Digital Governance Lab
The Digital Governance Lab is an interdisciplinary interface for innovative research formats and science communication within the research focus New Technologies and the Future of Law. It serves as a space for dialogue and experimentation where insights from ongoing research are tested in practice, critically reflected upon and further developed in collaboration with societal stakeholders. The Lab focuses on how digital technologies can be shaped and regulated in society beyond purely technical solutions or exclusively legal approaches. It analyses the rules, procedures and responsibilities that structure the use of digital data, platforms and technologies. The central question is how these structures and processes can be designed to safeguard democratic values and principles, effectively protect rights and enable innovation at the same time. The Digital Governance Lab provides a platform for exchange between academia, politics, public administration, business and civil society to discuss and apply scientific knowledge in practice.
Maurice Stenzel, Dr.
New Technologies and the Future of Law
This research focus area focuses on whether, when, how, and by whom rules for new technologies should be set and governance frameworks implemented.
Platform Governance
Rules of digital public spheres
Digital platforms are key spaces of public communication. Rules, design choices and moderation practices shape how communication takes place, which content becomes visible and which content is restricted.
Data Governance
Data, actors and infrastructures
Data form a central foundation of digital services and societal decision-making processes. Their use enables innovation and new forms of participation while simultaneously raising questions of responsibility, security and fairness.
Code of Conduct: Strengthening Trust
This Code of Conduct addresses both platform operators and actors in EU policymaking. It defines ten guidelines for fair, transparent and accountable moderation processes on social media platforms. Its implementation aims to strengthen trust in human–machine decision-making in content moderation on digital platforms.
Background
The Code of Conduct was developed in collaboration with experts as part of the Human in the Loop? research project.
Data Governance Guide
In many municipalities the potential of data remains underused. Our digital handbook supports public administrations in systematically planning and implementing data-driven projects – legally sound, sustainable and mindful of the interests of business, politics and civil society.
Background
The Data Governance Guide was developed within the research project Data & Smart City Governance. A revised and expanded edition will be published as a book (expected summer 2026).
Consenter
This browser plugin enables users to centrally define their data protection and cookie preferences once. Consenter automatically applies these preferences when visiting websites and helps reduce disruptive cookie banners.
The consent agent was developed by the academic spin-off Law & Innovation Technology.
Understanding Personalisation
These educational materials explain how data personalisation on the internet works and outline its benefits and risks. The aim is to enable citizens to make informed and self-determined decisions about which data they wish to share online and which they do not.
The materialsare being developed as part of the ongoing Safe in Data Traffic and will be published during 2026.
Digital Society Blog
Here, our institute's researchers write about the key questions facing digital society. Read articles on topics such as AI, democracy, work, knowledge, platform regulation and sustainability.