National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) warned of a “new pandemic of disinformation and manipulation” at the parliamentary commemoration event against violence and racism today.
So far there is no immunization against this. You have to counteract this through the education and regulation of artificial intelligence and social media platforms. There were harsh attacks against the FPÖ at the event by publicist Michel Friedman.
According to the head of parliament, the discourse has become more aggressive since the pandemic. The ability to build consensus and find value in compromise has been lost. Polarization, conspiracy theories and fake news would be spread through social media and minorities would be demonized. According to surveys, more than ten percent of Austrians are manifestly anti-Semitic and over 30 percent are latently anti-Semitic – that is a worrying picture.
Digital skills will be “crucial” in the future
You have to counteract this through education, but also through the regulation of artificial intelligence, algorithms and anonymous social media platforms. European and national approval procedures are needed for these areas as quickly as possible: “The digital skills of future generations will be decisive for being able to use the technological possibilities for and not against democracy.”
Federal Council President Günter Kovacs (SPÖ) also said that one had to be vigilant when there were attacks on “our democracy and our values”. One must draw the right and necessary lessons from history and consistently fight against anti-Semitism and every kind of racism.
Friedman attacks ‘anti-democrats’
During a conversation, the author and philosopher Michel Friedman sharply attacked the FPÖ without naming it. He spoke literally of “anti-democrats” and of election campaigns in which people were incited against one another and human dignity trampled underfoot. The ÖVP had formed a coalition with the Freedom Party twice. FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl considered the statements with a shake of the head.
The main topic of this year’s commemoration event was the Gusen concentration camp, to which a film was dedicated that was shown after the speeches. The club chairmen of the SPÖ, FPÖ, Greens and NEOS as well as the National Council Presidency came to the event in the historic meeting room.
Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens), Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler and Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (both ÖVP) were also present. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen is currently in Great Britain for the coronation of King Charles.
