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Reminder: Digital Decolonisation and Digital Justice workshop
by Karen Frost-Arnold 27 May '25

27 May '25

The African Centre for Epistemology of Philosophy of Science (ACEPS) at the University of Johannesburg invites abstract submissions for: DIGITAL DECOLONISATION AND DIGITAL JUSTICE 13 and 14 August 2025 Digital technologies are deeply embedded in how we produce and share knowledge. At the same time, our digital infrastructure for sharing knowledge is largely designed and maintained by tech companies in the Global North that pursue profit by exploiting citizens and communities in the Global South. For example, social media companies profit from hate speech that inflames ethnic cleansing. Tech companies exploit the labour of workers from the Global South to train algorithms. AI has significant environmental costs, which are disproportionately borne by the Global South. And citizens of the Global South are often cut off from the benefits of digital technologies. Technologies are often designed without their interests, languages, cultures, or material circumstances in mind. Digital Decolonisation and Digital Justice is a two-day, interdisciplinary conference investigating decolonisation of the digital technologies that shape contemporary knowledge and exploring what reparations for digital harms might involve. The hybrid conference will be held online and in person at the ACEPS in 2025. This conference aims to investigate the following questions, among others: • How do social media platforms and big tech corporations perpetuate digital colonisation? • What is the nature and scope of the harms caused by big tech? • When and why must tech companies be held accountable for harms, and what are the right mechanisms for doing so? This conference aims to bring together scholars from philosophy, science and technology studies (STS), media studies, information science, communications, data science, computer science, political science, and other fields working on decolonisation and technology. Taking decolonisation as more than a mere metaphor, ACEPS aims to encourage submissions from scholars from Africa and the broader Global South with the aim of building networks of collaboration. Topics that will be included in the call for papers for researchers to consider may include, but are not limited to: · Epistemic decolonisation and technology · Decolonising the internet · Alternative, postcolonial technologies · Indigenous knowledge and AI · Democracy and AI · Climate justice and AI · Digital harms and technological epistemic injustice · Justice for digital harms · Resistance and refusal theory Abstract length: 500 words Submission deadline: 1 June 2025 Notification of acceptance: 15 June 2025 Email abstracts & queries: pbenton(a)uj.ac.za Organisers: Paige Benton, Karen Frost-Arnold, Veli Mitova. Funding: This conference is part of the grant project Safeguarding Justice & Democracy in the Age of AI. Funding is provided by the University of Johannesburg Global Excellence and Stature. Accepted speakers will be responsible for their own visa, travel, and accommodation. However, funding is available to cover accommodation for students from developing countries. If you fall into this category, please indicate this in the body of your email when submitting.

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Call for abstracts, full papers, and panels: Data for Policy 2025 (DfP’25) - Asia Pacific
by Data for Policy 27 May '25

27 May '25

Dear Colleagues, Data for Policy CIC, in collaboration with the Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems (SRIIAS) <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nature.com_article…> at Tongji University <https://en.tongji.edu.cn>, the AI Hub in Generative Models <https://www.genai.ac.uk>and the Cambridge University Press <https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress> is delighted to invite submission of extended abstracts, full papers, and panel proposals for Data for Policy 2025 (DfP’25) – Asia Pacific Edition, <https://dataforpolicy.org/data-for-policy-2025-asia-pacific/> to be held in Shanghai, China, on *23–24 October 2025.* *Submission Deadline: *23 June 2025 *Conference Dates:* 23-24 October 2025 *Venue: *SRIIAS,Tongji University, Shanghai, China The theme for this edition, “*Advancing AI: Innovations, Governance, and Ethical Frontiers”*, highlights artificial intelligence as a defining force reshaping economies, transforming industries, and raising critical societal questions. As AI advances, so do urgent debates on fairness, accountability, and the global governance of powerful technologies such as generative AI and AGI. This conference invites exploration into how innovation can align with human values, how to mitigate algorithmic bias and data sovereignty concerns, and how to build effective, cooperative frameworks for safe and equitable AI development. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and policy-relevant insights, we aim to bridge the gap between rapid technological change and responsible, inclusive governance. At this nexus, we invite submissions in the form of extended abstracts, full papers, and/or panel session proposals reflecting the conference theme “Advancing AI: Innovations, Governance, and Ethical Frontiers” explored through following core topics: - *Innovation and Challenges in Frontier Technologies of Artificial Intelligence *focusing on the latest technological advancements in the field of AI, including generative artificial intelligence, deep learning with large models, reinforcement learning, natural language processing, and computer vision. It will also explore the challenges these technologies face in practical applications, such as data quality, model interpretability, and security issues. - *Current Status and Future of Artificial Intelligence Governance *delving into the current state of AI governance, including existing regulations, policies, and standards. The conference will discuss how these governance mechanisms affect the development and application of AI technology and predict future trends. - *Artificial Intelligence Ethics and Social Responsibility* focusing on ethical issues in the development of AI technology, including data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the social impact of automation. It will discuss how businesses and society can ensure the responsible use of AI technology and how to promote social welfare and sustainable development through AI technology. - *Applications of Artificial Intelligence Across Industries *exploring how AI technology drives innovation and improves efficiency in different industries. The conference will showcase practical applications of AI in fields such as medical diagnostics, autonomous driving, and smart manufacturing, and discuss how these applications change industry landscapes and business models. - *Global Governance and Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence* discussing how to build effective AI governance mechanisms in the context of globalisation. It will explore how international organisations, governments, and the private sector can cooperate to ensure the healthy development of AI technology and address transnational AI ethical and regulatory issues. Submissions are encouraged to reflect on the unique challenges or opportunities in each proposer’s region, engaging with local, regional, or global contexts. While our conference theme provides a frame of reference, we welcome contributions on any topic that adds valuable insights to the ongoing data for policy dialogue as aligned with our standard focus areas <https://dataforpolicy.org/conference-tracks-asia-pacific/>. Full papers will undergo an integrated review process, with the potential for publication in the *Data & Policy <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.cambridge.org_core…> *journal by Cambridge University Press following the conference. For detailed information on the submission and review process, we encourage you to visit the Submission & Guidelines <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__dataforpolicy.org_subm…>page on the Conference website. <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__dataforpolicy.org_data…> Join us at Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems (SRIIAS), Tongji University in Shanghai, in October 2025 as we explore data’s pivotal role in advancing sustainable and inclusive futures ! For any inquiries or further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact *lingzhe(a)tongji.edu.cn <lingzhe(a)tongji.edu.cn>* and *team(a)dataforpolicy.org <team(a)dataforpolicy.org>* Warmest regards, The Data for Policy 2025 (DfP’25) – Asia Pacific Conference Committee

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Hiring: Three post docs (36 months+) in governance of emergent tech - Hasso Plattner Institute
by Sandra Wachter 27 May '25

27 May '25

Are you interested in the governance of emergent tech? Do you care about the societal impacts of generative AI and hallucinations in areas such as the workplace, misinformation, free press, academia, and human rights? Would you like to work on tech policy issues? Come and work with me, Sandra Wachter <https://hpi.de/en/research/research-groups/technology-and-regulation/> (HPI/Oxford) at the Hasso Plattner Institute & Brent Mittelstadt and Chris Russell at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford. I am currently hiring three postdoctoral researchers to work across law, ethics, and computer science/AI/ML on the governance of emergent technologies. Each post is for 36 months with the possibility of renewal thereafter. Further info and links to apply: Law: https://tinyurl.com/4rbhcndp Ethics: https://tinyurl.com/yc2e2km4 Computer Science/AI/ML: https://tinyurl.com/yr5bvnn5 <https://tinyurl.com/yr5bvnn5> Application deadline is June 15, 2025. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

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Steve Jones Lecture features Casey Fiedler in 2025 ICA
by Sarina Chen 26 May '25

26 May '25

Dear Colleagues, Greetings! Casey Fiedler will give the Steve Jones Internet Research Lecture in the 2025 International Communication Association (ICA) Annual Conference on Saturday, June 14, 3 pm to 4:30 pm, at Hyatt Regency Denver, in Denver, CO. The title of Fiedler’s lecture is "The Internet is Good for You. The Internet is Bad for You." Fiedler notes that hardly a week passes without a new ethical controversy centering on our lives online: privacy violations, trolling and harassment, misinformation, negative impacts on mental health. Fiedler indicates that discussions around these topics often come with calls for drastic technical or policy solutions, like age gating social media or even wholesale platform bans. However, Fiedler argues, though instigating incidents make splashy headlines, the perceived underlying problems are rarely so straightforward. Fiedler advises that anonymity online allows harassment to flourish, but also provides access to important support spaces, especially for stigmatized topics. Fiedler suggests that social media recommendation algorithms can “know” us so well that it feels simultaneously invasive and validating. Fiedler argues that platforms can also help us find community—or push our content to the people who would hate it most. Fiedler notes that social media is bad for us, and social media is good for us; both of these things can be true at the same time, and both tend to be amplified in the case of marginalized groups. This talk takes a journey through the good and bad of people’s online experiences, from queer fan fiction writers to Black Twitter to professional content creators to health support communities, and poses the ethical question: How can we get less of the bad without sacrificing the good? Casey Fiesler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Information Science (as well as Computer Science, by courtesy) at CU Boulder, with additional affiliations with Silicon Flatirons at the law school and the ATLAS Institute. She completed her PhD in Human-Centered Computing in the school of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech, where her dissertation focused on the role that copyright law plays in online creative communities. She primarily researches and teaches technology ethics and law, and online communities. Current areas of focus include big data research ethics, ethics education, ethical speculation in technology design, content moderation and social media policy, technology empowerment for marginalized communities, and broadening participation in computing; much of this work is supported by the National Science Foundation (including a CAREER grant), Mozilla, and Omidyar. Her research is frequently covered in the media, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, and Teen Vogue. She and her students conduct research under the umbrella of the Internet Rules Lab. Steve Jones Internet Research Lecture Series, established by Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research (CCCSIR, www.cccsir.com) in 2003, brings leading Internet researchers to annual ICA conferences to promote the development and interest of Internet research. With the interdisciplinary nature of Internet research, the lecture series brings researchers from various disciplines as well as industry leaders to establish dialogues with communication researchers about topics and issues of Internet research. The theme of Steve Jones Lecture Series is " The Internet as Culture.” For more information about this lecture and lecture series please contact Shing-Ling Sarina Chen at sarina.chen(a)uni.edu.

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EN VIVO – Día de la Aceptación Universal Uruguay 2025
by Joly MacFie 26 May '25

26 May '25

*[En marcha, pero aún queda mucho por venir. Habrá subtítulos traducidos disponibles en la grabación | Well underway, but plenty to come. Translated captions will be available on the recording]* [image: ISOC LIVE] <https://isoc.live/19380> *LIVESTREAM <https://youtu.be/BmCPIfaRpeU> | **PERMALINK <https://isoc.live/19380>* El lunes 26 de mayo de 2025 de 10:00-17:00 UYT (13:00 -20:00 UTC) *el Capítulo Uruguay de Internet Society <https://isoc.uy/>* (ISOC UY) organiza ‘*Día de la Aceptación Universal Uruguay 2025: Hacia una Internet inclusiva para todos <https://isoc.uy/ua-day-2025>*‘. La jornada se desarrollará en bloques dinámicos, con espacio para el diálogo, el aprendizaje técnico y el networking. La *Aceptación Universal <https://www-icann-org.translate.goog/ua?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=es> *(UA) garantiza que todos los nombres de dominio y direcciones de correo electrónico funcionen con todos los sistemas, independientemente del idioma o la escritura utilizada. Esto incluye los nombres de dominio internacionalizados (IDN) y las direcciones de correo electrónico internacionalizadas (EAI). Adoptar la UA es un paso esencial hacia una Internet verdaderamente inclusiva, donde todos puedan participar sin barreras técnicas o lingüísticas. *Agenda del Evento* (Horario Montevideo UTC-3) *BLOQUE 1* *10:00 Sesión de Apertura – Bienvenida y Presentación de la agenda* *Laura Margolis* – Presidenta del ISOC UY *10:05 Presentación de Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)* *Rodrigo de la Parra* – ICANN *10:25 Contribution of UASG, its challenge and way ahead* *Anil Kumar* – UASG Chairman, ICANN *10:35 Presentación de ISOC LAC* Christian O Flaherty – ISOC *10:55 Marcello Lucas Figueredo* UNESCO – Recomendación 2003 *Marcello Lucas Figueredo* – UNESCO *11:30 Sesión Teórica: Conceptos clave de Aceptación Universal* *Nicolás Antoniello* – ICANN *12:00 Estadísticas de Uruguay, resumen de mediciones y el trabajo del Email Address Internationalization (EAI) Working Group* *Nicolás Fiumarelli* – ISOCuy / EAI WG *12:15 UA Day Approach in Africa* *Dr. AbdulKarim Oloyede* – ICANN *BLOQUE 2* *13:30 Taller Técnico – Configuración de un servidor de correos y un servidor de nombres de dominios con soporte para Nombre de dominio Internacionalizados (IDN) y EAI* *Nicolás Antoniello* – ICANN *Carlos Martínez* – LACNIC *15:30 Panel – Uruguay en el contexto de la Universalización de Internet* *Mariela de León* – UDELAR (SECIU) *Fabrizio Scrollini* – HOTOSM *Laurena Pavón* – Universidad de Montevideo *Mauro D. Rios* – ISOC UY Moderador: *Raúl Echeberría* – ALAI / ISOCuy * SIMULCASTS X Live <https://x.com/ISOC_Live> | Twitch <https://www.twitch.tv/isoclive> | Facebook Live <https://www.facebook.com/liveisoc/>* *** ISOC.LIVE is a free webcasting support service for the Internet Society Community - if you would like to become a monthly sponsor, or need support - contact support(a)isoc.live *** - -- -------------------------------------- Joly MacFie +12185659365 -------------------------------------- -

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[RecSys2025] Final call for doctoral symposium submissions
by Starke, Alain 26 May '25

26 May '25

Dear all, PhD students, this is your final call to participate in the doctoral symposium of the ACM conference on Recommender Systems (RecSys), which will take place in Prague, September 22-26, 2025. The doctoral symposium is an excellent opportunity to present your ongoing research from your PhD trajectory, to learn about the latest RecSys trends, and to receive feedback from a group of RecSys experts. All details can be found here: https://recsys.acm.org/recsys25/call/doctoral. The deadline is approaching fast: June 3, 2025. Kind regards, Alain Publicity Co-Chair RecSys2025

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Announcing AOIR's Risky Research Guide
by amarwick＠gmail.com 25 May '25

25 May '25

Hi all, We are delighted to share the publication of Risky Research: An AoIR Guide to Researcher Protection and Safety, the culmination of over two years of collaborative effort by the AoIR Risky Research Working Group. We designed this report to directly address the increasing personal, institutional, and political risks faced by researchers around the globe. This includes researchers from marginalized and minoritized communities and people working on controversial, sensitive, or politically charged topics—from disinformation and extremism to LGBTQ+ rights, platform governance, and climate change. Drawing from the collective expertise and lived experiences of more than 30 international contributors, the guide provides: -A framework for identifying and assessing risk in scholarly research -Practical strategies for mitigating harms at individual, institutional, and community levels -Guidance for designing projects with risk in mind -Concrete recommendations for universities, supervisors, and departments -A curated set of tools, policies, and best practices for responding to harassment, surveillance, doxxing, and more The guide is designed to support researchers at all stages of their careers, including students, contingent faculty, and those conducting research in politically restrictive contexts. It builds on and extends AoIR’s long-standing commitment to ethics, care, and collective responsibility within internet research. You can download the guide here: https://aoir.org/riskyresearchguide/ As risks to researchers increase around the world, we hope this resource helps strengthen protections for scholars and encourages deeper conversations about institutional accountability, solidarity, and collective care. Warmly, Alice Marwick (on behalf of the AoIR Risky Research Working Group) --- Alice E. Marwick, PhD (she/her) Director of Research, Data & Society Senior Faculty Researcher, Center for Information, Technology and Public Life (CITAP) University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill amarwick(a)gmail.com http://www.tiara.org | http://www.datasociety.net | http://citap.unc.edu

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Webinar "Legal frictions for AI training data openness", June 3rd, 2025, 3-4pm
by Francesca Musiani 23 May '25

23 May '25

Dear colleagues, Centre Internet et Société of CNRS is organizing a seminar on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., which will be in English and by videoconference and will be based on a report by Ramya Chandrasekhar (CIS-CNRS) on the reuse(s) of the open web for the training of AI models. The webinar is organised by *Ramya Chandrasekhar* <https://cis.cnrs.fr/en/ramya_chandrasekhar/> (CIS-CNRS), with the participation of *Mélanie Dulong de Rosnay* <https://cis.cnrs.fr/en/melanie_dulong/> (CIS-CNRS), *Inno3* <https://inno3.fr/> (a Paris-based consulting firm working on sustainable open strategies), and the *Open Knowledge Foundation* <https://okfn.org/>, in order to discuss findings from a research case-study on the reuse of openly-licensed data for training foundation AI models. During the webinar, presenters will discuss copyright and data protection issues arising from reuse of openly licensed data and content from the open web for training foundation AI models, synthesised from a repository of 41 ongoing legal controversies from multiple jurisdictions. The presenters will also discuss new licensing initiatives for training data, that are relevant for reciprocity and sustainability. Join us for a timely discussion on legal strategies to protect, grow and sustain the commons in the face of AI advancements, which are crucial for participative governance of AI as well. All best, Francesca for the CIS

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Platforms & Society - Our first multimedia publication
by Cheryll Soriano 23 May '25

23 May '25

Dear colleagues, As *Platforms and Society (P&S)*, an open-access journal dedicated to critical research on platforms and platformization, marks its first anniversary, we are delighted to share the journal's first multimedia publication: Voigt, M.-L. (2025). Mapping Amazon’s logistical footprint on the Ruhr - How a tech company is influencing cities, cluster politics and climates. *Platforms & Society*, *2*. https://doi.org/10.1177/29768624251315164 This piece underscores the journal’s commitment to publishing scholarship in diverse and innovative formats. Since our launch, *Platforms and Society* has published 39 scholarly articles and commentaries—including this multimedia contribution and our introductory editorial—which are available for you to read here: https://journals.sagepub.com/articles/PNS As an interdisciplinary journal, *P&S* is open to a range of humanities and critical social science approaches that include and combine insights from scholarly fields including organization studies, sociology, anthropology, media and communication studies, cultural studies, labor and industrial relations, human geography, urban studies, information science, management studies, law, political economy, international development, regional/area studies, and science and technology studies. The journal welcomes theoretical, empirical, as well as arts-based and policy-oriented pieces. To accommodate such diverse work, we offer a range of submission formats, including Provocations, Conversations & Debates, and Multimedia submissions (such as maps, drawings, among others)—besides conventional research articles. For submission guidelines, please visit: https://journals.sagepub.com/author-instructions/PNS Best wishes, *Platforms & Society *editorial collective (Julie Chen, Rafael Grohman, Andrea Pollio, Cheryll Soriano, Niels Van Doorn)

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Applications open - 3rd Summer School in Digital Methods for Critical Consumer Studies, Lake Como, 22-26 September 2025.
by Alessandro Gandini 22 May '25

22 May '25

Dear all, We are pleased to announce the 3rd edition of the Summer School in Digital Methods for Critical Consumer Studies, which will take place in Como - from September 22 to 26, 2025. This year's theme is: Artificial intelligence as a methodological resource and its applications for consumer culture research. The School will focus on the intersection between Digital Methods, consumer culture, and AI technologies such as large language models (LLMs), exploring both technical and critical perspectives. The School is meant for master and PhD students who wish to learn digital methods and apply them to their research project in the field of consumer culture. The programme includes lectures, workshops, keynote talks, and group work, delivered by an international and interdisciplinary faculty. Confirmed keynote speakers are: Joonas Rokka (Emlyon Business School), Giorgia Aiello (University of Milan) and Gabriele Colombo (Politecnico di Milano). The Summer School is organized by the University of Milan, in collaboration with: SOMET - PhD Programme in Sociology and Methodology of Social Research<https://www.nasp.eu/training/phd-programmes/somet.html>, Milan School of Media and Communication<https://msmc.unimi.it/>, PhD in Communication Science and Practice, University of Pavia.<https://scienzepolitichesociali.dip.unipv.it/en/education/post-graduate-pro…> Applications are open until June 6, 2025 To participate in the Summer School, candidates must send their applications at this email address: laura.bruschi(a)unimi.it<mailto:laura.bruschi@unimi.it>, by 6 June 2025. Applications must entail a CV and presentation letter, containing: a) brief bio; b) interests of research; c) motivation to participate in the Summer School. You can find the full programme and practical information here: https://dmcs.lakecomoschool.org/ We welcome applications from MA and PhD students, early-career researchers, and professionals interested in digital methods, AI, media, and consumer studies. Please feel free to share this call with colleagues or students who might be interested. Best regards, On behalf of the School Directors: A. Caliandro, A. Gandini, M. Airoldi -- Alessandro Gandini Associate Professor of Cultural Sociology University of Milan, Department of Social and Political Sciences PI of the CRAFTWORK project - ERC Starting Grants 2020 https://craftwork.unimi.it<https://craftwork.unimi.it/>

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