Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV) (roughly "New Responsibility Foundation" in English) is a German non-profit

think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmenta ...

based in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

that specializes in public policy related to technology's effect on society. SNV deals with the topics of

IT security Computer security, cybersecurity (cyber security), or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of computer systems and networks from attack by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, the ...

, the data economy, state surveillance, digital fundamental rights and media transformation, as well as other

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...

and technology-related topics. In 2021, SNV employed 19 experts from many disciplines.

Topics and activities

SNV concentrates on political and societal topic areas relating to digitization and other technological and societal disruptions. Such topics include

digital infrastructure A data infrastructure is a digital infrastructure promoting data sharing and consumption. Similarly to other infrastructures, it is a structure needed for the operation of a society as well as the services and facilities necessary for an economy t ...

, the

automation Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, namely by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machines ...

of human work, IT and cyber security, and digital surveillance. It focuses primarily on current policy developments and ongoing societal debates. Analyses or practical guidelines geared toward policymaking are made available as policy papers, which include suggestions for stricter controls on the German

Federal Intelligence Service The Federal Intelligence Service (German: ; , BND) is the foreign intelligence agency of Germany, directly subordinate to the Chancellor's Office. The BND headquarters is located in central Berlin and is the world's largest intelligence head ...

, broadband policies and IT-security policies. Scenario studies investigate future technological and societal developments, like the transformation of the labor market through automated technologies, robotics and intelligent software. Other publications deal with the effects of technology on social cohesion. In addition to publications, SNV hosts events for public discussion. Guests have included *

Klaus-Dieter Fritsche Klaus-Dieter Fritsche (born 16 May 1953 in Bamberg) is a former German civil servant who served as State Secretary and Commissioner for the Intelligence Services in the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel from 2014 until 2018. He is a mem ...

* Sarah Harrison *

Andrei Soldatov Andrei Alekseyevich Soldatov (russian: Андрей Алексеевич Солдатов, born 4 October 1975 in Moscow, Russia) is a Russian investigative journalist and Russian security services expert. Together with fellow journalist Irina B ...

* Robby Mook The SNV staff regularly participates in public academic debates and contributes to newspapers and online media outlets as guest experts.

Political orientation and positions

During the reform of the German Intelligence Service Act in 2016 and 2020, Thorsten Wetzling, the head of the SNV "Digital Fundamental Rights, Surveillance and Transparency" project, advocated for stricter controls on the

. Along with administrative modernization, demands were made for more data from authorities and administrative bodies to be made publicly available to citizens and startups. In other papers, the project criticized the relaxation of net neutrality rules, and argued for more state intervention in the area of IT security, as well as for greater cooperation between civil society and government. SNV consistently take the positions of strengthening the protection of fundamental rights and privacy.

Financing

According to its website, SNV had a budget of approximately 1.62 million euros in 2019, of which a great extent was granted by non-profit organizations, foundations and public institutions. Corporate contributions comprised 12 percent of the total budget. 28 patrons finance the organization in total. In 2019, the SNV's largest patrons included the

Open Society Foundations Open Society Foundations (OSF), formerly the Open Society Institute, is a Grant (money), grantmaking network founded and chaired by business magnate George Soros. Open Society Foundations financially supports civil society groups around the wo ...

, Luminate, the Robert Bosch Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the

German Federal Foreign Office , logo = DEgov-AA-Logo en.svg , logo_width = 260 px , image = Auswaertiges Amt Berlin Eingang.jpg , picture_width = 300px , image_caption = Entrance to the Foreign Office building , headquarters = Werderscher Mark ...

, and the Mercator Foundation.

Organization and leadership

The executive board is responsible for the leadership of SNV. Members of the board are Anna Wohlfarth and Dr. Stefan Heumann.

History

SNV was founded in 2008 with the original goal of offering young professionals from corporations, research institutions and civil-society organizations a platform to work on societal issues, publish and build relationships in Berlin for one year. Among its supporters at the time of its founding were the

German Academy of Science and Engineering Acatech (styled ''acatech),'' founded in 2002 and established as the German Academy of Science and Engineering (german: Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften) on 1 January 2008, represents the interests of Germany, German technical sciences ...

(Acatech), the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the Union of German Academies of Sciences and Humanities, and the former German Sports Confederation. The organization was financed through donations from corporations, including

Friedhelm Loh Friedhelm Loh (born 16 August 1946) is a German billionaire businessman. He is the founder and chairman of the Friedhelm Loh Group, a manufacturing company that grew out of a business he inherited from his father. Early life Friedhelm Loh is t ...

, Beisheim Holding, EnBW, Bosch and Giesecke & Devrient. Following a shift in the executive board at the end of 2014, SNV re-established itself as a think tank focusing on digitalization with a permanent, interdisciplinary staff. Financing thereafter was largely provided by grants from non-profit foundations or the public sector.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Think tanks based in Germany Think tanks established in 2008 2006 establishments in Germany Organisations based in Berlin