Kreuzberg in crisis: garbage, rents and the return of friendliness?

Kreuzberg in crisis: garbage, rents and the return of friendliness?

On November 3, 2025, an article in the Tagesspiegel addressed problems in the cityscape of Kreuzberg. Aspects such as garbage, high rents and unfriendly people are addressed. These problems raise the question of the extent to which repatriations can contribute to improving the situation. This shows a categorical interest in solid data, goals and evidence for the effectiveness of such returns. The federal government is criticized, particularly with regard to the business location and the loss of trust that can arise from exclusionary language.

A personal anecdote from the author highlights the topic of friendliness in the neighborhood. Your daughter is greeted in a friendly manner by neighbors and shopkeepers at Kottbusser Tor, which forms a contrast to the inconveniences mentioned. At the same time, the author notes that her daughter, due to her age, cannot provide answers to the Chancellor's questions. This family perspective shows how different perceptions and experiences can be in urban areas.

Public discussion and citizen participation

Readers are specifically invited to share their opinions and suggestions on various topics affecting the cityscape. This interactive invitation is intended to stimulate public discussion and is an important step towards a more comprehensive examination of the challenges facing Kreuzberg. The possibility of citizen participation gives hope that the opinions collected can be incorporated into future decisions in order to increase the quality of life in the district.

In addition to these municipal issues, there are also technical developments that could potentially affect future public information processes. Bing introduced LLM-powered chat responses in February last year. These new features will be used by hundreds of millions of users to find information and answer questions. A new generative search experience is rolling out to a small percentage of user queries.

This generative search combines generative AI and large language models (LLMs) with the search results page. An example is the explanation for the term “spaghetti western”, which Bing provides in an easy-to-understand form and also contains links for in-depth information. Regular search results continue to be displayed prominently on the page, allowing users to benefit from both generated content and traditional search results.

The developments surrounding Bing illustrate how the use of new technologies can disseminate information more efficiently, which can also have a positive impact on citizen information and participation in public discourse. Future measures to improve generative search and integration into the search system will be continually tested in order to make optimal use of user feedback.

The challenges and opportunities in Kreuzberg as well as the influence of technical innovations on the dissemination of information provide plenty of material for an engaged public discussion.

For more details on the urban challenges, read the article in the Tagesspiegel here: Daily Mirror. Additional information about generative search can be found on the Bing website: Bing.