What a blast! Philipp Lorenz-Spreen at re:publica 2025

On Wednesday, our colleague Philipp Lorenz-Spreen took the stage at re:publica 2025 to address one of the most pressing questions of our digital era:

“Gesellschaftliche Kipppunkte: Die Spirale aus Aufmerksamkeit und Plattformmacht und wie wir da noch rauskommen”
(“Societal Tipping Points: The Spiral of Attention and Platform Power – and How We Might Escape It”)

In his talk, he explored how notifications, newsfeeds, and social platforms constantly demand our attention – and how this attention has become a source of power with far-reaching political consequences. Moving from everyday habits to systemic impacts, he examined how platform dynamics influence democratic discourse and what needs to change for us to regain agency and foster a healthier public debate.

His session sparked thoughtful discussions around the architecture of digital platforms, the challenges of measurements in social sciences, and the urgent need for alternative models that empower users rather than exploit their attention.

We’re proud to see our research contributing to this important conversation. Thank you to the re:publica community for the energy, engagement, and inspiration!

📺 Full talk available online: Watch here