperation between platform operators, politics and civil society organizations is considered essential to recognize and combat manipulations. Access to information about the use of data and algorithms must also be improved to promote a balanced discussion.