In a recent interview with the German news magazine “Focus”, the President of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Kirsten Fehrs, expressed concerns about the potential for further polarization in the digital age. She warned that the exchange of ideas, the culture of conversation and the ability to tolerate different opinions – all essential components of an open and democratic debate culture – are at risk of being lost. Fehrs pointed to the example of social media platforms, such as TikTok, which she believes is compromising its independence in the face of Chinese government influence and Elon Musk’s platform X, which she views as a vehicle for the dissemination of untruths.
According to Fehrs, the consequences of this trend are far-reaching, as it not only leads to the loss of conversation but also the truth. As a representative of the church, Fehrs emphasized the institution’s role in promoting hope and togetherness. “Both of these values are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain in the era of fake news” she said, lamenting the loss of trust in traditional communication channels. “Unfortunately, as a society, we are gradually losing the familiar communication spaces. This fills me with great concern.”
Fehrs believes that the need for “strengthened, analog spaces” has never been more pressing. In this context, she highlighted the initiative “Verständigungsorte” (Understanding Spaces), which the church and diakony have launched to provide settings and formats for people to engage in conversation and build bridges, often between groups that would otherwise have little to no interaction.