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ZDF’s 'Eine Bessere Welt' Premieres With Documentary on Online Hate

The two-hour block explores online hate crossing into real-world harm, with protections that too often fall short.

Overview

  • ZDF broadcasts the drama at 20:15 CET on March 23 and follows with the documentary 'Hass im Netz: Eine bessere Welt' at 22:15 CET, with both titles also available in the broadcaster’s streaming portal.
  • The film follows a scientist, played by Peri Baumeister, whose talk-show appearance triggers a torrent of online abuse that spills into threats and professional fallout, with her police reports largely closed without action.
  • Critics highlight the drama’s deliberate ambiguity over what is objectively happening versus what the protagonist perceives, using uncertainty to probe the psychological toll of digital harassment.
  • The companion documentary features voices including Claudia Kemfert, Riccardo Simonetti, Vicky Voyage and Kevin Plath, mapping the mechanics of online hostility and its day-to-day impact on safety and well-being.
  • Coverage underscores gaps in institutional and platform responses, notes support from groups like HateAid, and amplifies calls from Baumeister for documentation, legal reporting and digital-ethics education, alongside Serkan Kaya’s appeal for public responsibility.