Charlotte Freihse

Who owns the attention and how freely do we really decide online?

Algorithms structure attention, platforms shift power relations – but how aware are users of their role in this system? The lecture will shed light on how people perceive dependencies on digital infrastructures, what risks they recognize and why this knowledge rarely leads to changes in behaviour. Based on the initial results of a representative study, it becomes clear how network effects and social dynamics slow down alternatives. At the same time, the analysis opens up perspectives on how new offerings can become more attractive – and what is needed to make the digital information space more open and diverse.