Ethics in the Digital Space: Challenges and Decisions

The event was part of the Akademie im Klassenzimmer initiative by the Austrian Academy of Science and EU research project "DIACOMET – Fostering capacity building for civic resilience and participation: Dialogic communication ethics and accountability.". 

During the workshop "DIGITAL REALITY CHECK – Your Decisions Online.”, students debated fictional case studies based on findings from DIACOMET (https://diacomet.eu/). These scenarios allowed them to explore ethical dilemmas in digital spaces, reflect on potential consequences, and examine their own decision-making processes.

Bridging Science and Practice

The session was structured around three scientifically grounded narratives, presenting moral dilemmas that highlighted the complexity of digital media societies and their impact on democratic values. The students themselves explored two different narratives: One focusing on influence in political opinion formation and the other on influence on misinformation on vulnerable individuals. They were encouraged to explore various ethical approaches to navigate these scenarios and make responsible, well-informed decisions in the media landscape.