State Governors' Conference: Fight against online radicalization started!

State Governors' Conference: Fight against online radicalization started!

On June 6, 2025, the state governors' conference took place in Leogang, Salzburg. A wide range of topics were discussed under the leadership of Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker, Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler and Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger. A central concern was the proposal from Carinthia's Governor Peter Kaiser to combat online radicalization. Kaiser warns of the threat to social cohesion, especially among young people, and cited a recent attack in Villach that was triggered by a radicalized social media user.

Kaiser made it clear that the radicalization of individuals through digital communication channels represents a serious challenge. Studies show that the Internet acts as a catalyst for such radicalization processes by enabling extremist actors to spread their messages widely and glorify violence. It is often not possible to draw a clear distinction between digital and real behavior. This complexity of radicalization dynamics requires that political action be adapted to them, while at the same time the role of digital platforms is critically questioned.

Measures to combat radicalization

As part of his application, Kaiser called for the relevant measures from the government program to be pushed forward quickly. This includes political pressure on the EU to tighten guidelines against hate speech and deletion requirements for social media. He also called for a national evaluation of the existing regulations that affect the responsibility of digital providers.

The discussion about hate speech and radicalization online is very important. According to an analysis, 78% of Germans over the age of 14 are affected by hate speech, with this problem particularly affecting young people. Digital hostilities are considered to play a significant role in destabilizing social cohesion, as they can often lead to a withdrawal from public discourse. This trivialization not only endangers the democratic process, but can also further fuel radicalization dynamics.

The importance of the European Convention on Human Rights

Kaiser also called for a discussion about adjustments to the European Convention on Human Rights in order to provide greater protection for digital human rights. This view is consistent with the recognition that digital communication can support extremist actors using different techniques and formats to maximize their reach.

Changing media and technological developments, such as the propensity for violence during the Covid-19 demonstrations, underline the need to take a closer look at the internet. A systematic literature analysis looked at the mechanisms of radicalization at different levels and identified that unmoderated platforms can promote the spread of extremist content.

An integrative approach that brings together science, prevention, politics and security authorities is considered necessary to effectively address the challenges of radicalization and extremism. This multi-perspective view is crucial in order to comprehensively understand the complex processes of radicalization in the digital space and to combat them in a targeted manner.

The State Governors' Conference has therefore taken an important step towards both addressing the digital risks and discussing structured reforms in the areas of education, energy, health and administration. However, the discussion must continue beyond the conference in order to develop sustainable measures.

For more information on these developments, see reports from OTS, bpb and SSOAR.