Freedom, diversity, responsibility: Media and the market power of platforms

Lecture on January 23, 2026

The social market economy continues to form the foundation of our prosperity today. However, markets are not a given; they need a regulatory framework.

Free and independent media are the foundation of our democracy.

In order for them to reach a broad audience with reliable information and content, they must be able to operate economically and remain competitive with large online platforms—both in terms of business models and in the competition for attention.

Platforms control the visibility of content, bundle enormous amounts of data, and attract advertising revenue. They are not just market participants, but market makers. They are often not neutral, but media providers sui generis.

Fair competition requires equal rules for comparable players. Those who curate, aggregate, or repurpose content using AI bear responsibility for the impact on our diversity of opinion and thus also responsibility for what they offer. Responsibility means structurally and reliably ensuring the conditions for the free formation of opinion on the basis of diverse information and allowing competition. However, responsibility can also go beyond this. That is why we are also discussing the introduction of a levy on online platforms, which could contribute to diverse media offerings in Germany.