Prof. Dr. Cornelius Puschmann, Dr. Patrick Zerrer, Paul Pressmann, Niklas Berger (ZeMKI, University of Bremen): Informed by Influencers (INDI)

• 10.06.2026
• 16:15 Clock
• 28359 Bremen, DE • Linzer Str. 4 • Room 60.070

Abstract:  

The project Informed by Influencers (INDI) focusses on the way in which knowledge relevant to climate change is disseminated and consumed on social networks, with a particular emphasis on short-video platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Our aim is to determine the proportion of social media content on this topic that users are exposed to and to examine the ways in which knowledge about and interest in climate change intersect with mobile media usage. New intermediaries such as social media influencers (SMIs) play a pivotal role as trusted interlocutors of scientific information to specific target audiences, reconfiguring science communication in a deeply mediatized information environment. Analytically we approach these issues on the basis of a linkage design that combines mobile surveys, app tracking and automated social media content analysis.

Our presentation will highlight early work-in-progress findings from the INDI project on four levels: 

• The allocation of trust between social media influencers and traditional intermediaries 
• Pathways to political and news content in a mobile news environment 
• Diversity of climate change related topics on social media over time  
• The relation of media repertoires to climate interest and subjective informedness 

Bio: 

Cornelius Puschmann is Professor of Communication and Media Studies with a focus on digital communication at ZeMKI and leader of the digital communication and information diversity (DCID) lab. 

Patrick Zerrer has been working as a research assistant in the “Digital Communication and Information Diversity” lab since April 2020 and focuses on the areas digital and mobile news & information usage, analysis and evaluation of (mobile) tracking data, and (climate) protest in a digital media environment. 

Paul Pressmann has been a research assistant and doctoral student in the “Digital Communication and Information Diversity” lab since February 2024, focussing on the areas hate speech & digital civil courage, Computational Social Sciences, personalization effects through algorithmic recommendation systems, and political as well as science communication. 

Niklas Berger has been a research associate and doctoral candidate at the „Digital Communication and Information Diversity (DCID)“ lab since February 2026, focussing on the areas deliberative democracy, digital public spheres, and social media platforms.