Shift
How is the Internet changing society? The magazine for digital culture, issues and technology, delivered directly from blogs and boardrooms.
What exactly is a meme?
Memes like "Bad Luck Brian"—the photo of a young man that represents persistent misfortune—are known worldwide. But there are also more multi-layered memes that only certain insiders will understand.
Chatting on a gaming platform
Discord was originally a platform for gamers with an integrated chat program. But thanks to its great wealth of features, the app is becoming increasingly popular outside the gaming scene too.
Telegram – the alternative to WhatsApp
Telegram is the most successful WhatsApp alternative. The messaging app created by Pavel and Nikolai Durov in Russia is set to gain 150 million new users in 2021, profiting from the wave of users ditching WhatsApp.
Robotics suit teaches paraplegics learn to walk again
The Japanese exoskeleton suit HAL uses wearers' brains signals to teach paraplegics how to walk by themselves again. DW reporter Cassandra Boh tried HAL out and turned the power of her thoughts into motion.
Working ergonomically thanks to robo-technology
Exoskeletons are robotic suits that give people super strength. Even though many are just the size of a backpack, they help people lift heavy objects. They’re already used in care work, logistics and the auto industry.
What dangers are hidden within the crypto art craze?
Digital objects can be replicated indefinitely. But thanks to NFTs, singular ownership can now be ascribed. The so-called smart contract contains information on the edition of the work, its creator, and its owner.
NFT Fraud and Counterfeiting
Theoretically, anyone can create an NFT for a work of art and put it up for sale. This presents a danger for artists. How can they protect their work in the digital space?
Esports in Abidijan: A game changer
Thousands of people in Africa dream of an esports career. Abidjan is the largest metropolis in Côte d'Ivoire in West Africa. There, young people train hard every afternoon to have a shot at an esports career.
Esports and sexism: Enough is enough
Esports commentator Indiana Black says there's too much sexism in the industry. As a result, she's no longer working as a commentator for the games.
Hanging out in PC Bangs
PC Bangs sound like parties, but they're actually popular gaming centers for South Korea's eSport fans. Pro tip: They are especially packed on the weekends!
Esports bar: Homebase for legends
In South Korea, esports are trumping soccer when it comes to public screenings. Fans often meet to watch League of Legends in bars. Especially during tournaments, many gamers prefer collective viewings to watching alone at home.
Coded Bias - How did AI become racist?
Director Shalini Kantayya's documentary "Coded Bias" reveals the racist and sexist nature of AI programming and highlights the threats it poses to society.
Systemic discrimination in AI
Algorithms and artificial intelligence-based systems view the world on the basis of data. But who controls these data sets and what conclusions do they allow? The lack of computer ethics is a problem.
Sexism in Google Image Search
Do all German women become politicians? Are Eastern European and South American women always looking for a man? A DW analysis shows how Google's image search reinforces sexist and racist stereotypes.
AI applications to try at home
With AI programs like Musenet, Deepart and GauGAN, anyone can become an artist - in cooperation with artificial intelligence. With Toonify, your self-portrait can be turned into a cartoon figure.
AI-systems helps create music
Music shows how well humans and machines can work together. An AI application makes suggestions for the next line of a song. But humans still have creative control.
How can women defend themselves against violence online?
Arzu Geybulla is an Azerbaijani journalist who’s had to fight against online hate. Now she helps other women defend themselves against online abuse. But there’s no one right way to do it.
Women unite in the fight against online attacks
Women are supporting each other in the fight against online trolls. The worldwide #metoo movement has also been a major catalyst in making the issues that women in the Arab world face more visible.
Female journalists face violence online
DW reporter Mania Chaudbary has frequently been the target of insults and hate speech online. Online trolls often try to silence women like her from speaking out politically or as a journalist.
A day without a smartphone—Is that still possible?
Thanks to smartphones, everything from shopping to searching for partners can happen in real time online. How uncomfortable is it to go a full day without these do-it-all mobile devices?