A method for preventing a lateral oscillation of a tower of a wind power installation having at least two rotor blades with adjustable attitude angles includes determining a manipulated variable for setting the attitude angles on the basis of information about a pitch torque and a yaw torque of the head of the tower. In this context, a counteracting torque is generated which counteracts the pitch torque and the yaw torque without exciting a lateral oscillation of the tower if the attitude angles are set on the basis of the manipulated variable.