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Call for contributions: Special Track on “Digital Statecraft: From Principles to Practice” - Deadline: 1 June
by Data for Policy 13 May '26

13 May '26

*Call for Contributions - Deadline: June 1st* *Digital Statecraft: From Principles to Practice* Special Track at Data for Policy 2026, Barcelona, 8-10 September 2026 Track information: https://digitalstatecraft.academy/special-track-digital-statecraft-from-pri… <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__digitalstatecraft.acad…> *The Digital Statecraft Academy* <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__digitalstatecraft.acad…> invites research and practitioner contributions to this *special track* <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__digitalstatecraft.acad…> hosted at *Data for Policy 2026* <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__dataforpolicy.org_data…> conference leading to a special collection in the *Data & Policy * <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.cambridge.org_core…>journal published by Cambridge University Press and a companion edited volume. Governing the algorithmic age requires something that does not yet fully exist: institutional forms capable of operating at machine speed, technical architectures designed for legitimacy and accountability, and public leaders who can work across both. The gap between what the state currently is and what it needs to become is the terrain Digital Statecraft occupies. The track is organised around a productive tension: - What governance structures are technically coherent, capable of operating at algorithmic speed and complexity? - What technical architectures are democratically legitimate, contestable, and answerable to public authority? Together, these questions ask what “governing” actually requires — at the level of system architecture, institutional design, democratic legitimacy, and sovereign autonomy — for it to be more than procedural formality. *The Digital Statecraft Manifesto v1.0* <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__digitalstatecraft.acad…>provides a working hypothesis for this redesign. This track exists to test, challenge, and extend it: with formal rigour, empirical evidence, and lived experience. We invite contributions from across disciplines and domains, including but not limited to political theory, public administration, law, computer science, systems design, institutional economics, and service innovation. We particularly welcome work that engages across these boundaries—linking technical architectures with institutional design, empirical cases with normative frameworks, or institutional economics and market coordination with questions of algorithmic governance. Submissions may be conceptual, empirical, or practice-based, but should speak to the central problem of governing under conditions of algorithmic decision-making and distributed agency. We welcome submissions across three contribution modes: • *Mode A – Research Papers*: Peer-reviewed empirical, theoretical, or comparative work engaging Digital Statecraft as a new field. Full papers, extended abstracts, and panel proposals accepted. Extended abstracts and panel session proposals to be submitted via Easychair <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__easychair.org_conferen…>and full papers via ScholarOne <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__mc.manuscriptcentral.c…> managed by Cambridge University Press. • *Mode B – Practitioner Cases:* Structured cases from practice, mapped to the 10 Principles of Digital Statecraft. *A template* <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__docs.google.com_docume…> is provided. Selected contributors will be invited to develop a full paper after the conference. Extended abstracts to be submitted via Easychair <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__easychair.org_conferen…> • *Mode C – Contested Propositions: *Individual or paired submissions arguing for and against a designated proposition, debated live at the conference — with the option to develop the exchange into a joint publication after the conference. Extended abstracts to be submitted via Easychair <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__easychair.org_conferen…> For more detailed information on submission types, the review process, and important dates, please see full *Special Track <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__digitalstatecraft.acad…>* and *Conference information <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__dataforpolicy.org_data…>* *.* For any inquiries, please contact *office(a)digitalstatecraft.academy* <office(a)digitalstatecraft.academy> With kind regards, The Digital Statecraft Academy and Data for Policy 2026 – Conference Committee <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__dataforpolicy.org_data…>

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Harmful Policing: Reminder to submit your abstract
by Merel Driessen 13 May '26

13 May '26

Dear Internet Research community, On November 10th, Dutch surveillance studies will host a symposium on ‘Harmful Policing’ at Erasmus University Rotterdam. A reminder to still submit your abstract before submissions close on 01/06/2026. We are delighted that Prof. Pete Fussey<https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-fussey-77105b2a/> (University of Southhampton) will join us as a keynote speaker. Fussey's research focuses on the human rights implications of advanced surveillance and other policing technologies. We are still welcoming submissions that explore the way in which policing practices, whether physical or digital, produce harmful experiences. The symposium aims to elucidates the interplay between technology, policing and harm. Scholars, activists, experts by experience and practitioners are welcome to apply. ⏭️ We invite abstracts addressing the following topics (deadline 01/06/26): 1) New definitions of police violence (legal/sociological/criminological); 2) Reflections on how digitization influences the employment of physical force; 3) The mental, social and democratic consequences of harmful policing; 4) Disproportionate policing practices as a result of racial profiling, risk profiling and use of force; 5) Accountability and oversight in digital policing (transparency, audits, bodycams, governance); 6) Effects of digital policing such as loss of privacy, chilling effects, social sorting, etc. Further information and instructions regarding application can be found on our website.<https://dutchsurveillancestudies.org/2026/03/13/call-for-papers-symposium-h…> Warm regards, Jair Schalkwijk Merel Driessen Marc Schuilenburg

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Call for Abstracts: AI Hype, Hope & Humanity Festival
by Majsa Storbeck 13 May '26

13 May '26

Deadline approaching... have you submitted your abstract yet? The call for abstracts for AI Hype, Hope & Humanity is still open and we want your work in the programme! Whether you're a researcher, practitioner, policymaker, or working at the intersection of all three, if responsible AI touches your work, this is your stage. We're looking for contributions that go beyond abstract principles such as case studies, empirical research, critical reflections, design practices, policy work, lived experience with AI systems. Oral presentations and posters both welcome. And participation is completely free. De Doelen, Rotterdam 30 September – 2 October 2026 Submission deadline: 5 June 2026 Themes include: AI in health, education, media, safety, defence, sustainability, and the ELSA methods and frameworks that make responsible AI more than a buzzword. Not sure if your work fits? It probably does. We actively welcome contributions from outside academia too. Submit here: https://www.eur.nl/en/events/ai-hype-hope-and-humanity-2026-09-29

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[AoIR HQ] Two weeks left: Nominate for the Nancy Baym Book Award and Dissertation Award
by AoIR Association Coordinator 12 May '26

12 May '26

Nominations for both the 2026 Nancy Baym Annual Book Award and the 2026 Dissertation Award close in two weeks, on May 27. See more info about both below: --- *Nancy Baym Annual Book Award* The award goes to the best scholarship on the social and cultural dimensions of networked media published in the 2025 calendar year. Monographs only—edited collections are not eligible. Self-nominations are permitted. To nominate, email bookaward [at] aoir.org with a nomination letter describing how the book draws on or contributes to AoIR scholarship, along with a digital copy. Hard copies may also be mailed; contact bookaward [at] aoir.org for mailing addresses. 2026 committee: Jun Liu, University of Copenhagen (chair); Nancy Baym, Microsoft Research; Giota Alevizou, King's College London; Marco Bastos, University College Dublin; John McNutt, University of Delaware; Gina Sipley, State University of New York, Nassau Community College. --- *Dissertation Award* Eligible dissertations must be in the area of internet research and must have been fully defended, with all edits complete, and filed or published in the 2025 calendar year, with a 2025 copyright. All methods and disciplines are welcome. Self-nominations are permitted. The nominee or their supervisor must be an AoIR member by May 27. To nominate, email dissertationaward [at] aoir.org with a nomination letter explaining why the dissertation deserves the award and how it contributes to internet research, along with a PDF copy of the dissertation. 2026 committee: Jeremy Hunsinger, Wilfrid Laurier University (chair); Alessandro Gandini, University of Milan; Admire Mare, University of Johannesburg; Bjørn Nansen, University of Melbourne; Tanja Oblak Črnič, University of Ljubljana; Lynn Schofield Clark, University of Denver; Guobin Yang, University of Pennsylvania. --- Both award recipients will receive a cash prize and an invitation to present at AoIR2026 in Mexico City in November 2026. The book award winner will be announced in late August or early September; the dissertation award winner will be announced in mid-2026. 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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UK GDPR Compliant DiscoverText
by Shulman, Stu 12 May '26

12 May '26

We have a new software host in the UK. Email me if you want to receive a free license key for DiscoverText.co.uk. As of last summer, DiscoverText.com moved to a Canadian hosting facility. None of our software or business operations remain in the United States. Texifter is now a new Canadian small business owned and operated by the two Canadians who started working on it in 2007. We are now looking for an EU partner to help us set up an EU GDPR-compliant instance. Please contact me if you have an idea for a possible hosting arrangement. The X/Twitter access update: An open beta test for a new set of tools to use the X API will be available on a rolling basis over the summer on both the Canadian and UK platforms. ~Stu -- Dr. Stuart W. Shulman Founder and CEO, Texifter Editor Emeritus, *Journal of Information Technology & Politics* ResearchGate Profile <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stuart-Shulman>

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ISOC LIVE - What's On & What's New
by Joly MacFie 12 May '26

12 May '26

Tab to improve Recipients Hatched, matched, and despatched! Thanks to those of you who have Substack subs <https://isoclive.substack.com/>! Here is what is up. Note the WAIGF post has Zoom links to all sessions, including the Youth IGF tomorrow, *Upcoming Events* - MAY 11-15 - The West Africa Internet Governance Forum 2026 <https://isoc.live/20853/> - MAY 13 16:00 UTC - ICANN OCTO ISPCP/SSAC: Implementing DNS Blocking Responsibly <https://isoc.live/20880/> - MAY 13 17:00 UTC - AFRALO UA Regional Day: Advancing UA Through Adoption and Education <https://isoc.live/21068/> - MAY 15 11:00 UTC - AfChix Peering and IXP Mentorship Panel <https://isoc.live/21019/> - MAY 19 12:30 UTC - Ethics in the fight against disinformation: from theory to practice <https://isoc.live/21031/> - MAY 19 17:00 UTC - Responsible Tech Book Talk With Carissa Véliz, Author of Prophecy <https://isoc.live/20992/> - MAY 20 00:00 / 06:00 UTC - Global Expo 2026: From Harm Mitigation to Intentional Design <https://isoc.live/20946/> - MAY 20 16:30 UTC - Folk Tech x Protopian Prize - Storytelling Workshop + Connection Call <https://isoc.live/20905/> - MAY 21 10:30 UTC - ISOC ASG - GAAD 2026: International Conference on Digital Accessibility, Inclusion and Innovation <https://isoc.live/21060/> - MAY 21 12:00 UTC - Book Launch - Platforms and the Planet: Big Tech, Digital Platforms and Environmental Responsibility <https://isoc.live/20973/> - MAY 21 14:00 UTC - GAAD Event - From Access to Agency: Rethinking Digital Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities in the Age of AI <https://isoc.live/21073/> - MAY 21 17:00 UTC - Introduction to Responsible AI Evaluations - A Virtual Workshop <https://isoc.live/20988/> - MAY 21 18:00 UTC - Emerging Threats Through AI Adoption and the Need for Human Risk Management <https://isoc.live/20960/> - MAY 26 08:00 UTC - What Digital Futures Do We (Not) Want? <https://isoc.live/20952/> - MAY 27 12:00 UTC - What Makes a DNS Abuse Complaint to ICANN Actionable: Insights and Common Challenges <https://isoc.live/20671/> - MAY 27 13:30 UTC - ISOC PERU - Más allá del acceso: ¿qué significa 'Internet significativo' en educación? <https://isoc.live/20860/> - MAY 28 12:30 UTC - David vs Goliath in the DSA era: Lessons from Bits of Freedom's victory <https://isoc.live/21036/> - MAY 28 13:00 UTC - CODI Universal Acceptance Day 2026 <https://isoc.live/20439/> - MAY 28 18:00 UTC - Helping Older Adults Stay Safe Online: Tips and Resources <https://isoc.live/20964/> - JUN 02 23:30 UTC - A11yNYC - Scaling Accessibility with Design Systems - Jesse Gardner <https://isoc.live/20976/> *Recaps / Recordings* - MAY 11 - Beyond the Perimeter - Managing Internet Routing as a Supply Chain Risk <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/topdns12> - MAY 05 - Book Talk: Create Your Unicorn Career in STEM <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/unicorn-career-in-stem> - MAY 04 - IGF Best Practice Forum: Securing Access to the Internet and Protecting Core Internet Resources in Contexts of Conflict and Crises <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/gcw2026-igf> - MAY 01 - Unlocking the Safer Internet Initiative <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/isoc-safer-internet> - APR 30 - Social Media And Digital Sovereignty In South Asia <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/saidgi-digital-sovereignty> - APR 29 - Phishing and DNS Abuse - Operational Blindspots <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/icann-emea-phishing> - APR 28 - ICANN Global Public Interest Framework (GPIF) and its Relevance to At-Large <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/at-large-gpif> - APR 28 - ITU Council 2026 State of the Union Address <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/itu-council-sotu> - APR 23 - ISOC Perú - Community-Driven Connectivity Solutions <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/isoc-peru-connectividad> - APR 15 - The Data Center Frontier <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/the-data-center-frontier> - APR 15 - Digital Access Day 2026: Access, Autonomy, and the Open Internet <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/tcis-digital-access-day-2026> - APR 15 - The New gTLD Program 2026 and the Future of the DNS Ecosystem <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/ispcp-newgtld> - APR 14 - Effective Youth Participation and Digital Inclusion Action Toward WSIS 2035 <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/ecosoc-youth-wsis> - APR 14 - From Spectrum to Service: Building with Unlicensed Fixed Wireless <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/ntia-fixedwireless> - APR 13 - Quantum Technologies, Implications for the Global Digital Divide <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/dc-ddht-quantum> - FEB 26 - At-Large Meets OCTO-SSR <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/at-large-octo-ssr> *Other Report Summaries* - Eighth Circuit Vacates FCC Digital Discrimination Rules (summary) <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/eighth-circuit-vacates-fcc-digital> - Stanford AI Index Report (Summary) <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/stanford-ai-index-report-summary> - Access Now statement on RightsCon "postponement" (summary) <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/access-now-statement-on-rightscon> - FCC to Satellite Operators: Stay in Your Lane <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/fcc-to-satellite-operators-stay-in> - ICANN and the IETF (summary) <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/icann-and-the-ietf-summary> - Age Verification Architecture (summary) <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/age-verification-architecture> -- -------------------------------------- Joly MacFie +12185659365 -------------------------------------- -

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Starts in 90 mins: Online book launch of ‘Critical Political Economy and Southern Approaches to AI: A Dialogue’
by Preeti Raghunath 12 May '26

12 May '26

Hi everyone, I hope you are well. This is a reminder about the online book launch of the new collection Critical <https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-032-14090-6> Political Economy and Southern Approaches to AI: A Dialogue <https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-032-14090-6> (Palgrave Macmillan, 2026). Details below: Online book launch of ‘Critical Political Economy and Southern Approaches to AI: A Dialogue’, edited by Preeti Raghunath Date: May 12, 2026/Tuesday Meeting time and time zones: Yogyakarta: 8 - 9.30 pm New Delhi: 6.30 - 8 pm São Paulo: 10 - 11.30 am Toronto/Ontario: 9 - 10:30 am Texas: 8 - 9:30 am Sheffield: 2:00 – 3:30pm Google Meet joining info: https://meet.google.com/xhy-vyha-jcd About the book: This book presents a dialogue between two seemingly incompatible bodies of social theories - Critical Political Economy and Southern approaches - to the study of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. In doing so, the book presents scholarly engagement with the ways in which AI is being experienced in sites in the Global South, with authors exploring questions of sociality, further entrenching of inequities along labour and caste lines, socio-legal ramifications of digital IDs, and undesired outcomes such as deepfakes and their integration in the political ecosystem, among others. These perspectives interrogate and provide scholarly vocabulary to understand the various applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in our professional, legal and media spaces. Table of contents 1. Conversing Across Incommensurables?: Critical Political Economy and Southern Approaches to Artificial Intelligence Preeti Raghunath 2. Data, Anthropology and the Surplus Value of Sociality Deepak Prince 3. The Plight of Female Gig Workers in Indonesia Suci Lestari Yuana 4. A Critical Political Economy of Campaign Deepfakes in Indian Elections Sananda Sahoo 5. The Brazilian State and Human Rights: Citizen Identification and Informational Separation of Powers Gabrielle Bezerra Sales Sarlet, Lucas Reckziegel Weschenfelder 6. Caste Bias in Indian Prison Datasets: A Data Feminism Study on Kaggle.com Nishanshi Shukla 7. Epilogue: From Frontier Technologies to Frontier Lives Preeti Raghunath This book is published as part of the Palgrave Global Media Policy and Business Series <https://link.springer.com/series/14699>, which has published over 22 books since its launch in 2012. Concentrating on the social, cultural, political, political-economic, institutional, and technological changes arising from the globalization and digitization of media and communications industries, the series considers the impact of these changes on business practice, regulation and policy, and social outcomes. If you’re interested in pitching to the book series, you can reach the editors and editorial board here <https://link.springer.com/series/14699/editors>. Looking forward to seeing you there! Best, Preeti Dr Preeti Raghunath, SFHEA Lecturer in Digital Media and Society School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations University of Sheffield, UK 🌐preetiraghunath.com

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Real-Time Intelligent Systems 2026
by ijwa＠dline.info 12 May '26

12 May '26

Eighth International Conference on Real-Time Intelligent Systems (RTIS 2026) Bali, Indonesia October 02-04, 2026 https://www.socio.org.uk/rtis The International Conference on Real-time Intelligent Systems (RTIS) has travelled from Beijing, China (2016), to Indonesia. The eighth edition will take place in Indonesia. Over the past few years, real-time intelligent computing has revolutionised everyday life. Research on real-time intelligent systems is multidisciplinary, drawing on concepts from big data processing, computational intelligence, location-based services, recommendation systems, and multimedia processing. In today’s highly dynamic environment, real-time data analysis is essential to understand how systems process data, interpret outputs, and anticipate trends in intelligent computing. To this end, this conference will serve as a platform to manifest the ongoing research in the field. Thus, RTIS welcomes theoretically grounded, methodologically sound papers addressing the following topics. CALL FOR PAPERS (Virtual/Physical) Artificial Intelligence and Data Mining Large-scale transformer architectures (Includes multimodal AI, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), Domain-adaptive LLMs and Autonomous AI agents. Explainable and Trustworthy AI Real-Time AI Pipelines Edge Stream Analytics Stream Mining for Cybersecurity Trace-Based Intelligent Real-Time Services Adaptive Vision Algorithms Location-Based Services (LBS) Intelligent Robotic Systems Collaborative Intelligence Graph and Temporal Data Mining Intelligent Soft Computing Neuro-Symbolic Soft Computing Explainable Fuzzy Deep Learning Evolutionary and Swarm Intelligence Soft Computing for Edge AI Real-Time Multiprocessor Systems AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) Architectures for Intelligence Real-Time Distributed Coding Smart Services and Platforms Real-Time Modelling User Information Needs Intelligent autonomous systems Agentic AI and Autonomous Decision-Making Physical AI and Embodied Intelligence Human–Robot Collaboration (HRC) Edge AI and Real-Time Autonomous Systems Autonomous Vehicles and Intelligent Transportation AI-Driven Digital Twins Neuromorphic and Brain-Inspired Computing Swarm Intelligence and Multi-Agent Systems AI-Native Wireless and 6G Autonomous Systems Explainable and Trustworthy Autonomy Autonomous Defense and Security Systems Symbiotic and Collaborative Intelligence Self-Learning and Continual Learning Systems Autonomous AI Infrastructure Real-Time Intelligent Communication 5G Advanced and 6G Communication Systems Edge and Fog Communication Architectures AI-Driven Real-Time Communication Real-Time IoT Communication Real-Time Multimedia Communication Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Communication Satellite and Non-Terrestrial Communication Secure Real-Time Communication Real-Time Collaborative Communication Green and Sustainable Communication Intelligent Information Processing Generative AI and Foundation Models Real-Time Intelligent Information Processing Cognitive and Context-Aware Information Processing Knowledge Graphs and Semantic Intelligence Intelligent Vision and Perception Systems Secure and Privacy-Preserving Information Processing Real-time big data models and processing Streaming Big Data Architectures AI-Driven Real-Time Analytics Edge and Fog Big Data Processing Big Data Models for IoT and Cyber-Physical Systems Real-Time Graph and Network Analytics Intelligent Data Management and Storage Real-Time Multimedia Big Data Processing Real-time intelligence applications in domains Critical Real-time applications Mining and manufacturing Agriculture, healthcare, industry and others Telecommunication Submission, proceedings Papers must be submitted online through OpenConf. Author instructions and LaTex2e (preferred) and Word macro files are available on the submission page. Submitted papers should be at most 14 pages (long papers) and 8 pages (short ones), including figures, tables and references (in the Springer template). Authors of accepted papers are required to transfer their copyrights. For a paper to appear in the proceedings, at least one of the authors MUST register for the conference by the camera-ready submission deadline with a complete registration. Springer’s Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems (LNNS) (https://www.springer.com/series/15179) will publish the accepted papers and be indexed in SCOPUS, EI Compendex, INSPEC, WTI Frankfurt eG, zbMATH, and SCImago. All the papers published in the series are submitted for consideration in the Web of Science. Important Dates Submission of Papers: July 20, 2026 Notification of Acceptance/Rejection: August 15, 2026 Camera-ready: September 15, 2026 Registration: September 15, 2026 Conference Dates: October 02-04, 2026 Post-conference proceedings: January 2027 Program Committee General Chairs Nurdin Laugu, Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Indonesia Program Chairs Pit Pichappan, Digital Information Research Labs, India & UK Irvan Muliyadi, Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. Indonesia Co-Program Chairs Ricardo Rodriguez-Jorge, Technological Centre Ceit, Spain Tuan Nguyen Minh, Posts and Telecommunication Institute, Vietnam Contact: stm(a)socio.org.uk

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FW: [MCJ] New Issue Now Available: 'twitter', edited by Axel Bruns and Alfred Hermida
by Axel Bruns 12 May '26

12 May '26

G’day ! Delighted to pass on this new issue announcement, which will be of interest to many here: From: Axel Bruns via M/C Journal <mc-journal(a)qut.edu.au> Sent: Tuesday, 12 May 2026 11:39 To: Axel Bruns <editor(a)media-culture.org.au> Subject: [MCJ] New Issue Now Available: 'twitter', edited by Axel Bruns and Alfred Hermida FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — 11 May 2026 M/C – Media and Culture is proud to present issue two in volume twenty-nine of M/C Journal http://journal.media-culture.org.au/ ‘twitter’ — Edited by Axel Bruns and Alfred Hermida It started with a bland tweet by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, simply saying, "just setting up my twttr” in March 2006. Twenty years on, the anniversary of Twitter’s launch presents an opportunity to diagnose a platform that has garnered so much scholarly, media, and public attention over the past two decades. Twitter's legacy is best understood as a history of public communication infrastructure and its failures, rather than just as a platform history. This issue treats Twitter as an analytically significant object, even as the platform itself has been rebranded as X and undergone a radical transformation. The name matters because “Twitter” captures more than a single platform under a single owner. It describes a cultural imprint, a set of communication practices, and a body of scholarly work that shaped how we understand social media itself. The tension between commemoration and critique runs through this issue. We are not simply marking a milestone. We seek to examine what remains when a platform mutates beyond recognition. What happens when the object of study changes ownership, governance, and infrastructure while retaining some contested form of continuity? This question of periodisation runs through the various contributions. Twenty Years Later: Twitter, Transformation, and Platform Legacies — Alfred Hermida and Axel Bruns The Death of Twitter and the Decline of Public Debate Online — Axel Bruns Ambient Journalism after Twitter: Algorithmic Curation and the Emergence of Synthetic Ambience — Alfred Hermida How Political Journalists Found—and Lost—a Home on Twitter — Elizabeth Dubois What the Rise and Fall of Twitter Revealed about Collective Behaviour in Natural Hazards Disaster Response — Leysia Palen Truth Markets and the Consensus Trap: Twenty Years of Twitter as Epistemic Infrastructure — Timothy Graham The Emergence of the Shallow State and the Capturing of Twitter — Marisa Duarte and Marco Bastos Building a Digital Media Platform for the European Public Sphere: Plans, Projects, Pitfalls — Christoph Neuberger From the Wild West to the Walled Garden: The Evolution of Twitter/X Data Access for Research — Fabio Giglietto and Cornelius Puschmann Can 20 Years of Twitter Be Preserved? What Is Lost, What Remains, and What Is in Between — Katrin Weller, Yining Wang, Yannik Peters, and Johannes B. Gruber Unbecoming: Twitter and a Better Sociotechnical Future — Breigha Adeyemo and Zizi Papacharissi A Twitter Obituary: Fragile Digital Publics and Their Afterlife — Tanja Bosch ________________________________ Further M/C Journal issues scheduled for 2026: 'immortality': article deadline 17 Apr. 2026, release date 17 June 2026 'embodiment': release date 12 Aug. 2026 'beach': article deadline 21 Aug. 2026, release date 21 Oct. 2026 'extreme': article deadline 25 Sep. 2026, release date 25 Nov. 2026 M/C Journal 29.2 is now online: <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/>. All previous issues of M/C Journal on various topics are also still available. ________________________________ All contributors are available for media contacts: mc(a)media-culture.org.au<mailto:mc@media-culture.org.au>. ________________________________ -- M/C Journal -- http://journal.media-culture.org.au/

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Last Week to Submit – Special Issue in Global Media and China
by Dechun Zhang 12 May '26

12 May '26

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce a Call for Papers for a forthcoming special issue titled “AI, Algorithmic Media, and Digital Governance: Power, Control, and Technological Transformation”, to be published in Global Media and China. The accelerating integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into digital infrastructures represents a profound transformation in contemporary media environments and governance systems. AI-driven platforms, algorithmic recommendation systems, and automated content moderation increasingly shape information circulation, public discourse, and political authority across societies. These developments raise important questions about algorithmic governance, digital sovereignty, media regulation, and the broader political implications of AI-mediated communication. This special issue seeks interdisciplinary scholarship examining how AI technologies influence media systems and governance practices. We welcome empirical, theoretical, and methodological contributions from communication and media studies, political science, digital governance, sociology, science and technology studies, and related fields. Submissions may focus on China, or adopt comparative and transnational perspectives. Possible topics include (but are not limited to): * Algorithmic governance, digital statecraft, and political authority * AI-driven propaganda, information manipulation, and computational misinformation * State-led AI governance and digital surveillance regimes * Platform politics and the political economy of algorithmic systems * Public perceptions of AI and the politics of digital rights * AI infrastructures, technological sovereignty, and global asymmetries in digital power * Smart cities, Internet of Things systems, and algorithmic governance in public administration Key Dates: * Abstract submission deadline: 20 May 2026 – final week to submit! * Notification of invitations for full papers: 1 June 2026 * Full paper submission deadline: 30 October 2026 Please submit an abstract of up to 500 words to the guest editors with the subject line “GMAC Special Issue Submission.” Guest Editors: * Dechun Zhang, University of Copenhagen – dezh(a)hum.ku.dk * Weiai Xu, University of Massachusetts Amherst – weiaixu(a)umass.edu * Han Lin, Soochow University – linhan741(a)gmail.com Full details of the Call for Papers can be found here: https://journals.sagepub.com/pb-assets/cmscontent/GCH/Algorithmic%20Media_C… We would greatly appreciate it if you could circulate this call among colleagues, research groups, and academic networks who may be interested. Thank you for your attention, and we look forward to receiving your submissions. Best regards, Dechun Zhang

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