The city of Pforzheim and the Northern Black Forest region want to actively shape the digital future for and with their citizens. With its "Smart City Strategy," the city of Pforzheim is systematically addressing digitization in all relevant areas of life and work. Numerous projects are already working on digital offerings, technologies and transformation concepts in the areas of administration, mobility, business, education, culture, energy and the environment, and infrastructure.

"Smart" cities and regions need a genuine "digital society. This must take all people with it on the path of continuous digital development. Digitization should serve people, allow people to participate in a self-determined way, create a secure environment in the digital realm and, where necessary, protect people from new risks - especially in local areas. To this end, the digital transformation should be accompanied by the broadest possible spectrum of social players in the city and region.

On the initiative of Prof. Dr. Steffen Kroschwald, director of the scientific center Consumer research and sustainable consumption, vunk, of Pforzheim University, together with the Fachstelle für das öffentliche Bibliothekswesen des Regierungspräsidiums Karlsruhe and public libraries in the northern Black Forest, a series of video contributions were created for this purpose on the occasion of the nationwide Digitaltag on June 24, 2022.

In the following video statements, selected interview partners from academia, civil society, politics, administration, and business report on their function, work, role, and projects as well as their view and contribution to digital participation and self-determination in a future society in the city and region.

With this media offer,

• we provide an insight into the diversity of digitization projects in the city and region,
• show the breadth of social actors involved in them, and
• would like to start a conversation about a common path toward a digital society. But we also  want to address the challenges along the way.

The "vunk" center at Pforzheim University provides a scientific framework for this with its work. This is intended to provide impetus for shaping the society of the future. The focus is on the protection and participation of consumers and users in the digital world, also and in particular with regard to the framework conditions of consumer and data protection law.

For the initiators

Prof. Dr. Steffen Kroschwald, LL.M.

Pforzheim University

steffen.kroschwald(at)hs-pforzheim(dot)de