معرفی
Dennis Frieß is a researcher and coordinator at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, specifically working with the Düsseldorfer Institut für Internet und Demokratie (DIID) as its coordinator since August 2022. Previously, he served as the coordinator of the NRW Research College Online Participation from May 2019 to June 2022. His academic journey includes being a research assistant at the Chair of Communication and Media Studies III at HHU-Düsseldorf from April 2013 to April 2019.
His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, Law, and Communication Science from the University of Erfurt (2006-2010) and a Master's in Political Communication from Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf (2011-2013). He completed his PhD in 2020 with the dissertation "Deliberative Online-Öffentlichkeiten. Eine kumulative Analyse" (Deliberative Online Publics: A Cumulative Analysis).
Dennis Frieß's research primarily focuses on political (online) communication, online deliberation, and online participation. His work explores how digital platforms can facilitate democratic discourse, the quality of online political discussions, and the role of design in shaping deliberative outcomes. More recently, he has been investigating the intersection of artificial intelligence and democratic deliberation, examining how AI technologies might support or hinder meaningful online discourse.
An analysis of his recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong emphasis on understanding user behavior in political online discussions, with particular attention to how different social media platforms shape political engagement. His work increasingly addresses the role of artificial intelligence in online public spheres, examining both the potential benefits and ethical concerns. Key themes across his publications include deliberative quality in online discussions, political participation patterns across platforms, and the democratic implications of digital communication design.
- Best Paper Award at DGPuK-Fachgruppentagung Kommunikation und Politik (PolKomm2023) for "KI und Deliberation: Normative Ideale im Lichte der aktuellen KI-Forschung. Ein Systematischer Literaturüberblick"
- ASI-Nachwuchspreis 2021 (methodische Kategorie) for "Collective Civic Moderation for Deliberation? Exploring the Links between Citizens' Organized Engagement in Comment Sections and the Deliberative Quality of Online Discussions"
- Finalist in Deutscher Studienpreis 2021 (Sozialwissenschaften) for "Weil aus Worten Taten werden. Deliberative Online Öffentlichkeiten"
As coordinator of the DIID and previously the NRW Research College Online Participation, Frieß has been involved in numerous research projects examining digital democracy and online participation. His work with the DIID Monitor Online-Participation NRW and the IndI (Innovative Interventions for Discursive Integration) project demonstrates his commitment to translating research into practical applications for democratic innovation. He has also contributed to media discussions about digital democracy, appearing in outlets such as NDR, Antenne Düsseldorf, and Deutschlandfunk Kultur.
Dennis Frieß is an active member of several academic communities, including the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Publizistik- & Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK), the International Communication Association (ICA), and the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA), reflecting his engagement with both national and international scholarly conversations about digital democracy.
