Real Reality

How purchases, clicks and comments change our view of what’s real

“I saw it with my own eyes—it must be true!” This is how we often feel. Up to now, the press, public media and science have played a special role in our society: they alone have checked the facts and are even legally obligated to perform due diligence. But today, anyone can post information and opinions with just a click. This makes it hard for many of us to separate facts from fakes. Whether on TikTok or WhatsApp, Insta or online magazines—we are constantly flooded with new content, and it’s often unclear what parts of it are true and what really matters. So what sources can we still actually trust? And how can we reliably determine what is real and what is malinformation?

Going live—all cats on air! Whoever posts today sets the perspectives for tomorrow

In the past, there were clearly defined broadcasters: television, radio, newspapers—the news was produced by professionals. Today, anyone with a smartphone, computer or tablet can share real news or simply their own opinion with a large audience—in a matter of seconds. Whether it’s an Insta story or a group chat, a TikTok clip or a WhatsApp message, content goes out instantly, with no filters and no editorial corrections. For Zoomers, this is everyday reality; for some Boomers it’s a big change: all of a sudden it’s not only journalists talking to us; instead, anyone can reach us.

Whoever posts helps determine what the world learns. This is exciting, but sometimes it can also be really confusing. Whether it’s sharing our talents on TikTok or posting in the family WhatsApp group—nowadays we can all be newsmakers. And we can all determine whether the internet becomes more reliable or even more confusing—depending on whether we share proven facts or fake news. With the reach we have now, suddenly this power is available to all of us.