New Research Project SynDIKAT Launches

The new research project “SynDIKAT” (“Synthetic Disinformation Data, Infrastructure for Collaboration and Analysis Toolbox for Social Media Research”) launched this May. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the collaborative project focuses on disinformation on social media. It develops approaches for privacy-compliant data sharing as well as the generation of synthetic social media data using large language models (LLMs) and agent-based simulations.

The project brings together the OCL and Information Systems teams from the University of Münster, GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS), and TU Dortmund University. The consortium is coordinated by Christian Grimme (University of Münster, Department of Information Systems).

With the launch of the project, the OCL also welcomes two new research associates to the team of Thorsten Quandt: Paula Philine Jung and Malin Zoe Richter.

Paula Philine Jung studied Communication Science at the University of Münster from 2020 to 2023. Her bachelor’s thesis examined the spread of pro-Russian propaganda via social media in the context of the war in Ukraine. She subsequently completed a master’s degree in Communication Science at the University of Münster, including a study abroad stay at Oslo Metropolitan University in Norway. Her master’s thesis focused on journalistic reporting routines on women’s sports on Instagram. During her studies, she also worked as a tutor and student assistant.

Malin Zoe Richter studied Communication Science and Economics at the University of Münster from 2019 to 2022. She then completed the master’s program in Market and Media Research at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences. Her empirical master’s thesis on WhatsApp group discussions with adolescents was shortlisted for the 2026 Young Researchers Award of BVM/VMÖ/SWISS INSIGHTS and explored the methodological potentials and limitations of digital group discussions compared to traditional formats.

The OCL is looking forward to working together within the SynDIKAT project and warmly welcomes both researchers to the team.