[27.4.2020] Citizens in Freiburg can now connect and share together via the city’s social network # Freiburg. The project is part of the city’s digitization strategy and also offers cultural professionals and traders a platform to present themselves.
As of now, the digital and free city network # freiburghaltenzusammen offers citizens in Freiburg the opportunity to exchange ideas and get information. The focus should be on supporting neighborhood help and neighborhood work. As the city of Baden-Württemberg reports, cultural professionals and local traders can also present themselves via the social network. The project emerged from a cooperation with the AGP Social Research Institute of the Evangelical University of Freiburg and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The digital network is part of the urban digitization strategy (we reported) and the plans of the social department to strengthen neighborhoods and civic engagement.
Under the slogan “Freiburg holds together – local, inspiring and trusting. The social network that belongs to me! ”The platform is intended to bundle numerous activities and information close to the citizen. The target group is Freiburg of all ages with or without previous technical knowledge. The network is therefore deliberately easy to understand and easy to use. Especially against the background of the corona pandemic, the city society should benefit from the new offer.
Exchange safely and ad-free
Compared to other social networks, the city’s own portal has the advantage, for example, that the user data is not evaluated commercially. The chats are also encrypted. Although users can advertise their products on the platform, the city says there is no way to advertise them. Great value is placed on friendly, respectful and open dealings with each other. Hate speech and trolls would be controlled by a moderation team.
Mayor Martin Horn sees the Freiburg digital city network as a great opportunity to digitally map the vibrant and diverse Freiburg city society and thus strengthen social cohesion in the city. He explained: “With the digital platform # freiburghaltez Together, we are breaking new ground by showing what digitalization can do for the common good. The network suits Freiburg. It is organized as a cooperative, committed to the common good, and very importantly: our network is sustainable, data-safe and free of charge for the citizens. ”
Research project as a basis
The basis for the new online platform is the SoNaTe research project, in which the city of Freiburg has been involved as an application partner from the start. It stands for “Social Neighborhood and Technology” and has been funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) since 2015 with more than five million euros as part of the “Innovations for Municipalities and Regions in Demographic Change” funding initiative. SoNaTe is a social platform developed in an interdisciplinary consortium with institutes of the University of Freiburg as well as technology and practice partners, Freiburg informs. It stands for the connection of digital communication and encounter on site and is operated as a cooperative.
Project manager Professor Thomas Klie, head of the AGP Social Research Institute, reported: “Scientifically, we have broken new ground. We support the intensive involvement of municipalities and citizens with our communication science resonance research. We also guarantee high data protection standards with modern IT technology. The platform in a cooperative organization is a future-proof model project. “
City administration and AGP social research continue to work on the expansion of the new city network, the Baden-Württemberg municipality announced. Even after the corona pandemic has been overcome, it will digitally map and network the Freiburg city society. (co)
https://freiburghaeltzusammen.de
Keywords: social media, Freiburg im Breisgau, # freiburghaltez Together
Image source: https://freiburghaeltzusammen.de
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