Next New Normal · 2025 Edition
freedom of speech
WHAT
Talks + Workshops
WHERE
Macromedia Campus: 1st floor (cafeteria + rooms 107, 108, 109, 119)
WHEN
november 12, 2025
The Future Of communication Is The Future of Society
Critical Perspectives on Freedom of Speech
In an era of algorithms, AI, personalized feeds, and manipulative disinformation, how free are we to form our own opinions, and how independent can they be? These questions will be the focus of our interdisciplinary conference on democracy, diversity, and media responsibility. Alongside experts from academia, the media, politics, and other fields, we will discuss mechanisms of influence, the role of independent media, and strategies for promoting diversity, DE&I, and democratic participation.
The program includes inspiring keynotes, engaging panels, and practical workshops—from algorithms and framing to gaming communities and developing a position paper on diversity of opinion. Participants will include professors from Macromedia University, social media speakers, and Marketing Club Berlin representatives.
Speakers·Moderators·facilitators
BeN Jones
Astrid Friese
Thorsten Doil
Sebastian Möring
Martin Lücke
Magdalena Taube
Hannes Schwarm
Udo Bomnüter
Gernot Wolfram
Program
9:30 – 10:00 a.m.: Coffee and registration
10:00 – 10:20 a.m.: Welcome (optional short MCB/Pioneers presentation)
10:20 – 11:00 a.m.: Keynote speech and discussion with Prof. Gernot Wolfram “Between TikTok and Tradition: How Disinformation uses Pop Culture as a new strategy” (EN)
11:00 – 11:15 Coffee break
11:15 – 11:45: Panel discussion: “Perspectives,” including Gernot Wolfram, a representative from Macromedia, and a representative from the Marketing Club Berlin. Moderated by Prof. Magdalena Taube. Introduction to the workshops.
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Workshop breakouts
Workshop 1: Prof. Magdalena Taube/Ben Jones (EN), “Social Media Politics”
Workshop 2: Prof. Sebastian Möring "Free Speech and Hate Speech in Online Gaming Communities and Platforms" Workshop 3: Marketing Club Berlin (DE), “Framing, Algorithms, Speech”
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Lunch break
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.: Summary and group presentations of the workshops. Position papers and closing remarks
The Force Behind The Conference
The Next New Normal Conference Series is held by Hochschule
Macromedia, University of Applied Sciences, Campus Berlin and Marketing Club Berlin.