Finding information on the internet is an everyday activity for most of us. At first glance, it might not seem like a skill that requires special attention. But a closer look reveals that it is far more complex than it appears. If we know the tricks of a search engine, we can find what we are looking for much faster than if we type something at random into the search bar. Let’s be honest – who hasn’t done that? In daily life, many people have developed routines that usually lead to a satisfactory result. Yet these habits can prevent us from reflecting on how we might search more effectively: What features does my browser offer? How well do I navigate the web? Which search terms will get me to my goal quickly?

Because searching online seems so simple, we rarely think about how information actually reaches us. The internet is a vast sea of data, and algorithms help us navigate it. Which videos appear on YouTube, which posts show up in your Facebook feed, or which results a search engine returns – all of this depends largely on mechanisms programmed by providers. Even without in-depth technical knowledge, we can develop a basic understanding of these processes.

The internet offers countless possibilities, but search engines are not always the best starting point. For example, if you want to follow an event in real time, they are of limited use. When looking for images for a flyer, it’s better to search directly on sites that sort by license type or to configure your search engine to display only freely licensed images.

In short, there are many strategies to make our searches easier, more targeted, and more flexible. This chapter will help you navigate the internet in a practical and playful way, improve your search strategies, and even pick up a few interesting facts to show off.

Sounds good? Let’s get started.

Fake news, filter bubbles and echo chambers are phenomena that are often used to describe our present day. In essays and newspaper columns, one reads phrases such as ‘In the age of post-truth…’. The acceleration of information dissemination through the internet and the breaking of the news monopoly of newspapers and television seem to have deeply unsettled us. But are these phenomena new, and is the internet really to blame for this predicament? Shouldn’t we rather focus on developing new skills? It is definitely worth taking a closer look!

Whether it’s the rise of the novel in the 18th century or the advent of computer games – when a new medium gains importance, it is initially met with great scepticism. In media history, this is called media panic. A good example of this is the concept of the filter bubble. The idea of algorithmic self-affirmation in social media, which increasingly isolates groups from one another and thus drives social division, is so catchy that it is repeatedly accepted without question. However, the theory has not yet stood up to empirical testing.

So it is safe to say that fake news is not a phenomenon exclusive to the internet. Nevertheless, it is possible to learn how to better assess the credibility and quality of news and sources – sometimes common sense is enough, but knowing and being able to use one or two tools can also be very useful.

This module therefore covers the evaluation and interpretation of data and information on both a discursive and a practical level.

Organising and structuring data and information – at first glance, this sounds like a topic for people with a particular flair for order. But on closer inspection, it is above all a practical issue that affects all users. Knowing how to protect data from loss or convert files, for example, is an essential skill.

Organising and securing data and information in the digital world is like tidying up: many find it tedious, some find it annoying, but most find it very satisfying when it’s done. In nerd circles, the verdict is ‘No backup? No pity!’ – so if you’ve neglected to save your doctoral thesis securely, you shouldn’t complain when your laptop with the only version of your almost finished work is stolen. But frankly, it’s not always easy to keep track of the many options for data backup. What exactly is a cloud, for example? And what can I use it for?

You’re surfing the internet, stumble across an immensely interesting article, but don’t have time to read it right now. In the evening, when you have the time and inclination to immerse yourself in reading, you first spend half an hour typing search queries into a search engine to find the article again. Does this sound familiar? At times like these, you wish you had taken the time to develop a strategy for storing information in a way that makes it easy to find again. Many people are now familiar with the bookmark function in their browser, but are there apps for this too?

How do I open compressed files and how do I create archives myself? How do I split PDF documents if I’m only interested in one of the pages? Being confident in handling files makes everyday (working) life much easier.

This module offers an insight into the diverse and, above all, practical questions that we unfortunately often wrongly avoid in everyday life.