(de-news.net) – Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) met Wednesday with representatives of digital companies and key social media platforms to explore how to safeguard the next federal election. The ministry announced that Twitter/X, Microsoft, TikTok, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), and Google (YouTube) were all present. Measures to combat targeted misinformation operations, hate crimes including death threats, as well as the labeling of political advertising and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated or altered content, such as deep fakes, were the main topics.

The potential of foreign influence through misinformation is a key concern for the federal government. To guarantee safe and free elections, it is crucial to defend the federal election from hybrid threats posed by foreign powers. One might anticipate a rise in cyberattacks, “hack and leak,” and “hack and publish” activities, according to a statement. These attacks seek to agitate the populace, sway elections, or undermine particular political figures or candidates – mostly due to AI-generated or modified content, such as realistic deepfake audio or video.

Regarding the threat to the federal election, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has released thorough recommendations and formed a task group. The Federal Ministry of the Interior’s Central Office for the Detection of Foreign Information Manipulation (ZEAM) also started operations in June 2024.