How can we make digital spaces safer? The start-up PENEMUE has a modern answer: an AI-based tool that recognizes and detects hate speech and potentially illegal content in real time. We spoke to the start-up's co-founder and COO, Sara Egetemeyr, about the technology. Find out more about Penemue in the podcast EXPLAINED.
People get insulted, harassed and threatened online. A study shows that 82 percent of participants believe that hate online endangers diversity on the internet. And one in two people in Germany are afraid to speak out publicly.
“Hate speech and disinformation are not just a problem for individuals, they also endanger diversity of opinion and our democracy. We can and must do something about this”, explains Sara Egetemeyr. That's why she founded the start-up Penemue with her co-founders Marlon and Jonas. Their mission: to make digital spaces safer with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).
The name of the start-up has its roots in mythology: Penemue is a fallen angel who taught people to write - but without giving them the necessary sense of responsibility. “You can do good with words, but you can also do destructive things. We see this every day across social networks. As a digital guardian angel, Penemue is intended to protect people from the destructive power of language on the internet and enable constructive and respectful communication,” explains cultural scientist Egetemeyr.
Technology with foresightedness
Penemue works with a high-performance algorithm that identifies statements that violate German laws in real time, e.g. on social media platforms. The software analyzes content in 89 languages. Whether emojis, slang, dialects or concealed forms of expression - the AI is continuously readjusted to recognize newly emerging coded terms and cultural nuances.
Sara Egetemeyr describes an example from her work: “We are constantly combining human knowledge with technical knowledge in order to understand newly emerging terms or linguistically conspicuous patterns. Once, the AI repeatedly warned of the phrase “light up the roofing cardboard”. Upon review, we found that “roofing cardboard” is used as a racist term for people of color and this phrase was a call for violence.”
The technology connects to the users' communication channels via API interfaces. These can be social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Facebook or internal company systems such as intranets. Depending on their preferences, users can automatically or semi-automatically hide, delete or forward problematic content for prosecution. A digital interface to specialized public prosecutors facilitates legal prosecution.
More protection through faster detection of illegal content
The fee-paying software is intended for anyone who is active on social media with their own channels and is already being used by companies, media companies and public figures. “Our users report a huge feeling of relief and an increased sense of security,” says Sara Egetemeyr. “They can focus more on what they actually want to do and know that the justice system will prosecute hate comments if they want to.”
Even if technologies such as Penemue's are important tools, the responsibility to fight hate online remains a task for us all. The entrepreneur is convinced: “AI is just one tool to counter hate speech online and protect democratic values. However, the problem itself - just like offline crime - will never be ended by a technical solution alone.”
We can all do something about hate online:
Together, we can make the digital space a place of respect and diversity by:
- Communicating respectfully and ensuring a constructive tone.
- Reporting hate and using the reporting function of the platforms to point out problematic content.
- Showing solidarity and supporting those affected.
- Consciously sharing content and only passing on information that we are sure about in order to avoid providing room for disinformation.
With its innovative AI solution, the start-up Penemue is a member of Deutsche Telekom's TechBoost program and a partner of the Telekom initiative #NoHateSpeech.
🎧 Podcast recommendation: Podcast with and about Penemue
For those who want to learn more about Penemue, we recommend the latest episode of EXPLAINED, the AI podcast, from January 17, 2025.
👉 Spotify
