de:presse is an independent media monitoring collective established in early 2024. We analyze German media coverage, with a special emphasis on current affairs and the representation of systematically overlooked or marginalized communities. Our mission is to identify media bias, encourage accountability, and advocate for journalism grounded in accuracy, fairness, and ethical standards.
What We Do
We support both the public and civil society groups by monitoring and analyzing German press coverage. Alongside this, we run public education campaigns to raise awareness of media bias and help facilitate formal complaints against unethical reporting.
Our work is made possible through digital tools developed by Tech4Palestine, such as Accountable Media and NewsCord. These platforms have already led to headline corrections in major UK outlets. Building on that success, we aim to bring the same accountability to German media.
So far, our work has led to a growing number of formal complaints about biased media coverage. But much more remains to be done. Complaints only begin to have an impact when they reach a significant scale and can’t be ignored.
Why Complain About Biased Reporting?
Submitting complaints gives media outlets the opportunity to correct misinformation, reflect on internal biases, and meet their professional duty to report fairly and accurately. It also sends a clear message: the public is watching, documenting, and demanding accountability. Ethical journalism means exposing human rights violations and challenging disinformation, not repeating it. Every complaint helps push the media closer to that standard.
The Power of Collective Action
The more people take part, the greater the impact. Together, we can pressure media institutions to correct distortions and comply with both professional ethics and legal standards. When editors fail to act, complaints can be escalated to state regulators under press and broadcast law.
Even when change isn’t immediate, documenting media bias is essential for long-term legal and historical accountability. Media complicity in crimes, whether through incitement or the manufacture of public consent, has real-life consequences.
A key precedent is the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which in 2003 convicted the heads of the radio station RTLM and the magazine Kangura for genocide, incitement to genocide, and persecution.
How You Can Take Action
Follow our analyses of biased reporting on Instagram and submit complaints through accountable-media.com—it only takes a few clicks.
For each case, we provide a ready-made complaint letter based on our analysis.
You can also support us by contributing to our database of biased media coverage. Just submit an article HERE.
Follow us on Instagram and Substack, amplify our work by liking and sharing our posts, and stay informed about future campaigns by subscribing to our newsletter.
