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Digital Society Institute

Digital Society Institute (DSI)

About us

Who we are

The Digital Society Institute (DSI) at ESMT was founded in 2016 with a mission to bridge technology and society through research, education and capacity building activities that place digital trust, privacy and human rights at the center of digital development. The DSI has built a strong reputation for conducting applied research at the intersection of technology, society and the economy, becoming a trusted source for expert advice on different aspects of digitalisation, such as secure digital identities, digital diplomacy, internet governance, EU digital and tech policies and German IT law. Expanding the scope of its work, the DSI is working towards becoming a leading knowledge hub on digital technology, regulation and cybersecurity issues, with a special focus on European technology policies and regulation.

What we do

The DSI offers interdisciplinary solutions to some of the most urgent problems of our time: this ranges from insights into the digitalisation of public services and the rapid automation of industry in Europe, to developing policy recommendations in response to the rising influence of emerging technologies on countries’ internal and external policies. DSI researchers are featured in academic journals and leading press, contributing on the latest technological issues, including eGovernance, digital platforms, international law, internet governance and cybersecurity. The DSI conducts numerous research projects, working with companies and public institutions, and regularly hosts workshops and conferences, featuring leading international speakers, public officials and hundreds of attendees from diverse backgrounds.

Event highlights

Shaping Cybersecurity Conference 2024
The Future of European Digital States - Building on Best Practices from Estonia
Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights
SyntAIgration: Thinking Beyond Cyber
Securing Next Generation Computing Technologies
Recent Event

Shaping Cybersecurity Conference 2024

China's Cyber Challenge

June 17, 2024 | ESMT Berlin | Audimax
Past Event

The Future of European Digital States - Building on Best Practices from Estonia

ESMT Berlin | 16 April 2024
Past Event

Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights

ESMT Berlin | 18-19 December 2023
Past Event

SyntAIgration: Thinking Beyond Cyber

Berlin | October 18-20, 2023
DSI Session Alumni Event 2024

DSI Session Alumni Event 2024

DSI in the news

"Don’t sanction cyberweapons — sanction how they’re used"

July 24, 2024 | Euronews
Helene Pleil, research associate at the DSI at ESMT, wrote an article based on her research for Euronews on the numerous benefits of cyberspace, while also highlighting the unique risks that necessitate enhanced cybersecurity and cyber diplomacy.

Sanction the use of cyberweapons, not the weapons themselves

April 5, 2024 | ESMT Press
A recent analysis by Helene Pleil, research associate at the Digital Society Institute (DSI) at ESMT Berlin, alongside colleagues from Technical University Darmstadt, outlines that rapid technological progress, a lack of political will and uniform definitions, as well as the dual use of cyber tools, are the main challenges facing effective cyber arms control which is vital for foreign and security policy. As cyberspace is increasingly used in conflicts, cyber arms control needs to be addressed as well.

"Advancing European Cyber Resilience and Defence"

January 18, 2024 | Directions Blog
Directions Blog featured a post by Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Director of the Digital Society Institute (DSI) at ESMT Berlin, examining the escalating cyber threat in Europe and providing strategic insights on how to address the growing cybersecurity challenges.
Newsletter

Subscribe to our monthly Cyber Policy Digest [GER + ENG]

Same data, different conclusions: Radical dispersion in empirical results when independent analysts operationalize and test the same hypothesis

July 19, 2021 | Journal Article
Martin Schweinsberg, Michael Feldman, Nicola Staub, Olmo R. van der Akker, Robbie C.M. van Aert, Marcel A.L.M. van Assen, Yang Liu et al. (2021)

Framers: Human advantage in an age of technology and turmoil

May 13, 2021 | Book
Kenneth Cukier, Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, Francis de Véricourt (2021)

Warning against recurring risks: An information design approach

October 15, 2020 | Journal Article
2018 Best Paper Award
Saed Alizamir, Francis de Véricourt, Shouqiang Wang (2020)
Videos

DSI Talks, Panels, Interviews - Watch it all on YouTube

Supporting Partners

Research and Development Partners

Academic Partners

Media Partners

Contact

Digital Society Institute
ESMT Berlin
Schlossplatz 1
10178 Berlin

Phone: +49 170 4807442
E-Mail: DigitalSocietyInstitute[at]esmt.org