eco – Association of the Internet Industry congratulates Frank-Walter Steinmeier on his re-election as the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany. eco Chair, Oliver Süme, hopes that socio-political and economic aspects of the topic of digitalisation will be a noticeable focus during Steinmeier’s second term in office.
“Digitalisation can help to overcome Germany’s current and future challenges such as the climate crisis or demographic change,” says eco Chair Süme. “In this context, security and trust in digital technologies are the keys to a transformation of the economy and society: through digital innovations and solutions, we not only sustainably improve our prosperity and living conditions but also generate a new thrust for Germany as a business location. We as the Internet industry would be all the more pleased if the re-election of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also initiated a constructive discussion on the role of digitalisation based on fundamental ethical values with all stakeholders. It is time for Germany to consider the opportunities of digitalisation in their entirety and to face the challenges of the future.”
Steinmeier had recently presented the ‘Ethics of Digitalisation’ project at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, his official residence, emphasising that ethics and innovation should not be a question of either-or. For eco, too, trust and ethically oriented digitalisation are important guiding themes that have been continuously reflected in the association’s work for more than 25 years.
