February 2026 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Join our "Workshop on workshopping" if you're in the Netherlands next week!
by amarkham＠gmail.com 19 Feb '26

19 Feb '26

Hello Aoir-friends! Are you in the Netherlands Feb 26j, 15-17h? Join us in Utrecht for a workshop on workshopping! Coffee, Tea, Cookies, a Fishbowl, and Demos! TL;DR It should be fantastic, if I don’t say so myself. Join us by learning more here A bit more backstory: The [1]Futures+Literacies+Methods Lab has teamed up with the Skagen Institute to invite a small group of research colleagues to participate in a 2-day workshop, Transgressive methods: at the intersection of futures, literacies, and participatory engagement. On day 1, we are conducting a 2 hour public workshop to discuss and showcase workshoppping techniques. Even more detail: Workshops are increasingly employed for participatory engagement. But what does it mean to approach workshop as a method? This workshop is an opportunity to discuss as well as engage with practices researchers have refined over time to design and facilitate workshops and prompt meaningful interaction. Open to anyone interested in developing or using workshops, the session will involve participation in pressure cooker demos with experts where participants will experience different styles and modalities of workshops, followed by a fishbowl style discussion about the intersection of futures, literacies and participatory engagement. Curated by Taylor Annabell, Ana Kubrusly, and Levien Nordeman. Includes demos from (notice the AoIR members!): Anna Hickey-Moody, Rebecca Coleman, Adi Kuntsman, Riccardo Pronzato, Christine Fox, Jessica Enevold Duncan, Joy Y. Zhang, Levien Nordeman, and yours truly. Learn more and sign up! [2]https://fll.pubpub.org/pub/24hnndae Warm Regards from Utrecht, annette Annette N. Markham (she/her) | Chair, Professor of MediaLiteracies and Public Engagement | Utrecht University | [3]Department of Media and Culture Studies | Faculty of Humanities | Muntstraat 2a, 3512 EV Utrecht | Room 2.04 | [4]a.n.markham(a)uu.nl |[5]www.uu.nl/staff/anmarkham | professional website:[6]https://annettemarkham.com Recent Publications: Markham, A. (2024). Algorithms as conversational partners: Looking at Google auto-predict through the lens of symbolic interaction. New Media & Society, 26(9), 5059-5080. [7]https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448241251800 Markham, A., & Pronzato, R. (2023) A critical (theory) data literacy: Tales from the field. Information and Learning Sciences, 125(5/6), 293-320. [8]https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-06-2023-0087 References 1. https://fll.pubpub.org/ 2. https://fll.pubpub.org/pub/24hnndae 3. https://www.uu.nl/en/organisation/department-of-media-and-culture-studies 4. mailto:a.n.markham@uu.nl 5. http://www.uu.nl/staff/anmarkham 6. https://annettemarkham.com/ 7. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448241251800 8. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-06-2023-0087

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RECORDINGS - State of the Internet 2026
by Joly MacFie 18 Feb '26

18 Feb '26

<https://isoc.live/20101> [image: ISOC LIVE] <https://isoc.live/20101> VIDEO <https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMCTOgS5GuYzh-TTOOwm1dfVCY0Z4wH-9> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/compress/sotn2026/formats=VBR%20MP3&file=/sotn2026.zip> | RECAPS EN <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/sotn2025.EN.zip> / ES <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/sotn2026.ES.zip> / FR <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/sotn2026.FR.zip> | ARCHIVE <https://archive.org/details/sotn2026> | PERMALINK <https://isoc.live/20101> On Monday February 9, 2026 the Internet Education Foundation <https://www.neted.org/> presented the 2026 State of the Internet <https://www.stateofthenet.org/> (SOTN) conference in Washington DC. Annually attracting over 600 attendees, the State of the Net Conference provides unparalleled opportunities to network and engage on key policy issues. It is also the only Internet policy conference with over 50 percent of Congressional staff and government policymakers in attendance, making it the perfect setting to explore important, emerging trends. AGENDA https://sotn26.sched.com/ PLENARY + BREAKOUT 1 P-1 – Welcome / Introductions Tim Lordan – Executive Director, Internet Education Foundation VIDEO <https://youtu.be/0QtFUdt2e0g> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/P-1_welcome.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150956277/> P-2 – Keynote with Arpan Sura Arpan Sura – Senior Counsel and Chief AI Officer, Federal Communications Commission VIDEO <https://youtu.be/RA9csTCzw9w> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/P-2_arpan_sura.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151066222/> P-3 – Fireside Chat with Congresswoman April McClain Delaney The Honorable April McClain Delaney – Representative of Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, U.S. House of Representatives Patience Haggin – Reporter, The Wall Street Journal VIDEO <https://youtu.be/ep0kH7UGhvw> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/P-3_april_mcclain_delaney.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150956920/> P-4 – Keynote with Commissioner Anna Gomez The Honorable Anna Gomez – Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission VIDEO <https://youtu.be/xhgbybtoQzs> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/P-4_anna_gomez.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150956623/> 1-1 – 30 for 30: 30 Years of Broadband Competition, 30 Years of What’s Next Evan Swarztrauber – Senior Fellow, Foundation for American Innovation David Don – Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Comcast Blair Levin – Policy Analyst, New Street Research Christopher Lewis – President & CEO, Public Knowledge Moderator: Kelcee Griffis – Telecom Reporter, Bloomberg News VIDEO <https://youtu.be/ZpIEkx4I2UE> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/1-1_30_for_30.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150610434> 1-2 – The Future of AI Infrastructure: Affordably Securing Energy for Innovation Lindsey Baxter Griffith – Chief Executive Officer, Clean Tomorrow Steve DelBianco – President & CEO, NetChoice Tanya Das – Vice President of Strategy, Dataerai Marsden Hanna – Head of Energy and Sustainability Policy, Google Moderator: Rebecca Kern – Senior Correspondent, The Capitol Forum VIDEO <https://youtu.be/N2ajkIEjeZk> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/1-2_ai_infrastructure.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150949938/> P-5 – Keynote with Cory Gardner The Honorable Cory Gardner – President & CEO, NCTA VIDEO <https://youtu.be/fQarqeSvj00> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/P-5_cory_gardner.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150948108/> P-6 – Keynote with Commissioner Olivia Trusty The Honorable Olivia Trusty – Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission VIDEO <https://youtu.be/gE_Mw-MV4OU> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/P-6_olivia_trusty.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150948558> P-7 – Fireside Chat with Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling The Honorable Keith Sonderling – Deputy Secretary of Labor, Department of Labor Steve DelBianco – President & CEO, NetChoice VIDEO <https://youtu.be/fe8Lqm-eiNc> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/P-7_keith_sonderling.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150949073/> 1-3 – Verifying the Future: The Paxton Decision, Age Assurance, and the Next Phase of Online Safety Ariel Fox Johnson – Senior Advisor, Common Sense Media Sarah Scheffler – Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon University Jessica Melugin – Director, Competitive Enterprise Institute Jon Schweppe – Senior Advisor, American Principles Project Moderator: Ashley Gold – Senior Tech Policy Reporter, Axios VIDEO <https://youtu.be/eGid6DbsYvE> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/1-3_age_assurance.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150950445/> P-8 – Fireside Chat with Assistant Secretary Arielle Roth The Honorable Arielle Roth – Administrator, National Information and Telecommunications Administration Moderator: Daniel Lyons – Professor, Boston College Law School VIDEO <https://youtu.be/izu2ZLHXSRY> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/P-8_arielle_roth.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150946777> P-9 – Fireside Chat with Senator Scott Wiener Senator Scott Wiener – Senator for Senate District 11, California State Senate Makena Kelly – Senior Writer, WIRED VIDEO <https://youtu.be/e-jdouXqcvo> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/P-9_scott_wiener.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150949369> P-10 – Wrap Up Shane Tews – Internet Education Foundation VIDEO <https://youtu.be/KcROUqHI2BM> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/P-10_wrapup.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151064517/> BREAKOUT 2 2-1 – Hitting Refresh on Cybersecurity to Address Emerging Technologies Camille Stewart Gloster – CEO and Founder, CAS Strategies, LLC James Lewis – Distinguished Fellow, Center for European Policy Analysis Michael Daniel – President & CEO, Cyber Threat Alliance Rob Knake – CEO, TPO Group Moderator: Shane Tews – President, Logan Circle Strategies VIDEO <https://youtu.be/0OBrjG9QhXw> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/2-1_cybersecurity.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150954510/> 2-2 – Making BEAD a Success To Connect All Americans Nicol Turner Lee – Senior Fellow, Governance Studies and Director, Center for Technology Innovation, The Brookings Institution Lyndsay Moyer – Vice President, State Government Affairs, Comcast Paul Garnett – Founder and CEO, Vernonburg Group Joseph Wender – Executive Director, SHLB Coalition Moderator: Chris Teale – Managing Editor, Route Fifty VIDEO <https://youtu.be/pMMHbyFOck4> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/2-2_bead.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150950857/> 2-3 – Sovereign AI and the New Internet Order: Governing Intelligence Across Borders Kellee Wicker – Vice President of the Center for Technology, Innovation, and Space, Meridian International Center Caitlin Clarke – Senior Director for Cybersecurity Services, Venable LLP Morgan Reed – President, ACT | The App Association Adrian Shahbaz – Vice President, Research and Analysis, Freedom House Moderator: Nancy Scola – Journalist VIDEO <https://youtu.be/yWEeOHuwLHA> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/2-3_sovereign_ai.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150951219/> BREAKOUT 3 3-1 – Chatting with Machines: Mental Health, AI Companions, and the New Psychology of Connection Amina Fazlullah – Head of Tech Policy Advocacy, Common Sense Media Amanda Lenhart – Senior Fellow, Joan Ganz Cooney Center Adam Thierer – Senior Fellow, R Street Institute Shae Gardner – Director of Policy and Research, LGBT Tech Moderator: Amrith Ramkumar – Reporter, The Wall Street Journal VIDEO <https://youtu.be/yRLNpf97suo> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/3-1_ai_companions.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150954165/> 3-2 – AI Liability: Who’s Responsible When Machines Act? Tod Cohen – Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Helen Toner – Interim Executive Director, Center for Security and Emerging Technology Neil Chilson – Head of AI Policy, Abundance Institute Aaron Rieke – Senior Partner, Clarion AI Partners Moderator: Miranda Bogen – Director, AI Governance Lab, Center for Democracy & Technology VIDEO <https://youtu.be/van5-ZEKQu0> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/3-2_ai_liability.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150955982/> 3-3 – The New Frontiers of Speech Ashkhen Kazaryan – Senior Legal Fellow, Future of Free Speech at Vanderbilt University Corbin Barthold – Internet Policy Counsel and Director of Appellate Litigation, TechFreedom Joel Thayer – President, Digital Progress Institute Moderator: Luke Hogg – Director of Policy and Outreach, Foundation for American Innovation VIDEO <https://youtu.be/sWMwjUGNvJQ> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/3-3_speech.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/150955555/> LIGHTNING TALKS L-01 – The Missing Network Layer: Why AI Needs Its Own ARPANET Moment Andrew Trask – Executive Director, OpenMined VIDEO <https://youtu.be/1yyy5neLvNI> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-01_missing_network_layer.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151041878> L-02 – Time to Prove We’re Human Nick Pickles – Chief Policy Officer, Tools for Humanity VIDEO <https://youtu.be/q251lnnqRYM> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-02_time_to_prove_were_human.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151043314/> L-03 – The State of the Open Web Stan Adams – Lead Public Policy Specialist, Wikimedia Foundation Lila Bailey – Senior Policy Counsel, Internet Archive VIDEO <https://youtu.be/lDQHQLgyOho> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-03_state_of_the_open_web.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151043627/> L-04 – Open Sourcing Safety: Why The Internet Needs Shared Tools, Not Silos Naren Koneru – Vice President of Engineering, Roblox VIDEO <https://youtu.be/NPKAYlnkK_Y> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-04_open_sourcing_safety.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151044139/> L-05 – Lightning Talks Session 1 Q&A Andrew Trask – OpenMined Nick Pickles – Tools for Humanity Stan Adams – Wikimedia Foundation Lila Bailey – Internet Archive Naren Koneru – Roblox VIDEO <https://youtu.be/07vYnh2u4_E> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-05_lightning_talks_session_1_qa.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151044440/> L-06 – From Research Labs to Policy Agendas Jeremy Epstein – Co-Director, Institute for Cybersecurity and Resilient Infrastructure Studies, Georgia Tech VIDEO <https://youtu.be/4bb0nNUPHVw> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-06_research_labs_to_policy_agendas.…> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151044685/> L-07 – A Proactive Response to AI-Driven Job Displacement Revana Sharfuddin – Research Fellow, Mercatus Center at George Mason University VIDEO <https://youtu.be/S31KpjiX9-s> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-07_ai_driven_job_displacement.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151044990/> L-08 – What’s the Value of Privacy? A New Approach to Regulating Data Sydney Saubestre – Senior Policy Analyst, Open Technology Institute, New America VIDEO <https://youtu.be/cENCZ9FgZIc> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-08_value_of_privacy.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151045270/> L-09 – Cybersecurity for AI that Acts: Agents and Vulnerability Management Heather West – Senior Director, Cybersecurity and Privacy Services, Venable LLP VIDEO <https://youtu.be/WcZoNTPYaNE> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-09_cybersecurity_for_ai_agents.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151045678/> L-10 – AI Memory as a Governance Surface: Prioritizing User Privacy and Control Ruchika Joshi – AI Governance Fellow, Center for Democracy & Technology VIDEO <https://youtu.be/9-Ij5Gib3Gs> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-10_ai_memory_governance.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151046363/> L-11 – Lightning Talks Session 2 Q&A Jeremy Epstein – Georgia Tech Revana Sharfuddin – Mercatus Center Sydney Saubestre – New America Heather West – Venable LLP Ruchika Joshi – Center for Democracy & Technology VIDEO <https://youtu.be/BTWECggMHlY> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-11_lightning_talks_session_2_qa.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151047382/> L-12 – Defining Technologies: Which Definition of AI Should Policymakers Use? Nicholas Garcia – Senior Policy Counsel, Public Knowledge VIDEO <https://youtu.be/p4vec-EvHLo> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-12_defining_ai_for_policymakers.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151047749/> L-13 – Why 7 GHz Spectrum Matters for the Future of Wi-Fi Rikin Thakker – Chief Technology Officer, NCTA – The Internet & Television Association VIDEO <https://youtu.be/Ain_OL4CS2Q> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-13_why_7ghz_spectrum_wifi.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151049349/> L-14 – What 6G Should Be: Ubiquitous and Seamless Connectivity, Not Just Another ‘G’ Michael Calabrese – Director, Wireless Future at New America VIDEO <https://youtu.be/0UYH6KIHFIw> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-14_what_6g_should_be.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151049613/> L-15 – The Hidden Regulators: Public Utility Commissions and AI Governance Scott Babwah Brennen – Director of the Center on Technology Policy, New York University VIDEO <https://youtu.be/HTYdZ8Q39V8> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-15_public_utility_commissions_ai.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151049991/> L-16 – Balancing Privacy and Power: How Data Governance Will Shape AI’s Future Lauren Culbertson Grieco – President, The Ledyard Group VIDEO <https://youtu.be/dWe-fuqo9T4> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-16_data_governance_ai_future.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151050541/> L-17 – Lightning Talks Session 3 Q&A Nicholas Garcia – Public Knowledge Rikin Thakker – NCTA Michael Calabrese – New America Scott Babwah Brennen – NYU Lauren Culbertson Grieco – The Ledyard Group VIDEO <https://youtu.be/1wTr-gvKhgU> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/sotn2026/L-17_lightning_talks_session_3_qa.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/151050920/> - -- -------------------------------------- Joly MacFie +12185659365 -------------------------------------- -

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DIGITOX March 17 on digital disconnection and wellbeing + more seminars/conferences
by Trine Syvertsen 18 Feb '26

18 Feb '26

Welcome to the International Seminar Series on Connection and Disconnection. March 17. 14:00 – 15:00 on digital disconnection and wellbeing: motivations, effects, and expressions, with Douglas Parry and Alicia Gilbert. Details here https://www.hf.uio.no/imk/english/research/projects/digital-disconnection/e… Contact me for a Zoom link, or join the DIGITOX mailing list (below), where the links are published More seminars: March 17. 14:00 – 15:00 on digital disconnection and wellbeing: motivations, effects, and expressions, with Douglas Parry and Alicia Gilbert. April 30, 14:00 - 15:00 on online/offline experiences and tensions in social spaces: coffee shops, libraries and cultural events, with Alexanda Kviat, Gunn Enli and Kari Spjeldnæs. More seminars will be scheduled for the spring term PRECONFERENCE: The fifth disconnection preconference will be held at the upcoming ECREA conference in Brno, the Czech Republic, in 2026. The call is here: https://ecrea2026brno.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/6.-CFA_ECREA26_Preconfe… The organisers also use the disconnection list (below) to inform about the preconference. Best regards, Trine ------ We run two mailing lists, join DIGITOX list for our digital seminars. DIGITOX MAILING LIST: digitox-info: info from Digitox about our seminar series. To join, write an email to sympa(a)media.uio.no and write subscribe digitox-info in the subject field. To unsubscribe: Write an email to sympa(a)media.uio.no and write unsubscribe digitox-info in the subject field (or let me know that you want to be taken off the list). DISCONNECTION-LIST (general list) disconnection-research: to post information about research, publications, events etc. All members can post. To join: write to sympa(a)media.uio.no and write subscribe disconnection-research in the subject field. DO YOU HAVE A NEW PUBLICATION? OR A CFP? NOTIFY PEOPLE USING THE DISCONNECTION LIST; ALL MEMBERS CAN POST ON THIS LIST ------------------------------------------------------- Trine Syvertsen, professor, IMK, UiO Project: Intrusive media, ambivalent users and digital detox (NFR) Author of Digital detox: The politics of disconnecting (Emerald 2020) Newest book: The Digital Backlash and the Paradoxes of Disconnection (open access, Nordicom, 2024) https://www.nordicom.gu.se/sv/publikationer/digital-backlash-and-paradoxes-…

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Call for Papers: Online Symposium on Influencer Diplomacy [24 April 2026]
by Faye Mercier (Student) 18 Feb '26

18 Feb '26

*Call for Papers: Influencer Diplomacy Symposium, Friday, 24 April 2026 (Online)* *Applications now open, closing 16 March 2026* *For more details, click here https://ierlab.com/influencer-diplomacy/ * ** The Influencer Ethnography Research Lab (IERLab) is calling for submissions for our upcoming symposium on Influencer Diplomacy, to be held online via Zoom on 24 April 2026. Recent research on influencers has highlighted their growing presence in political arenas. Concepts such as ‘political influencers’ (Schwemmer & Riedl 2025), ‘political relational influencers’ (Goodwin et al. 2023), ‘propaganda influencers’ (Woolley 2022), or ‘influencers as ideological intermediaries’ (Arnesson 2023) capture the varied ways creators engage with political content, whether by shaping public opinion, amplifying state messaging, or embodying ideological narratives. Within these political capacities, influencers are playing an increasingly prominent role in diplomacy, though their involvement is met with mixed responses. For example, the European Union’s use of influencers on platforms such as TikTok to engage younger audiences reflects an institutional embrace of influencer-led diplomacy (DiSario 2026), as does the positive reception of American streamer iShowSpeed’s state-sanctioned tour of China (Latifah Aini 2025). By contrast, Chachavalpongpun (2025) critiques how influencers have leveraged the Thai–Cambodian border conflict to expand their digital visibility in ways that intensify geopolitical tensions, while Colombian influencers have faced backlash for promotional activities in Israel (Freixes 2025). Together, these examples reveal that the involvement of influencers in diplomatic arenas warrants closer attention, as they are not merely amplifying diplomatic messages but are actively shaping diplomatic processes, mediating between publics, political conflict, and state agendas. Research on political influencers has shown how digitally native creators blend advocacy (Riedl et al. 2021; Martin et al. 2024), self-branding (Ong et al. 2022), and platform vernaculars (Harris et al. 2023) to engage audiences through affective and narrative labour (Goodwin et al. 2023; Martin et al. 2024). While this literature has focused primarily on domestic politics, recent studies demonstrate growing overlaps between influencer practices and diplomacy. For example, Lo Presti et al. (2025) identify ‘geopolitical influencers’ shaping public discourse around international conflicts, while Arnesson (2024) shows how state-sponsored trips by Swedish influencers function as soft power and perception management. Influencers also enact diplomacy through semi-official and spontaneous practices, including war influencing (Divon & Eriksson Krutrök 2025; Taher et al. 2025;) and activist interventions that reshape international perceptions of nationhood (Casas 2025). Taken together, these studies reveal influencers operating across multiple diplomatic registers, yet without a shared definition of ‘influencer diplomacy’. The uncertain boundaries of ‘influencer diplomacy’ reflects broader transformations in diplomacy itself. Diplomacy has traditionally been understood as negotiation among states through official representatives (Cornago 2022). However, diplomacy has expanded beyond its traditional focus on state actors, to include a broader range of actors and practices. Cultural diplomacy shifts representation away from diplomats, with the state using culture to foster trust, promote the nation, and shape international perceptions (Kim 2017). Citizen diplomacy moves diplomacy further from the state, as individuals undertake diplomatic work through journalism, activism, and community initiatives, acting as political agents in their own right (Anton & Moise 2022). Meanwhile, everyday diplomacy highlights how diplomacy unfolds in ordinary, mundane encounters, showing how international relations are experienced and enacted outside formal state institutions (Jones & Clark 2015; Marsden et al. 2016). In the age of influencers, diplomacy is shaped further by branding infrastructures, visibility economies, and platform logics. For example, government–influencer collaborations are often regulated through commercial frameworks that inadequately capture their political implications (Annabell et al. 2025), while political and diplomatic communication increasingly adopts influencer-oriented logics of metrics, relatability, and attention—or ‘wanghong thinking’—shaping practices in China (Xu 2024). Meanwhile, influencers on platforms like TikTok also enable states to reach foreign audiences while circumventing official restrictions (Fjällhed et al. 2024), raising concerns about instrumentalisation and blurred boundaries with propaganda (Ong et al. 2022; Reveilhac 2025; Wooley 2022; Xu & Schneider 2025). Scholars further question who counts as an influencer and what agency these actors hold: Anton and Moise (2022) situate influencer diplomacy within citizen and informal diplomacy; Casas (2025) includes artists, minor celebrities, activists, and indigenous cultural producers; and Tian et al. (2025) and Manfredi et al. (2024) highlight overlaps between politicians, influencers, and citizen journalists, underscoring the lack of a shared definition. Context-specific studies illustrate how influencer diplomacy operates across multiple registers and produces varied impacts. In Indonesia, for example, influencers can soften national symbolism, potentially signalling shifts in paternalistic governance, while also intersecting with nation branding moments such as sporting events (Li & Feng 2022; Ratriyana et al. 2024). In China, state-curated collaborations privilege particular racialised and national subjectivities, raising questions about imagined diplomatic audiences, while foreign YouTubers are incorporated into official networks through reposting by diplomats and state media (Brockling et al. 2023; Cho-Li et al. 2025). In Russia, unofficial actors such as the Night Wolves biker group are embedded within national influence ecosystems (Boichak 2023). Wartime and border-region contexts further illustrate these dynamics: Brazilian influencers shape narratives around the Russia-Ukraine war (Pelevina & Salojärvi 2025), and 'pro-China foreign political influencers' share content across borders in international contexts to reshape global reputation and national image (Tian et al. 2025). Studies also highlight influencers’ own strategies, balancing official collaborations, spontaneous content, personal branding, audience expectations, and political sensitivities, while leveraging participation for visibility and professional gain in China and Korea (Lee & Abidin 2022; Lee & Alhabash 2022; Xu & Qu 2025). At the level of everyday diplomacy and transnational imaginaries, Chinese vloggers also participate in shaping ‘unofficial geopolitics’ in Pakistan (Zoppolato & Culcasi 2026). In this symposium, we focus on the generative concept that we call influencer diplomacy. We see this as the ways in which influencer cultures, practices, and industries impact diplomatic processes, from influencers assuming diplomatic roles and politicians adopting influencer strategies, to marketing firms leveraging influencer infrastructures in the mediation of international relations. Influencer diplomacy operates not only at formal state and institutional levels but also intersects with everyday politics, shaping public discourse and social engagement. Moreover, it must account for how influencers, as platform-savvy actors, tailor diplomatic communication to the vernaculars, norms, and affordances of specific digital platforms. To explore this phenomenon in more detail, the Influencer Ethnography Research Lab (IERLab) will be hosting a one-day online symposium (on Zoom) to examine the evolving practice of influencer diplomacy. We invite submissions from humanities and social sciences, including but not limited to media studies, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, political science, area studies, and international relations. We particularly welcome submissions that focus on empirically grounded research and comparative case studies. Selected papers will be considered for a peer reviewed edited collection. As such, we are only able to consider original, previously-unpublished abstracts/papers. Suggested topics include but are not limited to: * Influencers as official and unofficial intermediaries in diplomatic endeavours * Motivations, labour, and negotiation in influencers’ diplomatic practice * Politicians adopting influencer strategies in international communication * The role of affect, intimacy, authenticity, and storytelling as diplomatic resources * Audience participation, public formation, and the politicisation of influencer collaborations * Influencer diplomacy as both a practice and a governing logic: how diplomacy increasingly ‘thinks like an influencer’ * Influencer diplomacy in crisis, conflict, humanitarian, and wartime contexts * Regulation, disclosure, and governance of state–influencer collaborations To be considered for the symposium, please submit a 250-word abstract and 100-word bio via the Google form below by 1700hrs (GMT+8) 16 March 2024. Notifications of acceptance will be sent on 20 March 2024. We gladly welcome co-authored submissions; to keep presentations consistent, each submission is limited to one presenter, preferably the corresponding author. Please submit via this form: https://forms.gle/7EWBPEuR4gk3ceKK7 All enquiries should be directed to contact(a)IERLab.com<mailto:contact@IERLab.com> Key Dates: * 16 March 2026: Abstracts and biographies due * 20 March 2026: Notifications of acceptance * 24 April 2026: Influencer Diplomacy Symposium We look forward to receiving your submissions. Faye Mercier, Wuxuan Zhang, Prof. Crystal Abidin Influencer Ethnography Research Lab (IERLab), Curtin University References: Aini, Fauzia Latifah. 2025. ‘Changing China’s Global Image through IShowSpeed Visit’. Modern Diplomacy, April 26. <https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/04/26/changing-chinas-global-image-through-…> https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/04/26/changing-chinas-global-image-through-…. Annabell, Taylor, Catalina Goanta, Thijs Kelder, and Felix Pflücke. 2025. ‘Sponsored by the State: The Private Regulation of Government Influencers’. Journal of Consumer Policy, ahead of print, September 16. <https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-025-09598-x> https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-025-09598-x. Anton, Anca, and Raluca Moise. 2022. ‘The Citizen Diplomats and Their Pathway to Diplomatic Power’. In Diplomacy, Organisations and Citizens: A European Communication Perspective, edited by Sónia Pedro Sebastião and Susana de Carvalho Spínola. Springer International Publishing. <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81877-7_13> https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81877-7_13. Arnesson, Johanna. 2023. ‘Influencers as Ideological Intermediaries: Promotional Politics and Authenticity Labour in Influencer Collaborations’. Media, Culture & Society 45 (3): 528–44. <https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437221117505> https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437221117505. Arnesson, Johanna. 2024. ‘“Endorsing a Dictatorship and Getting Paid for It”: Discursive Struggles over Intimacy and Authenticity in the Politicisation of Influencer Collaborations’. New Media & Society 26 (3): 1467–83. <https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211064302> https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211064302. Boichak, Olga. 2023. ‘Mapping the Russian Political Influence Ecosystem: The Night Wolves Biker Gang’. Social Media + Society 9 (2): 20563051231177920. <https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051231177920> https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051231177920. Brockling, Marie, Haohan Lily Hu, and King-wa Fu. 2023. ‘The Role of “State Endorsers” in Extending Chinese Propaganda: Evaluating the Reach of Pro-Regime YouTubers’. International Journal of Communication 17 (September): 23–23. Casas, Ccory Yamina Silva. 2025. ‘Digital Ambassadors of Peru: Cultural Diplomacy in the Age of Content Creators’. Política Internacional, no. 137 (June): 253–68. <https://doi.org/10.61249/pi.vi137.225> https://doi.org/10.61249/pi.vi137.225. Chachavalpongpun, Pavin. 2025. ‘How a Thai Influencer Is Profiting From the Border Conflict With Cambodia’. The Diplomat, August 20. <https://thediplomat.com/2025/08/how-a-thai-influencer-is-profiting-from-the…> https://thediplomat.com/2025/08/how-a-thai-influencer-is-profiting-from-the…. Cho-Li, Qiuyue, Rebecca Frazer, Tse-hsi Chien, and Spiro Kiousis. 2025. ‘Pro-China YouTubers in Digital Diplomacy: Shaping Americans’ Perceived Credibility, Trust, Media Engagement, and Attitudes Towards China’. SSRN Scholarly Paper No. 5496847. Social Science Research Network, September 17. <https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5496847> https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5496847. Cornago, Noé. 2022. ‘Diplomacy’. In Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, & Conflict (Third Edition), Third Edition, edited by Lester R. Kurtz. Academic Press. <https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820195-4.00137-0> https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820195-4.00137-0. Di Sario, Federica. 2026. ‘“We Would Be Foolish If We Didn’t Use Influencers”: The EU’s Bet on TikTok Diplomacy’. The Parliament Magazine, January 14. <https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/we-would-be-foolish-if-we…> https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/we-would-be-foolish-if-we…. Divon, Tom, and Moa Eriksson Krutrök. 2025. ‘The Rise of War Influencers: Creators, Platforms, and the Visibility of Conflict Zones’. Platforms & Society 2 (December): 29768624251325721. <https://doi.org/10.1177/29768624251325721> https://doi.org/10.1177/29768624251325721. Fjällhed, Alicia, Matthias Lüfkens, and Andreas Sandre. 2024. ‘New Trends in Digital Diplomacy: The Rise of TikTok and the Geopolitics of Algorithmic Governance’. The Oxford Handbook of Digital Diplomacy, 288–96. Freixes, Josep. 2025. ‘Controversy over Colombian Influencers’ “War Tourism” in Israel’. Colombia One: News from Colombia and the World, November 12. <https://colombiaone.com/2025/11/12/colombia-influencers-war-tourism-israel/> https://colombiaone.com/2025/11/12/colombia-influencers-war-tourism-israel/. Goodwin, Anastasia, Katie Joseff, Martin J. Riedl, Josephine Lukito, and Samuel Woolley. 2023. ‘Political Relational Influencers: The Mobilization of Social Media Influencers in the Political Arena’. International Journal of Communication 17 (February): 21–21. Harris, Brandon C., Maxwell Foxman, and William C. Partin. 2023. ‘“Don’t Make Me Ratio You Again”: How Political Influencers Encourage Platformed Political Participation’. Social Media + Society 9 (2): 20563051231177944. <https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051231177944> https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051231177944. Jones, Alun, and Julian Clark. 2015. ‘Mundane Diplomacies for the Practice of European Geopolitics’. Geoforum 62 (June): 1–12. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2015.03.002> https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2015.03.002. Kim, Hwajung. 2017. ‘Bridging the Theoretical Gap between Public Diplomacy and Cultural Diplomacy’. The Korean Journal of International Studies 15 (2): 293–326. <https://doi.org/10.14731/kjis.2017.08.15.2.293> https://doi.org/10.14731/kjis.2017.08.15.2.293. Lee, Heijin, and Saleem Alhabash. 2024. ‘The Role of Social Media Influencers in Public Diplomacy and Relationship Building with Foreign Publics’. SSRN Scholarly Paper No. 4915071. Social Science Research Network, August 3. <https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=4915071> https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=4915071. Lee, Jin, and Crystal Abidin. 2022. ‘Oegugin Influencers and Pop Nationalism through Government Campaigns: Regulating Foreign-Nationals in the South Korean YouTube Ecology’. Policy & Internet 14 (3): 541–57. <https://doi.org/10.1002/poi3.319> https://doi.org/10.1002/poi3.319. Li, Xiufang (Leah), and Juan Feng. 2022. ‘Influenced or to Be Influenced: Engaging Social Media Influencers in Nation Branding through the Lens of Authenticity’. Global Media and China 7 (2): 219–40. <https://doi.org/10.1177/20594364221094668> https://doi.org/10.1177/20594364221094668. Lo Presti, Letizia, Veronica Capone, and Giulio Maggiore. 2025. ‘Geopolitical influencers: examining their role in shaping opinions on international conflicts’. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy 19 (2): 245–63. <https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-12-2024-0300> https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-12-2024-0300. Marsden, Magnus, Diana Ibañez-Tirado, and David Henig. 2016. Everyday Diplomacy. The Cambridge Journal of Anthropology. September 1. <https://doi.org/10.3167/ca.2016.340202> https://doi.org/10.3167/ca.2016.340202. Martin, Zelly, Gabrielle D. Beacken, Inga K. Trauthig, and Samuel C. Woolley. 2024. ‘Embodied Political Influencers: How U.S. Anti-Abortion Actors Co-Opt Narratives of Marginalization’. Social Media + Society 10 (2): 20563051241245401. <https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241245401> https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241245401. Pelevina, Nuppu, and Virpi Salojärvi. 2025. ‘YouTube as a narrative battlefield: Brazilian social media influencers and the Russian war in Ukraine’. The Communication Review 28 (4): 363–86. <https://doi.org/10.1080/10714421.2025.2545676> https://doi.org/10.1080/10714421.2025.2545676. Ratriyana, Ina, Desideria Cempaka Wijaya Murti, and Immanuel Dwi Asmoro. 2024. ‘#IndonesiaRepresent: Investigating Nation Branding at International Fashion Events through the Presence of Social Media Influencers’. Asiascape: Digital Asia 11 (1–2): 56–84. <https://doi.org/10.1163/22142312-bja10056> https://doi.org/10.1163/22142312-bja10056. Reveilhac, Maud. 2025. ‘Mapping Government Use of Social Media Influencers for Policy Promotion’. Media and Communication 13 (0). <https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.10371> https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.10371. Riedl, Magdalena, Carsten Schwemmer, Sandra Ziewiecki, and Lisa M. Ross. 2021. ‘The Rise of Political Influencers—Perspectives on a Trend Towards Meaningful Content’. Frontiers in Communication 6 (December). <https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.752656> https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.752656. Riedl, Martin J., Josephine Lukito, and Samuel C. Woolley. 2023. ‘Political Influencers on Social Media: An Introduction’. Social Media + Society, ahead of print, June 7. Sage UK: London, England. <https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051231177938> https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051231177938. Ryan, Fergus, Daria Impiombato, and Hsi-Ting Pai. 2022. ‘Policy Brief: Frontier Influencers: The New Face of China’s Propaganda’. ASPI International Cyber Policy Centre. <https://cms2.dijitalhafiza.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/1_compressed-1.pdf> https://cms2.dijitalhafiza.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/1_compressed-1.pdf. Schwemmer, Carsten, and Magdalena Riedl. 2025. ‘From Hashtags to Ballots: Conceptualizing Political Influencers and Evaluating Their Impact on Election Outcomes’. PLOS ONE 20 (5): e0321592. <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321592> https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321592. Taher, Ahmed, Hoda El Kolaly, and Nourhan Tarek. 2025. ‘Examining Crisis Communication in Geopolitical Conflicts: The Micro-Influencer Impact Model’. Journalism and Media 6 (3). <https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia6030116> https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia6030116. Tian, Leiyuan, Fan Liang, and Zhao Alexandre Huang. 2025. ‘China Defenders From Abroad: Exploring Pro-China Foreign Political Influencers on X/Twitter’. Social Media + Society 11 (3): 20563051251358526. <https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051251358526> https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051251358526. Woolley, Samuel C. 2022. ‘Digital Propaganda: The Power of Influencers’. Journal of Democracy 33 (3): 115–29. Xu, Jian. 2024. ‘From “Wanghong” to “Wanghong Thinking”: New Research Agenda and Critical Reflection’. Communication and the Public 10 (2): 81–85. Sage UK: London, England. <https://doi.org/10.1177/20570473241264896> https://doi.org/10.1177/20570473241264896. Xu, Jian, and Lina Qu. 2025. ‘“Telling China’s Stories Well” through Wanghong’. In Asian Celebrity Cultures in the Digital Age, edited by Glen Donnar, Divya Garg, and Jian Xu. <https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.34206972.8> https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.34206972.8. Xu, Jian, and Florian Schneider. 2025. ‘Influencers as Emerging Actors in Global Digital Propaganda’. European Journal of Cultural Studies, July 5, 13675494251351221. <https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494251351221> https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494251351221. Zoppolato, Davide Giacomo, and Karen Culcasi. 2026. ‘Social Media Geopolitics: The “Unofficial Geopolitics” of Chinese Vloggers in Pakistan’. Geopolitics 31 (1): 313–33. <https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2025.2499133> https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2025.2499133.

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The World According to Military Targeting, online book talk and discussion with Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud, 25th Feb 3-5pm CET
by Patrick Smith 17 Feb '26

17 Feb '26

Dear colleagues, With apologies for cross-posting. The Emergent Nonfiction Lab (part of the Counter Evidentiary Futures project) at the University of Salford welcomes Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud (Senior Research Fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs) for this online talk on his recent book The World According to Military Targeting, on 25th Feb 3-5pm CET. You can register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-world-according-to-military-targeting-ta… “The World According to Military Targeting engages directly with our grave world condition, asking how we ended up in a “closed world” made for military targeting by military targeting. In this book, Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud explores how the operational logics and seductive forces of targeting produce a world in which the only ways to think about politics and security is through military supremacy, endless war, and global domination, with serious implications for social and political life. Offering a critical investigation of military targeting through the lenses of its historical formation, current operations, and future implications, the author presents an innovative investigation into targeting’s radical knowledge production, how it abstracts and brings into being new worlds, and the violence and destructive effects it generates. Through an interdisciplinary lens, the book draws attention to military doctrine and methodologies; statistical thought and practice; the mathematical and computational techniques of data production, processing, and modeling; and the so-called machine-learning algorithms and AI of today. The resulting narrative provides novel insights into how imagining the world, producing the world, and operationalizing the world are always wrapped up in each other and profoundly embedded in sociotechnical systems” - MIT Press. “Providing a master class in deep and generative scholarship, Reichborn-Kjennerud chronicles the deadly logics that perpetuate worlds of warfighting, from the systems thinking of the last century to the data-driven algorithms of the present - Lucy Suchman, Professor Emerita, Lancaster University. Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud holds an PhD in War Studies from King’s College London and an MA in Security Policy Studies from The George Washington University. His research interests include contemporary Western warfare, war and technology, military theory and operational thinking and practice, critical IR theories and Science and Technology Studies. Best, Patrick -- Dr. Patrick Brian Smith Assistant Professor and University Fellow School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology University of Salford

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New Book (UK) – Gender & Technology: An Introduction
by Holly Kruse 17 Feb '26

17 Feb '26

My book Gender and Technology: An Introduction, is now available in the UK. (It will be available everywhere else in February.): https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=gender-and-technology-an-i… <https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=gender-and-technology-an-i…>https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=gender-and-technology-an-i… <https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=gender-and-technology-an-i…>8 Publisher Polity describes the book thusly: "In this comprehensive text, Holly Kruse explores how notions of gender and technology have been socially constructed. Organized historically, the book provides a broad overview of global developments in technology and how these technologies have been (ideologically) gendered. Focusing on communication and media technologies and analysing an array of household and workplace devices, the text examines the ways in which they have been considered ‘feminine' or ‘masculine'. These associations, as the text reveals, often have little to do with the complexity of the technology. Rich with historical and contemporary examples – from bicycles and washing machines to the telegraph and the computer - Gender and Technology encourages us to take a closer look at how and why modern technologies are gendered. By understanding the origins of our ideas about gender and technology, we can see how they have and have not changed over time.” With the kindest of blurbs from the best AoIR-istas (*blushing*): "This beautifully written history of technology, presented through the lens of gender, offers an exceptional amount of information and insight. It will delight and inspire both experts and those new to the topic." Nancy Baym, Partner Research Manager, Microsoft Research "A masterclass in unpacking the taken-for-granted, this book traces how technologies are gendered - and how gender is technologized - in ways that shape everything from children's toys to our most intimate relationships with domestic space." Alice E. Marwick, Director of Research, Data & Society (I’ve updated this affiliation) "Critically astute and wide-ranging, this engaging and accessible text reveals the centrality of gender politics within everyday technologies." Kylie Jarrett, University College Dublin While on Polity’s UK site, be sure to check out former AoIR President (and my former exec committee colleague and buddy) Alex Halavais’ new book, An Introduction to Information Studies: Datafying People, Places, and Things. Best wishes, Holly Holly Kruse, Ph.D. Professor Department of Communications Rogers State University 1701 W. Will Rogers Blvd. Claremore, Oklahoma 74017 holly.kruse(a)gmail.com <mailto:holly.kruse@gmail.com> (or hkruse(a)rsu.edu) https://hollykruse.com <https://hollykruse.com/>

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invite: Governance by Data Infrastructure at the University of Amsterdam (27 March)
by Stefania Milan 17 Feb '26

17 Feb '26

The DATAGOV Lab (https://datagovlab.net) at the University of Amsterdam is happy to invite you to the launch even of the project "Governance by Data Infrastructure in the Post-Pandemic Democracy", funded by the European Research Council. Data infrastructures like digital identity systems and biometric technologies increasingly decide who is seen, sorted, and served — yet they remain largely out of public view. The DATAGOV kick-off invites you to pull these systems into the open and join a cross-sector conversation on how data-driven regulation is reshaping democracy, rights, and inequality worldwide. 🗓️ Date: March 27, 2026 🕦 Time: 9:30 - 15:30 (+drinks), tentative program available below 📍Location: Framer Framed (Oranje-Vrijstaatkade 71 1093 KS, Amsterdam) 📃 Sign up link [0] DATAGOV investigates the impact and social costs of regulatory data infrastructures: data-grabbing systems that actively shape the polity, from monitoring and automated decision-making to mediating access to public services, rights, and welfare. The project, funded by the European Research Council (ERC), takes a comparative approach investigating the European Union, Brazil, India, and South Africa, to examine how these infrastructures transform governance and what they mean for the future of democracy in an era of pervasive datafication. To start with, our empirical focus is on four technology families: biometrics, digital identity, and health and education technologies, and how these reconfigure citizenship, sovereignty, and inequality. The kick-off will feature keynote presentations, conversations, and a borrel, bringing together a diverse group of participants from academia, policymaking, industry, civil society, and the arts. The event will also leave ample time for conversation, (net)working, and enjoying each other’s company. While the program is still taking shape, we already have an exciting list of speakers who will be joining us from around the world: Louise Amoore (Durham University), Fernando Filgueiras (Brazilian Ministry of Education), Mirca Madianou (Goldsmiths, University of London), Rocco Bellanova (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Cecilia Passanti (Université Paris Cité), Rob van Kranenburg (IEEE Standards Association), and colleagues from the UvA. This event is open to everyone free of charge. If you would like to keep up to date with our work and activities, please consider signing up to our mailing list. [1] You can also keep up to date with our activities on our website [2] and LinkedIn[3]. Sign up fast: seating is limited! [o] https://cryptpad.fr/form/#/2/form/view/bVASYCqQn1NXYq2c7lLXLya2YPousvA0lnYR… [1] https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/community [2] https://datagovlab.net [3] https://www.linkedin.com/company/datagovlab/

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Critical AI Policy Virtual Fellowship 2026
by Adi Kuntsman 17 Feb '26

17 Feb '26

Are you a humanities or social science researcher, interested in understanding, challenging, and reshaping current policies around generative AI? Would you like to be part of a virtual collective of researchers working on AI and society? Have you ever wanted to spend time at another university as a Visiting Fellow, but financial constraints, visa restrictions, teaching, caring responsibilities, or disability have prevented you from doing so? We have the answer! DISC (Digital Society Research Group), Manchester Metropolitan University, UK and the CDEP (Center for Digital Ethics & Policy), Loyola University, Chicago, US are launching a collaborative Virtual Visiting Fellowship initiative designed to be internationally welcoming. The Virtual Fellowship takes place over the period of several months. We are inviting Visiting Fellows to spend time with us online, synchronously and asynchronously, by presenting your work and attending our online events, connecting to other DISC and CDEP researchers and most importantly, contributing to a joint DISC/CDEP Policy Report on Generative AI, leading to a Digital Ethics & Policymaking Summer School. Training opportunities will be provided during the Fellowship. Fellowship alumni may opt to retain associate and/or affiliate membership with the partnering organisations upon completion of their fellowship terms. Deadline:27 February 2026 Further details: https://digitalsociety.mmu.ac.uk/2026/02/01/critical-ai-policy-virtual-fell… Dr Adi Kuntsman, Reader in Digital Politics Co-Lead, Digital Society Research Group Department of History, Politics and Philosophy Manchester Metropolitan University

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[AoIR HQ] CFP Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) Flashpoint Symposium)
by AoIR Association Coordinator 17 Feb '26

17 Feb '26

*Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) Flashpoint symposium*: Imagining and Co-creating Methods for Internet Research 11-12 August, Malmö University Malmö, Sweden In collaboration with *Malmö Research Centre for Imagining and Co-Creating Futures*, AoIR invites participants to its annual Flashpoint symposium. For those interested in participating in the symposium, the deadline to submit an abstract of up to *300 words is March 30, 2026.* Confirmed keynote plenary speakers are - prof. Annette Markham, Utrecht University, Netherlands - prof. Susana Tosca, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark - prof. Kat Jungnickel, Goldsmiths University of London, UK - prof. Sarah T. Roberts, UCLA, USA As technologies evolve, our relationship to the technological world changes, and so should our methods of studying the world around us. The methods we use to conduct research matter in understanding what can be studied, how the studies reflect the world, and how the groups we are studying (with) relate to academia. Internet research faces challenges in recruitment, data quality, practicality, and ethics, leading to questions about sampling bias, data truthfulness, and other issues that require creative solutions. We need to question and challenge many of the dominant approaches and find ways to reimagine methods that fit contemporary research challenges. Research methods need to evolve with the world, respect its diversity and be open to inventive ways to involve research participants in knowledge co-creation. Creative research methods can be methods that draw on creative self-expressions of research participants or researchers, including visual, text, sound, and materials. They may also involve creative use of technologies as part of the research process and outcome – apps, mash-ups, data visualisations, APIs, etc. In addition, creative methods can encompass transformative approaches, including participatory, speculative, artistic, worldbuilding, decolonising, activist and community-based research approaches that are designed to reduce the power imbalances and include diverse voices in academic research. Mixed and hybrid methods that challenge researchers to question the paradigmatic assumptions of their work may also be understood as creative research practices. In the spirit of challenging established academic traditions, the symposium invites scholars interested in method-related discussions to join us in imagining and co-creating methods for a new era of internet research. We invite individual abstracts for papers, performances, spoken word pieces or artistic creations that highlight creative research methods or focus on the process of creating new methods. Please submit an abstract no longer than 300 words, five keywords and a short bio (including contact details) by March 25, 2026. The symposium will charge a fee of 500 SEK (~47 EUR/~56 USD/~41 GBP) that will cover lunches and coffee, and AoIR will also sponsor dinner for symposium participants. If you do not want to share any work but would still like to be part of the symposium, you can also sign up as a participant after March 15. PhD students and early-career scholars are particularly welcome, and AoIR will provide some fee waivers for the early-career scholars (available at a later stage when registration opens). Submit your contribution to the symposium: Imagining and Co-creating Methods for Internet Research AoIR Flashpoint Symposium at Malmö – Fill out form <https://forms.office.com/e/yzLEg9T0fb> ( https://forms.office.com/e/yzLEg9T0fb) *Important dates:* Deadline for abstract submission: March 30, 2026 Registration opens March 15, 2026 Notification of acceptance: mid-April, 2026 Deadline for registrations June 15, 2026 Symposium in Malmö 11-12 August, 2026 More information about Malmö Research Centre for Imagining and Co-Creating Futures: https://mau.se/en/research/research-centres/imagining-and-co-creating-futur… The Symposium organiser is prof. Pille Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt (contact: pille.pruulmann.vengerfeldt(a)mau.se) The scientific committee includes Prof. Andra Siibak and prof. Julia Velkova. --- Best, Emerson *(she/her)* AoIR Communications and Membership Coordinator ac(a)aoir.org *Looking for Michelle? *After nine years, Michelle has officially stepped down from her position at AOIR. I'm Emerson, and I'll be stepping in to continue her work. As I'm sure anyone familiar with Michelle knows, I have big shoes to fill, and I appreciate your patience as I get up to speed!

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CFP - Digital Communication and Social Practices under Algorithms: Challenges and Opportunities. BiD, Issue 57
by Fernanda Pires 17 Feb '26

17 Feb '26

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to invite submissions for Issue 57 of BiD, titled *"Digital Communication and Social Practices under Algorithms: Challenges and Opportunities":* Predictive artificial intelligence and personalization algorithms in recommendation systems have become key mediators of everyday activities on digital platforms. These systems process personal data to offer lists of content that, in theory, adapt to citizens’ tastes and interests. By shaping cultural and informational consumption, this process introduces dynamics that are largely invisible to users, who often perceive it as “useful” and “accurate” due to the high level of personalization. This personalization, as part of the broader phenomenon of platformization, has transformed the communication industry and altered sociocultural habits, at times limiting the diversity of perspectives on issues such as politics, culture, health, and lifestyles, among others. It also raises questions about privacy and about how these technologies influence the ways in which identities and communities are constructed. This special issue section seeks contributions that critically analyze the interactions between citizens and recommendation systems on digital communication platforms, exploring how these algorithms shape experiences, sociocultural practices, and creative processes. Beyond identifying risks, it is essential to reflect on the capacities and tools that enable people to interact with these technologies in a conscious and critical manner. Understanding these dynamics requires studying the systems themselves, but also strengthening algorithmic literacy as an essential competence for questioning and managing the logics that govern personalization, avoiding a passive relationship with systems that influence cultural, informational, and social decisions. We invite the submission of contributions that delve into the following thematic axes. Nevertheless, research that goes beyond these points and analyzes the social role of algorithms and predictive systems in practices of cultural consumption and communication will also be considered. *Proposed thematic axes:* - Algorithmic literacy: the set of knowledge (formal, informal, and non-formal) that users develop to interact and coexist with recommendation algorithms, considering the actors involved in this learning process and the competencies required. -Tactics of evasion and algorithmic shaping: analysis of the active strategies that citizens use to interact with algorithms and influence the content they receive, as well as to avoid exposure to unwanted content. -Bias, discrimination, hate speech, and normalization of patterns: how algorithms can reinforce social stereotypes or normative patterns (such as canonical bodies or gender roles) and expose users to objectifying content or hate speech, including racism, xenophobia, and LGBTIQphobia, exacerbating discrimination and disadvantage in cases of intersectional bias. -Algorithms and migratory and ethnic experience: understanding how algorithmic personalization conditions the representation and sense of belonging of migrants, as well as ethnic communities. - Algorithms in opinion formation and polarization: analysis of algorithmic influence on the configuration of political and social opinions. -Modification of citizens’ everyday practices: algorithmic influence on consumption practices and habits, such as exercise and diets, as well as fashion, brand consumption, the idealization of relationships, the commodification of authenticity, personal vulnerability, among others. -Creativity and algorithm-mediated cultural production: analysis of how recommendation systems influence content creation, transform creative processes, and redefine authorship in digital environments. We warmly encourage colleagues across communication, internet studies, media studies, digital sociology, cultural studies, and related fields to submit their work and to share this call within their networks. *Submission Process and Key Dates* Full Paper Submission Deadline 30/09/2026 in the journal system: https://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/bid/about/submissions No payment from the authors will be required. This forthcoming special issue is open access, and welcomes original research articles in English, Spanish, and Catalan. Link to the journal full text of the CFP: https://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/bid/announcement/view/982 Please note that this invitation does not guarantee publication, all full manuscripts will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process. We look forward to your submissions. The special issue editors, Fernanda Pires (fernanda.pires(a)uab.cat - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) , Celina Navarro (celina.navarro(a)uab.cat) Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) Liana Pithan ( liana.pithan(a)gmail.com - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul)

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