From May 18 to 20, this year’s re:publica will take place at STATION Berlin, one of the most important European conferences on digital society. Since 2007, the festival has brought together (inter)national actors from academia, politics, media, and civil society. With talks, panels, workshops, meetups, an expo area, and makerspaces, re:publica offers space for exchange and debate. More than 1,000 speakers contribute to the program across over 20 stages. The 2026 edition is held under the motto “Never gonna give you up.” At the same time, TINCON, Germany’s largest conference for young people aged 13 to 25, is once again taking place alongside it.
CAIS research in the program
Researchers from CAIS are participating with a panel discussion and three talks:
I forbid you!!1!1! Australia’s social media ban for under-16s: first facts instead of gut feeling
With Josephine B. Schmitt (CAIS), Roland A. Stürz (bidt), Hannes-Vincent Krause (Weizenbaum Institute), Salwa Houmsi (moderator)
Monday, May 18, 2026 | 1:45–2:45 pm | Stage 4 | Panel discussion | TINCON
https://re-publica.com/de/session/das-verbiete-ich-dir11-australiens-social-media-verbot-fuer-unter-16-jaehrige-erste-fakten
Deepfake Futures: What to do when nothing is real anymore?
With Josephine B. Schmitt (CAIS)
Monday, May 18, 2026 | 5:30–6:00 pm | Stage 4 | Talk
https://re-publica.com/de/session/deepfake-futures-was-tun-wenn-nichts-mehr-echt-ist
Vibe Coding: When AI generates software no human understands
With Hendrik Heuer (CAIS)
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | 4:15–4:45 pm | Lightning Box 1 | Talk
https://re-publica.com/de/session/vibe-coding-wenn-ki-software-erzeugt-die-kein-mensch-versteht
Digital sovereignty through decentralized networks? Potentials and contradictions using Mastodon as an example
With Marco Wähner (CAIS)
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 | 4:45–5:15 pm | Lightning Box 1 | Talk
https://re-publica.com/de/session/digitale-souveraenitaet-durch-dezentrale-netzwerke-potenziale-und-widersprueche-am-beispiel
Contributions by CAIS Fellows
Former CAIS fellows are also represented with talks and an installation:
Mapping the AI War Cloud
With Sarah Ciston
Monday, May 18, 2026 | 5:30–6:00 pm | Stage 6 | Talk
https://re-publica.com/de/session/mapping-ai-war-cloud
AI War Cloud
Installation by Sarah Ciston
https://re-publica.com/de/session/ai-war-cloud
Technoresistance: How can digital technologies counter the current migration regime?
With Laura Stielike, Michelle Pfeifer
Monday, May 18, 2026 | 6:45–7:15 pm | Lightning Box 2 | Talk
https://re-publica.com/de/session/technoresistance-how-can-digital-technologies-counter-current-migration-regime
Digital independence and monetary sovereignty now! How do we want to pay in Europe?
With Sebastian Gießmann, Petra Gehring
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 | 11:45 am–12:15 pm | Stage 6 | Talk
https://re-publica.com/de/session/digitale-unabhaengigkeit-und-monetaere-souveraenitaet-jetzt-wie-wollen-wir-europa-bezahlen
Festival website: https://re-publica.com/de