November 2023 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Jobs - Predoctoral Researchers on Digital Sovereignty in Salerno
by Mauro SANTANIELLO 30 Nov '23

30 Nov '23

Dear colleagues, At the Department of Business, Management and Information Systems (DISA-MIS) of the University of Salerno (Italy) we are hiring* 2 research assistants* (assegno di ricerca) in the context of the PRIN 2022 project "Digital Sovereignty in Comparative Perspective: State Authority, Corporate Power and Fundamental Rights in Cyberspace". One of the two positions is for 12 months, the other one for 24 months. *Requirements:* Candidates must have a master's degree in Political Science or International Relations. Doctorate is not required, though its possession is a qualification that will be considered by the evaluation committee. Previous experience in research and participation in projects will be an asset. Fluency in English, both in oral and written expression, is required. *For more detailed information and to apply, visit our calls for applications*: 12 months position: https://web.unisa.it/uploads/rescue/67/11730/santaniello-bando-di-concorso-… 24 months position: https://web.unisa.it/uploads/rescue/67/11731/santaniello-bando-di-concorso-… *Contact person: *Prof. Mauro Santaniello (msantaniello(a)unisa.it) *Deadline: *15/12/2023 - 12:00 (Rome time, CET). Please feel free to share the call with potentially interested people. Thank you. Best wishes, Mauro Santaniello (PhD) *Senior Researcher (tenure track) qualified Associate ProfessorProfessor of Internet Governance, Digital Policy, Local Public PolicyDirector, Internet & Communication Policy Centre (ICPC)* *Scientific Coordinator, Salerno Winter School on Internet Governance (SWING)* *Associate Research Fellow, The United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS)**Principal Investigator, PRIN 2022 **Digital Sovereignty in Comparative Perspective: State Authority, Corporate Power and Fundamental Rights in Cyberspace* *Department of Business, Management and Information Systems (DISA-MIS)* *Università degli Studi di Salerno * *Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132 84084 Fisciano (SA) - Italy * *W. http://docenti.unisa.it/mauro.santaniello <http://docenti.unisa.it/mauro.santaniello>*

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AI in Qualitative Analysis
by Shulman, Stu 30 Nov '23

30 Nov '23

I was a part of a recent symposium on "AI in Qualitative Analysis." The recorded developer talks, Q&A, and discussions are live on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/qualai -- Dr. Stuart W. Shulman Founder and CEO, Texifter Editor Emeritus, *Journal of Information Technology & Politics*

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CfA: Communication+1, Special Issue “Digital Sovereignty”
by Christoph Borbach 30 Nov '23

30 Nov '23

Dear colleagues and AoIR fellows, We would like to draw your attention to the following current call for abstracts of the journal /communication+1/ for a special issue on “Digital Sovereignty”. We look forward to receiving your paper proposals! Please feel free to forward the CfP to potentially interested colleagues. best greetings, Christoph Borbach ___ * CfA: /_communication+1_/, Special Issue “Digital Sovereignty” **ed. Christoph Borbach, Carolin Gerlitz, and Tristan Thielmann * Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, and new smart sensor technologies have an enormous disruptive potential: not only for the replacement of established media and cultural techniques, but also for the future shaping of digital practices, the cohesion of societies, data justice, and, last but not least, on contentious issues of digital sovereignty. The special issue of the platinum open access and double-blind peer review journal /communication+1/ (https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cpo/ <https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cpo/>) on “Digital Sovereignty” will therefore bring together current research on the subject area. This issue addresses sovereignties in a pluralistic way, regarding: the technical sovereignty of critical infrastructures; right to informational self-determination; cognitive sovereignty with respect to automated decisions; the supposed sovereignty of the internet of autonomous things, or digital practices like autonomous driving; and questioning the sovereignty of traditional scientific disciplines when it comes to overarching (Critical) Data Studies. Updating Callon and Latour’s classical analysis of a new body politic (1981), this issue conceptualizes digital sovereignty as a distributed accomplishment. It is based on a multitude of small socio-technical mediations that unfold agency in every step of data production, distribution, and consumption. Data-intensive media, distributed agency, and digital sovereignty are therefore co-constitutive. The current ubiquity of environmental sensor technologies and the associated “environmental conditioning of media” (Thielmann 2022) results in a ubiquitous datafication (Cukier/Mayer-Schoenberger 2013) and the collection and valorization of huge amounts of big data – including sensitive data such as movement profiles, tracking of purchasing and internet behavior, or face and voice recognition, of which the datafied subjects are largely unaware. This touches on ethical as well as legal issues and establishes new forms of discrimination, which now appears as data discrimination. Data bias as ‘the dark side of big data’ directly touches on issues of sovereignty both of the subject and of entire cultures and societies, with technologies of the Global North often being the focus of research and aspects of indigenous data sovereignty (Kukutai/Taylor 2016) being neglected. In 2022, the entire digital universe comprised a data volume of approx. 94 billion gigabytes which equates to 94 zettabytes. In 2025, the amount of global data will already exceed 200 zettabytes (Rydning 2022). Such quantities of data allow for new modes of capture (Agre 1994) and surveillance (Zuboff 2019) and can no longer be sensorily processed and understood by humans, even if artificial intelligence and algorithms harbor the promise of making the flood of data manageable. The transformation of contemporary cultures into scalable data societies or “datafied societies” (van Es/Schäfer 2017) demands interdisciplinary research on the consequences of today’s ubiquitous and omnipresent datafication. The current discussion on digital sovereignty is an immediate consequence of economic, political, and technical developments. This concerns economic questions on the use of personal data; the political dimensions of digital sovereignty of whole nations, and individual self-determination regarding information; or the technological pervasion of our everyday lives by AI, machine learning, and blockchain media, as well as network technologies (Augsberg and Gehring 2022). To date, the discourse on digital data sovereignty has primarily been shaped by the social sciences. Hardly any research has been conducted on the media of sovereignty and their data practices (Couture and Toupin 2019; Amoore 2020). The planned special issue of the journal /Communication+1/ takes this as an opportunity to represent current research on the topic of digital sovereignty in all its breadth. Upon invitation, full-text submissions will be due August 15, 2024, with expected publication in Spring 2025. We are seeking abstracts (500 words max.) for submissions until *December 31, 2023* (to be sent to *christoph.borbach(a)uni-siegen.de*, subject: “communication+1 Special Issue: Digital Sovereignty”), that might address—but are not limited to—one or more of the following topics: ●Practices and technologies of data sovereignty ●Conceptual work on the terminology: what does “digital sovereignty” mean and what does it look like ●Perspectives on digital and data sovereignty beyond the Global North ●Data bias and data discrimination as counterparts of digital sovereignty ●Histories and fictions/imaginaries of digital sovereignty ●Relevance of activist groups and countercultures to prevent data discrimination ●Legal aspects of data sovereignty, also from ahistorical perspective ●Ethical aspects of sensor media ●Media technologies and politics of sensors and sensing ●Sociological perspectives on sensor practices ●Ubiquitous datafication ●Counterpractices to regain digital sovereignty ●Potentials of praxeology to investigate modes of digital sovereignty ●Dangers of ubiquitous datafication for sovereignty in the digital age ●Data-processing law and legal aspects of digital data sovereignty -- Dr. Christoph Borbach Team »Science, Technology and Media Studies« www.mobilemedia.uni-siegen.de University of Siegen

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36th International Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering (CAiSE 2024): Last Mile for Paper Submission
by Announce 30 Nov '23

30 Nov '23

*** Last Mile for Paper Submission *** 36th International Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering (CAiSE'24) June 3-7, 2024, 5* St. Raphael Resort and Marina, Limassol, Cyprus https://cyprusconferences.org/caise2024/ (*** Submission Deadline: Abstract: December 1, 2023 AoE; Paper: December 8, 2023 AoE ***) The CAiSE’24 organization calls for full papers with a special emphasis on the theme of Information Systems in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology, revolutionizing various industries, and its significance in Information Systems cannot be overstated. AI-powered systems have the potential to streamline operations, enhance decision-making processes, and drive innovation across organizations. From data analysis to automated processes, AI is reshaping the way we leverage information in the digital age. The relevance of AI in IS extends beyond internal operations. AI-powered predictive analytics enables organizations to forecast trends, anticipate customer needs, and optimize resource allocation. This empowers businesses to adapt swiftly to changing market dynamics, gain a competitive edge, and make proactive decisions. AI algorithms can also detect anomalies and patterns that indicate potential security breaches, contributing to robust cybersecurity measures in information systems. However, while acknowledging the benefits, it is essential to consider the ethical implications of AI in information systems. Ensuring data privacy, addressing bias in algorithms, and maintaining transparency are vital aspects that need to be carefully managed and regulated to foster trust and accountability. In addition to offering an exciting scientific program, CAiSE’24 will feature a best paper award, a journal special issue, and a PhD-thesis award: • Best Paper Award‚ prize EUR 1000 (sponsored by Springer) • A small selection of best papers will be invited to submit enhanced versions for consideration in a special issue of Elsevier Information Systems journal dedicated to this conference. • PhD-Thesis Award • Best PhD thesis of a past CAiSE Doctoral Consortium author (co-sponsored by the CAiSE Steering Committee and Springer) Papers should be submitted in PDF format. Submissions must conform to Springer‚ LNCS format and should not exceed 15 pages, including all text, figures, references, and appendices. Submissions not conforming to the LNCS format, exceeding 15 pages, or being obviously out of the scope of the conference, will be rejected without review. See the guidelines here: https://www.springer.com/comp/lncs/authors.html . The results described must be unpublished and must not be under review elsewhere. Three to five keywords characterizing the paper should be listed at the end of the abstract. Each paper will be reviewed by at least two program committee members and, if positively evaluated, by one additional program board member. The selected papers will be discussed among the paper reviewers online and during the program board meeting. As the review process is not blind, please indicate your name and affiliation on your submission. Accepted papers will be presented at CAiSE’24 and published in the Springer Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) conference proceedings. We invite three types of original and scientific papers. The type of submission must be indicated in the submission system. Each contribution should explicitly address the engineering or the operation of information systems, clearly identify the information systems problem addressed, the expected impact of the contribution to information system engineering or operation, and the research method used. We strongly advise authors to clearly emphasize these aspects in their paper, including the abstract. Technical papers describe original solutions (theoretical, methodological or conceptual) in the field of IS Engineering. A technical paper should clearly describe the situation or problem tackled, the relevant state of the art, the position or solution suggested and its potential‚ as well as demonstrate the benefits of the contribution through a rigorous evaluation. Empirical papers evaluate existing problem situations including problems encountered in practice, or validate proposed solutions with scientific means, i.e., by empirical studies, experiments, case studies, experience reports, simulations, etc. Scientific reflection on problems and practices in industry also falls into this category. The topic of the evaluation presented in the paper as well as its causal or logical properties must be clearly stated. The research method must be sound and appropriate. Exploratory papers describe completely new research positions or approaches, in order to face a generic situation arising because of new ICT tools, new kinds of activities, or new IS challenges. They must precisely describe the situation and demonstrate why current methods, tools, ways of reasoning, or meta-models are inadequate. They must also rigorously present their approach and demonstrate its pertinence and correctness in addressing the identified situation. The topics of contribution include but are not limited to: • Novel Approaches to IS Engineering ◦ Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning ◦ Robotic Process Automation (RPA) ◦ Big Data, Data Science and Analytics ◦ Blockchain applications in IS ◦ Simulation and Digital Twins  ◦ IS for collaboration and social computing  ◦ Virtual reality / Augmented Reality ◦ Context-aware, autonomous and adaptive IS • Models, Methods and Techniques in IS Engineering ◦ Ontologies and Ontology Engineering ◦ Conceptual modeling, languages and design ◦ Requirements engineering ◦ Process modeling, analysis and improvement ◦ Process automation, mining and monitoring ◦ Models and methods for evolution and reuse ◦ Domain and method engineering ◦ Product lines, variability and configuration management ◦ Compliance and alignment handling ◦ Active and interactive models ◦ Quality of IS models for analysis and design ◦ Visualization techniques in IS ◦ Decision models and business intelligence ◦ Knowledge graphs ◦ Human-centered techniques • Architectures and Platforms for IS Engineering ◦ Distributed, mobile and open architecture ◦ Big Data architectures ◦ Cloud- and edge-based IS engineering ◦ Service oriented and multi-agent IS engineering ◦ Multi-platform IS engineering ◦ Cyber-physical systems and Internet of Things (IoT) ◦ Workflow and Process Aware Information Systems (PAIS) ◦ Handling of real time data streams ◦ Content management and semantic Web ◦ Crowdsourcing platforms ◦ Conversational agents (chatbots) ◦ Microservices design and deployment • Domain-specific and Multi-aspect IS Engineering ◦ IT governance ◦ eGovernment ◦ Autonomous and smart systems (smart city management, smart vehicles, etc.) ◦ IS for healthcare ◦ Educational Systems and Learning Analytics ◦ Value and supply chain management ◦ Industry 4.0 ◦ Sustainability and social responsibility management ◦ Privacy, security, trust, and safety management ◦ IS in the post-COVID world Submit your paper using the Easy Chair link: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=caise2024 . IMPORTANT DATES • Abstract Submission: 1st December 2023 (AoE, extended and firm) • Paper Submission: 8th December 2023 (AoE, extended and firm) • Notification of Acceptance: 23rd February 2024 • Camera-ready Papers: 5th April 2024 • Author registration: 5th April 2024 ORGANISATION General Chairs • Haris Mouratidis, University of Essex, UK • Pnina Soffer, University of Haifa, Israel Local Organizing and Finance Chair • George A. Papadopoulos, University of Cyprus, Cyprus Program Chairs • Giancarlo Guizzardi, University of Twente, The Netherlands • Flavia Maria Santoro, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Other Committee Members https://cyprusconferences.org/caise2024/committees/

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Deadline aproaching: Apply by December 3 to run a Wikipedia assignment in Winter/Spring 2024!
by Helaine Blumenthal 30 Nov '23

30 Nov '23

Run a Wikipedia assignment in Spring 2024: If you're concerned about how to help your students navigate today's information landscape, you're not alone! There's still a lot you can do though to ensure the integrity of information available to the public at large. In an age of generative AI, Wikipedia stands out as a place driven by human curated knowledge. Your students can participate in this critical endeavor. Incorporate a Wikipedia assignment into your course next term! Visit teach.wikiedu.org <https://wikiedu.org/teach-with-wikipedia/> to find out more about Wiki Education's free support and how to get started for the spring term. The deadline to submit a course is *December 3*! Since 2010, over 100,000 students have contributed more than 100 million words to Wikipedia! Your students too can be part of this impactful work. Attend an upcoming workshop! Attend <https://wikiedu.org/webinars/>one of our upcoming workshops to learn more about this unique pedagogical opportunity. Click here <https://wikiedu.org/webinars/> to register for a session. Wiki Education's support is fully funded, and there are no fees to participate. The program is open to post-secondary institutions in the U.S. and Canada. Please reach out to me directly with any questions about Wiki Education! -- Helaine Blumenthal,Ph.D. (she/her) Senior Program Manager Wiki Education teach.wikiedu.org <https://wikiedu.org/teach-with-wikipedia/> Twitter <https://twitter.com/WikiEducation?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7C…>, Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/WikiEducationFoundation/>

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Article on data imaginaries
by Sananda Sahoo 30 Nov '23

30 Nov '23

Dear all, An article that had been in the works for a long time just dropped in the ether: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjhs-themes/article/biometric-datas… I discuss and argue how data imaginaries develop and are used to justify data analysis methods and, at times, governance through a couple of specific cases. I hope you will find it an interesting and useful read. It does take a village to raise an article. I am grateful to all who helped me along the way. Have a lovely evening, Sananda *Sananda Sahoo * Ph.D. Candidate, Media Studies Faculty of Information and Media Studies Western University ssahoo3(a)uwo.ca @SanandaSahoo Western University is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Lunaapeewak, and Attawandaron peoples, who have longstanding relationships with the land and region of southwestern Ontario and the City of London. The local First Nation communities of this area include the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, and Munsee Delaware Nation.

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Seminar "Artificial Intelligence, Disinformation, and Democracy" in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
by Victor Piaia 29 Nov '23

29 Nov '23

Dear colleagues, I'm reaching out to promote the event "*Artificial Intelligence, Disinformation, and Democracy*" featuring the presence of Ministers Alexandre de Moraes (Supreme Federal Court - STF) and Luis Felipe Salomão (Superior Court of Justice - STJ), among other guests. The event is free and in-person, taking place on December 4th and 5th at the FGV Cultural Center (Praia de Botafogo, 186, Botafogo) at 10:20AM. To register: https://evento.fgv.br/intelingenciaartificial/ To watch live online (in Portuguese or English): PT / P1 (10 AM) - https://youtube.com/live/qyvWGHkfWyg PT / P2 (2 PM) - https://youtube.com/live/VxDlB_tYUD0 EN / P1 (10 AM) - https://youtube.com/live/IXom6yPmxRE EN / P2 (2 PM) - https://youtube.com/live/40Z8MbSDiyQ *Ministers Alexandre de Moraes and Luis Felipe Salomão participate in a seminar on Artificial Intelligence, Disinformation, and Democracy at FGV* The event is organized by the School of Communication, Media, and Information of FGV (FGV ECMI), Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), and FGV Conhecimento, in partnership with Democracy Reporting International (DRI) and Agência Lupa. Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Alexandre de Moraes will participate in the event "Artificial Intelligence, Disinformation, and Democracy," taking place at the Cultural Center of Fundação Getulio Vargas in Botafogo on December 4th and 5th. He will be part of the panel "AI and Challenges to Democracy in Brazil," taking place on the first day at 10:45 AM, moderated by journalist Leila Sterenberg. Luis Felipe Salomão, Justice of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), Rodrigo Maia, former President of the Chamber of Deputies and current President of the National Confederation of Financial Institutions, and Jean Lima, President of EBC, are also on the agenda. The European Union Ambassador, Marian Schuegraf, and Alessandro Moretti, Deputy Director of Abin (Brazilian Intelligence Agency), will also be part of the event. The event is organized by the School of Communication, Media, and Information of FGV (FGV ECMI), Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), and FGV Conhecimento, in partnership with Democracy Reporting International (DRI), FGV Direito Rio, and Lupa. The event is free, with simultaneous translation, but has limited spots. Best regards, Victor Piaia Professor | *Professor* Escola de Comunicação, Mídia e Informação *School of Communication, Media and Information* Fundação Getulio Vargas +55 (21) 3799 6237 | ecmi.fgv.br

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Announcing #AoIR2025 - São Paulo, Brazil
by Michelle, Association of Internet Researchers 29 Nov '23

29 Nov '23

We are very excited to announce the location of #AoIR2025: São Paulo, Brazil! The conference will be hosted by the Universidade Paulista (UNIP) campus <https://maps.app.goo.gl/MWEDkRp3K2x11FJs8> in the Paraiso neighborhood, central São Paulo. We will be close to hotels, culture, food, and public transport. #AoIR2025 <https://aoir.org/aoir2025/>will take place on 22-25 October 2025. This is our first time in the Global South, and we are extremely grateful to Adriana Amaral (Universidade Paulista) for leading a team across a range of academic institutions in São Paulo: Elizabeth Saad (Universidade de São Paulo), Issaaf Karhawi (Universidade Paulista), Carla Montuori (Universidade Paulista) and Larissa Pelucio (Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho). We look forward to welcoming you all to São Paulo in 2025! The AoIR Executive Committee

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CFP: Diagrams 2024
by Mikkel Willum Johansen 29 Nov '23

29 Nov '23

*** Call for Papers: Diagrams 2024 *** 14th International Conference on the Theory and Application of Diagrams September 27 – October 1, 2024 University of Münster, Germany www.diagrams-conference.org/2024<http://www.diagrams-conference.org/2024> *** Highlights *** - Proceedings published by Springer - Graduate Symposium - Three Tracks: Main, Philosophy, and Psychology and Education - Best Paper and Best Student Paper awards - Keynote speakers: Mateja Jamnik, Catarina Dutilh Novaes and Barbara Tversky ***************************************************************** The Diagrams conference provides a united forum for all researchers with an interest in the study of diagrams. The conference fosters multi-disciplinarity and allows researchers from areas such as computer science, mathematics, psychology, philosophy, history (of science, art, etc.), education research, and more to meet and share their perspectives on the theory and application of diagrams. Authors can submit to the conference through different tracks: Main track, Philosophy track and Psychology & Education track. Please submit to the track that fits the main contribution of your research best. For information about the topics of interest for each track, see: http://www.diagrams-conference.org/2024/index.php/calls/main-track/ http://www.diagrams-conference.org/2024/index.php/calls/philosophy/ http://www.diagrams-conference.org/2024/index.php/calls/psychology-and-educ… ***************************************************************** SUBMISSION We invite submissions for peer review in the following submission categories: - Long Papers (16 pages), - Short Papers (8 pages), - Posters (4 pages – this is both a maximum and minimum requirement), - Abstracts, i.e. non-archival contributions (3 pages). Submission date: March 1, 2024. At least one author of each accepted submission is expected to attend the conference to present their research and respond to questions presented by delegates. Multiple submissions are accepted. Long Papers, Short Papers and Posters will be published in the conference proceedings. The proceedings will be published by Springer shortly before the conference. Abstracts will not be included in the published proceedings but will be made available on the conference web site. Abstracts allow for conference presentations without the need to publish a paper. More details, including formatting instructions and all important dates, can be found at https://diagrams-conference.org/2024. **************************************************************** ________________________________ Mikkel Willum Johansen (senior program chair) Associate professor Department of Science Education University of Copenhagen Tlf: (+45) 28 72 84 41 ________________________________ Mikkel Willum Johansen Associate professor Department of Science Education University of Copenhagen Tlf: (+45) 28 72 84 41

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CFP: Special Issue on The Social Implications of Influencers
by Robert Kozinets 29 Nov '23

29 Nov '23

Dear AoIRers, My co-editors and I invite you to submit your work on the social and individual impacts of influencers and influencer marketing to our special issue of the Journal of Business Research (11.3 IF). Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. Thanks, Rob. *Call For Papers - Special Issue of Journal of Business Research on ‘Influencers & Influencer Marketing: Implications for Consumers & Society’ * Guest Editors: Rebecca Mardon (Cardiff University), Hayley Cocker (Lancaster University), Kate Daunt (Cardiff University) & Robert Kozinets (University of Southern California). Submission window opens: 2nd January 2024 Deadline for submissions: 1st March 2024 *View the CfP on the JBR website at * tinyurl.com/InfluencerSI <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://t.co/6uD2nMXaf2__;!!LIr3w8kk_Xxm!uiiEZc…> The emergence of influencers – personal brands that build an audience over social media with a consistent flow of distinctive content (Kozinets et al. 2023) - has had important implications for marketing and consumer culture. Whilst some influencers are niche, unknown outside of a small circle of devoted and highly engaged followers, others have followings that rival those of mainstream celebrities (Campbell and Farrell 2020). Brands have been quick to capitalise on influencers’ fame and influence and are forecast to spend over $32.5 billion on influencer marketing in 2023 (Nasrin 2022). Marketing research on influencers has largely focused on identifying factors that impact the effectiveness of influencer marketing strategies (e.g., Hugh et al. 2022; Leung et al. 2022a, 2022b; Wies et al. forthcoming; Borges-Tiago et al. 2023; Ren et al. 2023) and exploring issues of transparency and media literacy surrounding the disclosure of influencers’ commercial activity (e.g., Boerman et al. 2017; Eisend et al. 2020; De Jans et al. 2018; Karagür et al. 2022). Yet, the emergence and increasing prevalence of influencers and influencer marketing presents important societal implications that require further investigation. Indeed, this phenomenon appears to present a complex and contradictory mix of positive and negative implications for consumers and society, with which both researchers and consumers must grapple. For instance, ‘greenfluencers’ can drive sustainable consumption (Kapooret al. 2022), yet influencer culture appears to be promoting materialism (Lee et al. 2022; Dinh and Lee, 2021) and driving overconsumption (Reid 2022) as consumers strive to keep up with the ever-changing trends showcased by influencers. Similarly, whilst influencers can help consumers make informed purchase and consumption decisions (Scholz 2021), they can also spread misinformation and disinformation that can have important implications for consumers and society (Barrett 2022; Fisher 2021; McGowan 2021). Additionally, whilst many consumers follow influencers to experience a sense of connection and community that can boost their self-esteem and benefit their general wellbeing (Bond and Miller 2021; Hoffner and Bond 2022), influencers can also stimulate feelings of envy and dissatisfaction (Chae 2018) that can negatively impact consumers’ mental health (Valkenburg 2022). Furthermore, whilst influencers can empower consumers by disrupting normative beauty standards (Duthely 2022; McFarlane and Samsioe 2020; Veresiu and Parmentier 2021), raising awareness of marketplace discrimination (Södergren and Vallström forthcoming), and striving to achieve greater inclusivity within markets (Scaraboto and Fischer 2013), they can also shift beauty standards in more problematic ways, encouraging body dysmorphia and driving consumers towards cosmetic procedures as they attempt to imitate the idealised faces and bodies of their favourite influencers (Rodner et al. 2022). Influencers also present contradictory implications for consumer collectives. Likeminded consumers often congregate around influencers’ content and many influencers actively cultivate supportive communities that provide a sense of unity, identification, and empowerment, which can be of particular importance to otherwise marginalised or oppressed groups (Bond and Miller 2021; Jenkins et al. 2019; Sobande 2017; Södergren and Vallström forthcoming). However, the emergence of influencers within consumer collectives, and in particular their engagement in incentivised brand endorsements and other brand collaborations, can threaten the value that consumers gain from participating in these collectives and prompt some members to disengage from these collectives entirely (Mardon et al. forthcoming a). Further research is needed to understand the impact of influencer marketing strategies on consumer collectives. Consumer collectives may also form surrounding influencers that perpetuate controversial or potentially damaging views, as in the case of Andrew Tate, who amassed an active and loyal online fan base despite being banned from multiple social media platforms for perpetuating extreme misogynistic views (Das 2022). Problematic online consumer collectives are not a new phenomenon, however the role of influencers in creating and cultivating these collectives warrants further investigation. Research is also needed to understand consumers’ relationships with influencers, and in particular to understand when and how they may become problematic. Prior research emphasises the positive, friendship-like parasocial relationships that consumers may form with their favourite influencers (Hwang and Zhang 2018; Reinikainen et al. 2020). However, the intimate parasocial relationships that influencers cultivate with their followers can become negatively charged if not effectively maintained, potentially leading consumers to participate in anti-fan communities dedicated to obsessively critiquing all aspects of influencers’ lives (Duffy et al. 2022; Mardon et al. forthcoming b), or to engage in trolling or cyberbullying behaviours such as sending abusive or hurtful comments or direct messages directly to influencers (Abidin 2019). Whilst these behaviours do not typically shift into the offline domain, they may nonetheless involve active attempts to negatively impact influencers’ relationships, careers, and general wellbeing. Further research is needed to understand when and why consumers’ relationships with influencers become dysfunctional, how these dysfunctional relationships and resultant behaviours impact consumers’ and influencers’ lives, and how these problematic behaviours might be avoided or managed. These are just a selection of the salient issues raised by the rise of influencer culture, which has far-reaching consequences that are yet to be fully understood. This special issue seeks to delve deeper into the wider implications of influencers and influencer marketing for consumers and society. We welcome both conceptual and empirical papers, quantitative and qualitative research, and work from other disciplinary perspectives beyond the field of marketing. We encourage the submission of papers exploring topics such as (but not limited to): - Implications of influencers for consumers’ values, beliefs, and aspirations (e.g., shifts in materialism, beauty standards, anticipated lifestyles), and resultant consequences for consumers’ wider consumption behaviours, lifestyles, and wellbeing (e.g., sustainable consumption, financial stability, mental health) - The implications of influencer marketing for consumer collectives and their members. - The formation and implications of online consumer collectives surrounding influencers that perpetuate misinformation, disinformation, and/or problematic views and beliefs. - Problematic or unhealthy consumer relationships with influencers and their implications for consumers and influencers. - Collective and individual consumer involvement in, and perspectives on, contemporary cancel culture, and the implications of this phenomenon for influencers and brands. - Diversity, equity, and inclusion issues within the influencer marketing industry and their implications for consumers. - The implications of virtual influencers for consumers and society. - Consumers’ coping mechanisms for dealing with the contradictory or paradoxical implications of influencers and influencer marketing. - Regulatory responses to issues surrounding influencers and influencer marketing, and their implications for consumers and society. - The role of social media platforms’ affordances in creating, amplifying and/or addressing influencers’ implications for consumers and society. - Critical reflections on the future of influencer marketing and influencer culture; where will we go, or s*hould *we go, from here?

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