## Introduction to the Podcast Discussion In the latest episode of the "Haken dran" podcast, host Kevin Gavin and his guest Janis Schakarian (Audio-CVD at Spiegel) discuss current developments in the field of social media. The central theme is the increasing social media fatigue: both hosts share their personal disillusionment with social networks and smartphones. Janis reports: "I have rethought my relationship with social media" and describes how he installed a minimalist launcher on his smartphone to restrict usage. The two hosts discuss in detail new whistleblower findings about "Doge", an agency led by Elon Musk in the USA. A whistleblower reports that Doge employees have withdrawn data from a US federal agency on a large scale, while simultaneous registration attempts from Russian IP addresses took place. Kevin emphasizes: "This is so absurd. [...] Why did we get excited about Signalgate? And what's behind the fact that the Doge people are doing this with, probably, their private MacBooks, hacking into government systems?" Other topics include a ban on cell phones in French schools, the ongoing trial between Meta and the FTC, and meta-studies that prove the connection between digital media and polarization in democracies. Janis summarizes: "Digital media are a driver, a motor for populism and polarization, especially in established democracies." The discussion also covers how platforms should deal with different national laws. The podcast also addresses the announcement that Liz Truss wants to found a new social network and that OpenAI may be planning its own social network. Interestingly, the observation that young people are returning to Tumblr is also seen as a possible sign of a rethinking of longer, less algorithm-driven content. ## Evaluation The podcast offers a critical examination of the impact of social media on society and democracy. Notably, the hosts openly reflect on their own changing attitude towards social media - a perspective shift that could be exemplary of a broader societal trend. The comments on the Doge whistleblowers reveal systemic problems in the restructuring of US agencies under the new Trump administration. The hosts set these events in a larger context of security concerns and political influence. However, a deeper analysis of the structural problems of the US administration system is lacking. The discussion on platform regulation and national laws reveals an interesting dilemma: on the one hand, Western democracies demand that platforms comply with their laws, but on the other hand, they criticize authoritarian regimes for using the same mechanisms. This ambivalence is addressed but not fully resolved. The presented meta-studies on the connection between digital media and polarization are adopted relatively uncritically. A more differentiated consideration of the methodology and possible counter-theses would have been helpful here. Interestingly, the hosts' implicit basic assumption is that the original idea of social media - to connect people - has been perverted by commercialization and algorithm optimization. This culturally pessimistic perspective could be supplemented by voices that also see positive developments in digital networking. The podcast offers valuable insights into current digital policy developments and combines personal experiences with socio-political analysis - particularly valuable for listeners interested in the intersection of technology, politics, and society.