Areas of Expertise

  • Technology and geopolitics
  • Digital policy and platform regulation
  • Early warning systems and predictive intelligence 

Short Bio

Dr. Katja Muñoz, a senior research fellow at DGAP’s Center for Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, and Technology, delves into the intricate interplay between social media and politics. Her expertise lies in understanding the mobilization potential of social media influencers, the dynamics of disinformation, and platform regulation. Her research also encompasses the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and democracy, with a particular focus on emerging AI trends that reshape online information integrity. She holds a special interest in mapping and monitoring AI’s impact on the electoral process, including campaigning, voter sentiment analysis, and governance systems.

Prior to her current role, Muñoz served as a scientific consultant at the nexus of technology and politics, providing insights into contemporary events and contextualizing them to enhance the accessibility of digital policy. Her work focused on the risks and potential of emerging technologies, early warning systems and predictive intelligence, and the interplay between democracy and digital politics.

Earning her bachelor’s degree in international relations from the American University of Rome, Muñoz pursued a master’s degree in peace and security studies at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy in Hamburg. She subsequently completed her doctorate in political science at the University of Hamburg.

Languages

German, Spanish, English

 

[Last updated: October 2025]

Katja Muñoz

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Publications

KI und hybride ­Bedrohungen 2.0

Warum Deutschland jetzt ­handeln muss
Author/s
Katja Muñoz
Deutschland und Europa behandeln hybride Bedrohungen als temporäre Störung des Informationsraums. Dabei verkennen sie, dass diese vielmehr einen permanenten Zustand systematischer Destabilisierung darstellen.
Policy Brief

Tech Cooperation and Tech Sovereignty in the New World Order

Author/s
Katja Muñoz
Valentin Weber
The EU and Germany have built a digital state on infrastructure they don’t control. AI systems are embedded in critical operations ranging from municipal services to the Bundeswehr, while lock-in windows close. Germany has the economic capacity and research capabilities, but political will is lacking.
Memo

Disinformation and the Role of Social Media Influencers: Navigating Influence in the Digital Public Sphere

Author/s
Katja Muñoz
Social media influencers have emerged as “alternative trusted sources” as trust migrates from institutions to individual storytellers, reshaping democratic discourse globally. This reveals that the primary threat to democratic resilience lies not in content accuracy but in the strategic manipulation of distribution systems that determine which voices reach mainstream audiences.
Externe Publikationen

Europas digitale Zeitenwende

Die Europäische Union braucht eine Grand Strategy für das digitale Zeitalter – eine wertebasierte Alternative zum amerikanischen Techno-Kapitalismus und zum chinesischen Digital-Autoritarismus.

Author/s
Katja Muñoz
Kai Zenner
IP Special
Creation date

In the media