Die digital mediatisierte Versammlung: Internet und Gesellschaft

Niklas Rakowski draws on insights from Science and Technology Studies, social movement research, political theory, and interaction sociology. To capture more precisely the interplay between technology and society, he introduces the conceptual framework of the "digital constellation." The core of the work is an interpretation of the normative content of the freedom of assembly, based on the classical methods of legal interpretation: wording, legal history, systematic context, international and European law references, as well as functional considerations.
It becomes evident that this fundamental right does not inherently require a physical form of manifestation. Physical presence is not an end in itself; rather, it serves specific functions that can also be fulfilled through digitally mediated interaction. What is decisive is not spatial co-presence, but whether the concrete configuration allows for the realization of key characteristics of an assembly: the identifiable appearance of participants, their mutual perceptibility, and a continuous, sequential possibility of exchange. Synchronous action is not required. Under these conditions, chat groups, hashtag collectives, or interactive video livestreams may also attain the quality of an assembly.
The author identifies a partial gap in the framework of fundamental rights protection and, on a solid doctrinal basis, assigns the fleeting, collective, and digitally mediated organizational element to the scope of protection of Article 8(1) of the German Basic Law. Because this approach is grounded in the structural components of assemblies rather than in specific applications, it remains robust even with regard to future forms of collective organization.