We consume digital content every day. Since we can take our smartphones with us everywhere, there seems to be no more boredom, no more quiet time. The short videos on social networks cause us to slide further and further down the digital slope and withdraw from reality. We are constantly bombarded with trivial content from strangers who want to maximize our screen time and their profits. Since TikTok, content has become increasingly fast-paced, further shortening our attention span. At the same time, we in Germany are facing a major political challenge. The shift to the right across Europe is attacking our democracy.

In light of these issues, the question arises: Are we collectively obscuring reality through social networks?

Frida Höft's project Digital mess highlights precisely this area of tension. TikTok videos from her personal browsing history run incessantly and mix with the current political articles from German newspapers above them. The videos can be distorted and fragmented to enhance the effect of Digital mess. In contrast to the rapid image sequences, the newspaper articles deliberately focus on the written form. It becomes almost impossible for readers to clearly grasp real issues and internalize them in a lasting way.

Perhaps we would rather let ourselves be drawn into Digital mess?