Journalist Susanne Freitag-Carteron Visits the German School Toulouse

Journalism in the Age of Disinformation and Fake News

On 27 and 28 January, the DST welcomed journalist Susanne Freitag-Carteron. The former Paris correspondent for the German public broadcaster ZDF spoke about journalism in an era shaped by disinformation, fake news and algorithms; a topic that could hardly be more relevant today.

In her public lecture “Scrolling, Believing, Knowing?”, held as part of the IMPULS//ION event series, Susanne Freitag-Carteron offered fascinating insights into her work at ZDF. She introduced, among other things, the broadcaster’s fact-checking department and explained how information is verified before it goes on air. Using concrete examples, she demonstrated how quickly false or misleading information can spread particularly via social networks and private messaging channels and highlighted the importance of maintaining a critical mindset and consistently double-checking sources.

The evening was moderated by Michael Augello, CEO of Airbus UpNext.

On the following day, the journalist led two workshops for our Year 10 and Year 11 students on the topic “Media and Critical Thinking: True or False?”.

Drawing on many practical examples from her professional experience, she showed students how information can be checked, evaluated and communicated responsibly, especially in a media landscape characterised by an overwhelming flow of information. She also shared valuable advice on how young people can stay reliably informed even in the age of fake news and disinformation.

Our sincere thanks go to Susanne Freitag-Carteron, Michael Augello, the teachers involved and all participants. The events took place as part of the Franco-German Week in Toulouse and were organised in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut.