In this special episode of the PinG podcast “Follow the Rule of Law”, Prof. Niko Härting and Dr Marco Buschmann discuss current issues relating to criminal and media law in the digital sphere. The focus is on the draft bill on the criminalisation of pornographic deepfakes, the limits of measures that increase the severity of penalties within the criminal justice system, and the protection of politically active individuals against defamation. The episode thus sheds light on key issues at the intersection of digital communication, the protection of personal rights and state regulation.