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ISOC LIVE - What's On & What's New
by Joly MacFie 14 Apr '26

14 Apr '26

Thanks to those of you who have Substack subs <https://isoclive.substack.com/>! Here is what is up. *Upcoming Events* - APR 14 08:00 UTC - Seminar on Human Rights and ICT Standardisation <https://isoc.live/20618/> - APR 14 13:00 UTC - At-Large - Overview on DNS Abuse Mitigation <https://isoc.live/20586/> - APR 14 13:00 UTC - ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026 Side Event - Effective Youth Participation and Digital Inclusion Action Toward WSIS 2035 <https://isoc.live/20699/> - APR 14 19:00 UTC - NTIA - From Spectrum to Service: Building with Unlicensed Fixed Wireless <https://isoc.live/20524/> - APR 15 14:30 UTC - 2026 IEEE Connecting the Unconnected (CTU) Program Kickoff <https://isoc.live/20596/> - APR 15 16:00 UTC - ISPCP - The New gTLD Program 2026 and the Future of the DNS Ecosystem <https://isoc.live/20590/> - APR 15 16:00 UTC - Accessibility Jam (A11yJam) <https://isoc.live/20514/> - APR 15 16:00 UTC - FBA - Women in Fiber: She Built This: Spotlighting Success and Career Growth in Fiber <https://isoc.live/20675/> - APR 15 16:30 UTC - Folk Tech Showcase - Project Show & Tell <https://isoc.live/20614/> - APR 15 17:00 UTC - The Data Center Frontier <https://isoc.live/20467/> - APR 15 18:00 UTC - SHLB - Transforming Rural Health: Understanding and Leveraging the Rural Health Transformation Program <https://isoc.live/20593/> - APR 16 13:00 UTC - ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026 Side Event - Digital Cooperation for Youth: Accelerating Inclusive Innovation and Digital Development <https://isoc.live/20707/> - APR 22 11:00 UTC - COcyber Roundtable on Defence - Civilian Synergies in Cybersecurity <https://isoc.live/20498/> - APR 22 12:00 UTC - ICANN and Global Internet Governance Engagements in 2026 <https://isoc.live/20665/> - APR 23 15:00 UTC - INTC / IIESoc - IP Address Geolocation <https://isoc.live/20653/> - APR 24 13:00 UTC - UN Global Mech ICT - 1st Chair Informal Dialogue w/ Stakeholders <https://isoc.live/20600/> - APR 24 16:00 UTC - Canada Youth IGF Honorariums Symposium <https://isoc.live/20565/> - MAY 5 23:30 UTC - A11yNYC - The Clarity of Social Accessibility - Peter Slatin <https://isoc.live/20404/> - MAY 11 14:00 UTC - topDNS Best Practice Series: Beyond the Perimeter - Managing Internet Routing as a Supply Chain Risk <https://isoc.live/20626/> - MAY 27 12:00 UTC - What Makes a DNS Abuse Complaint to ICANN Actionable: Insights and Common Challenges <https://isoc.live/20671/> - MAY 28 13:00 UTC - CODI Universal Acceptance Day 2026 <https://isoc.live/20439/> *Recaps / Recordings* - High-Density, High Impact: Connecting Apartment Buildings, Public Housing and Multi-Dwelling Units <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/aapb-ilsr-mdu> - What's New in DNS Security? <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/whats-new-in-dnssec> - PDF to Accessible Markdown: Introducing Equalify Reflow, an Open Source AI Tool <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/a11ynyc0426> - Canada's AI Strategy: Reading Between the Lines of "What We Heard" <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/tcis-ai-strategy> - ICANN85 Ghana Readout <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/icann85-ghana> - Lachi - I Identify as Blind: A Brazen Celebration of Disability, Culture, Identity and Power <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/qpl-lachi> - FCC Report & Order - Modernizing Spectrum Sharing for Satellite Broadband <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/fcc-sarellite-spectrum-order> - Ookla U.S. Broadband Speed Performance Report - 2H 2025 <https://isoclive.substack.com/p/ookla-h2-2025> *NYC Open Data Week 2026* - NYC School of Data 2026 - Opening Session <https://opendataweek.substack.com/p/nyc-school-of-data-2026-opening-session> - NYC School of Data 2026 - From Connectivity to Connection: Transforming Digital Equity Into Action <https://opendataweek.substack.com/p/nyc-school-of-data-2026-from-connectivi…> - NYC School of Data - Building the Public Interest Tech Workforce <https://opendataweek.substack.com/p/nyc-school-of-data-building-the-public> - AI in Government: Opportunities for the Mamdani Administration <https://opendataweek.substack.com/p/ai-in-government-opportunities-for> - How Has 10 Years of Civic Engagement Through Open Data Changed New York? <https://opendataweek.substack.com/p/how-has-10-years-of-civic-engagement> - NYC Health Department Health Data Tour <https://opendataweek.substack.com/p/nyc-health-department-health-data> - NYC Agency Maps, Tools, & Geospatial Data for 2026 <https://opendataweek.substack.com/p/nyc-agency-maps-tools-and-geospatial> - Tracking NYC Trash: Using Open Data to Understand and Improve the City's Waste System <https://opendataweek.substack.com/p/tracking-nyc-trash-using-open-data> - -- -------------------------------------- Joly MacFie +12185659365 -------------------------------------- -

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Webinar: Doing Digital Platform Research with Australian Internet Observatory Tuesday 21 April
by Amanda Lawrence 14 Apr '26

14 Apr '26

The Australian Internet Observatory invites you to a free webinar on new tools and methods for researching digital platforms. Doing Digital Platform Research with AIO 2 - 3 pm AEST (UTC +10) Tuesday 21 April - online Register now: https://events.humanitix.com/digital-platform-research-aio A free Australian Internet Observatory Webinar exploring the tool and process for using data donations as a method for collecting digital platform data. Presented by Prof Dan Angus (QUT), Prof Nic Carah (University of Queensland) and Dr Amanda Lawrence (RMIT University) Digital platforms shape how Australians access information, communicate, entertain, engage with government services, participate in public discourse, and conduct business. Understanding digital platforms, and how we interact with them, may offer new insights for a wide range of critical public interest issues across public health, education, entertainment, cybersecurity and democratic inclusion. Despite the importance of digital platforms and the abundance of data they contain, the capacity to independently collect and analyse data from digital platforms for research remains limited. To address this challenge, the Australian Internet Observatory is developing new tools and methods for social data research using data donations, APIs and other methods. These newer approaches can also be combined with other established methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, content analysis, administrative data, simulations and other qualitative and quantitative techniques. Prof Dan Angus, Prof Nic Carah and Dr Amanda Lawrence will provide an overview of the tools being developed at AIO and how they are currently being applied in research projects. Find out more about what we are building and how you can use these tools for your research. More information<https://internetobservatory.org.au/post/doing-digital-platform-research-web…> <https://internetobservatory.org.au/post/doing-digital-platform-research-web…> Register now: https://events.humanitix.com/digital-platform-research-aio Australian Internet Observatory<https://internetobservatory.org.au/> National research infrastructure for digital platform observability The Australian Internet Observatory is a co-investment partnership with the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) through the HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons (DOI: 10.3565/hjrp-b141). The ARDC is enabled by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).

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Call for Papers – Special Issue on AI, Algorithmic Media, and Digital Governance (Global Media and China)
by Dechun Zhang 14 Apr '26

14 Apr '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 the journal 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 how information circulates, how public discourse is structured, and how political authority is exercised across different 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 to advance interdisciplinary scholarship examining the evolving relationships between AI technologies, media systems, and governance practices. We welcome contributions that critically explore how algorithmic systems influence media production, platform governance, public communication, and political power across diverse institutional and geopolitical contexts. We invite empirical, theoretical, and methodological contributions from scholars working in communication and media studies, political science, digital governance, sociology, science and technology studies, and related disciplines. 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 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<mailto:dezh@hum.ku.dk>) Weiai Xu, University of Massachusetts Amherst (weiaixu(a)umass.edu<mailto:weiaixu@umass.edu>) Han Lin, Soochow University (linhan741(a)gmail.com<mailto:linhan741@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 ________________________________ Dechun Zhang, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher at Department of Communication, University of Copenhagen Author of Digital Nationalism and Affective Governance: Propaganda, Public Sentiment, and Soft Authoritarianism in China <https://www.routledge.com/9781041308775> (Routledge, 2026) Managing Editor of Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://jceasia.org/__;!!NVzLfOphnbDXSw!Fs30wWO…> Editor of Asia Pacific Viewpoint<https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678373>, Sage Open<https://journals.sagepub.com/home/SGO> & Global Perspectives in Communication<https://academic.oup.com/gpc> and Social Media Editor of Journal of Visual Political Communication<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-visual-p…> Affiliated Researcher at the Leiden Asia Centre<https://leidenasiacentre.nl/people/dechun-zhang/?portfolioCats=82%2C100%2C9…>, Leiden University ORCID: 0000-0002-2284-2378<https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2284-2378> Web: https://www.dechunzhang.com/<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dechunzhang.com/__;!!NVzLfOphnbDXSw…>

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My new book "Social Media as Fragile State"
by Caroline Haythornthwaite 14 Apr '26

14 Apr '26

I am pleased to share with AoIR that my new book, "Social Media as Fragile State: Vulnerabilities, Pressures, and Human Rights” will be out in May (2026): https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/isbn/9783111829920/html This is a book length extension of ideas first presented in 2024 with Philip Mai and Anatoliy Gruzd. Haythornthwaite, C., Mai, P. & Gruzd, A. (2024). Social media as fragile state. 57th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Honolulu, HI. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/106679 Drawing on years of research of mine, and of many in AoIR, the book begins by examining the way that social media platforms take on characteristics of states, but fragile states. The book then outlines six “Social Media Fragility Indicators” derived from aggregating major issues facing society and social media platforms. Issues include technical and social threats, fragmentation, human rights, economic and external pressures. Rather than a classification system for every case facing social media, the indicators are presented as a framework for use in eliciting consideration of each category of fragility. The book will be available in hardcover in May 2026, with digital and paperback versions to follow. Please recommend to your library, as well as considering for yourself! /Caroline Caroline Haythornthwaite chaythor(a)syr.edu Professor Emerita, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University and School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign https://haythorn.wordpress.com/

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New open access book: Atmospheres and Digital Media
by Ana Jorge 14 Apr '26

14 Apr '26

*** Cross‑posting for reach; thanks for understanding!*** Dear AoIR community, We're happy to announce the publication of a new ebook, *Atmospheres and Digital Media *(Bristol University Press), edited by Ana Jorge and Sofia P. Caldeira. The book is now available in both e‑book and print formats. The full book is *freely accessible as Open Access* via the link below. https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/atmospheres-and-digital-media Atmospheres and Digital Media: Connection and Disconnection Across Everyday Life Edited by: Ana Jorge <https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/ana-jorge> and Sofia P. Caldeira <https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/sofia-caldeira> >From parenting and pilgrimage to activism and mourning, this book explores how digital connection - and disconnection - shapes the emotional texture of our lives. Using the concept of ‘affective atmospheres’, the authors examine the feelings that emerge in the interactions between people, platforms and places. Drawing on rich, real-world examples, it explores how digital media infuse our homes, beliefs, rituals and politics with emotion, tension and meaning. *Table of contents * Introduction: Atmospheres and Digital Media Dis/connection -* Ana Jorge, Sofia Caldeira* Chapter 1: Post-digital parenting: the relational-affective network of the family - *Francisca Porfírio, Ana Jorge, Rita Grácio* Chapter 2: Platformised feminisms and social media ambiences - *Sofia Caldeira, Ana Jorge, Ana Kubrusly* Chapter 3: Affective temporalities in pilgrimage: anticipation, presence and (pro)longing - *Ana Jorge, Filipa Neto, Ana Kubrusly, Edna Santos* Chapter 4: Affective intensities of dis/connection in mourning - *Ionara Silva, Ana Jorge, Filipa Neto* Afterword: Reflections on affective atmospheres and felt experience in the mediation of everyday social practices - *Peter Lunt* Ana Jorge *Research Coordinator, CICANT <https://cicant.ulusofona.pt/>, Associate Professor, ECATI <https://ecati.ulusofona.pt/>/Lusófona University* *Publications:* Jorge & Caldeira (Eds.) (2026) *Atmospheres and Digital Media: Connection and Disconnection across Everyday Life*. Bristol University Press <https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/atmospheres-and-digital-media>. Syvertsen & Jorge (2026) Slow tourism and digital disconnection: A study of place, atmosphere and norms in pilgrim and mountain walking destinations. *Annals of Leisure Research <https://doi.org/10.1080/11745398.2025.2539137>*. *Think before you thank - every email has a carbon footprint (if we were to send one less unnecessary email per day, it could reduce carbon emissions by 16,433 tonnes <https://www.statista.com/chart/20189/the-carbon-footprint-of-thank-you-emai…>). Please also consider your environmental responsibility before printing this email. *

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Fun bit from the NYT reveal into Satoshi’s identity
by Roberts, Sarah 14 Apr '26

14 Apr '26

I thought members of this Internet mailing list, a sort of precursor to today’s message boards, might enjoy the following passage from the New York Times’ recent investigation into the identity of the bitcoin creator pseudonymously referred to as “Satoshi Nakamoto.” And by enjoy, I mean that it might perhaps make you scream in annoyance, as it did to me: “Satoshi was also very likely a member of the Cypherpunks, a group of anarchists formed in the early 1990s who wanted to use cryptography, the art of securing communications through code, to free individuals from government surveillance and censorship. The Cypherpunks interacted mostly through something called an internet mailing list. Ancestors of today’s message boards, mailing lists were large group emails in old typewriter font that subscribers received in their inbox. To communicate, respondents replied-all.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/08/business/bitcoin-satoshi-nakamoto-identi… ________ S a r a h T. R o b e r t s, P h. D.

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Reminder: CFP - International Conference on Innovation in Rural Regions
by Krüger, Maximilian Philipp, Dr. 13 Apr '26

13 Apr '26

Hello, This is a quick reminder that the deadline for the very first International Conference on Innovation in Rural Regions is coming up on April 30, 2026. The conference will take place in Siegen, Germany 13-15 September 2026. The Call for Papers is below. All accepted submissions will be published in the EUSSET (European Society for Socially Embedded Technologies) Digital Library. The most up to date information about the conference can be found on the conference website: https://icirr.wineme.wiwi.uni-siegen.de/ I'm one of the Program Committee Co-Chairs and am happy to answer any questions. Best, Max Krüger Postdoc at University of Siegen, Germany International Conference on Innovation in Rural Regions (ICIRR) Conference date: 13-15 September 2026 Location: Siegen, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany Conference website: https://icirr.wineme.wiwi.uni-siegen.de/ Abstract deadline for full papers: 23 April 2026 Submission deadline for full papers: 30 April 2026 Submission deadline for workshops: 7 May 2026 Submission deadline for posters and demos: 14 May 2026 About the Conference Across many parts of the world, rural regions are undergoing profound structural transformations; driven by the erosion of industrial economies, demographic change, infrastructural fragility and ecological crises. At the same time, these regions are increasingly targeted by digitalisation agendas, innovation funding and technological imaginaries. But what does innovation and design mean in these contexts? And what kinds of futures do such interventions make possible? This conference examines the diversity of social and technical practices in rural regions and how innovations are imagined, facilitated, contested and materially shaped. Rather than treating rural areas as peripheral or deficient spaces, we approach them as complex socio-technical ecosystems. Rural places face global challenges such as aging populations, resource depletion and institutional retreat. But they are also at the forefront of creative solutions to sustainability and climate challenges, migration and economic development. These seeming contradictions manifest in concentrated and often under-examined ways that are central to the motivation for this conference. We seek to provide a space to reframe what counts as innovation in rural regions, and how design science, human-computer interaction (HCI), Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW), information and communication technology for development (ICTD), science and technology studies (STS) and regional research interleave and potentially can collaborate to analyze and shape these dynamics. The most up to date information about the conference can be found on the conference website: https://icirr.wineme.wiwi.uni-siegen.de/ Key Questions We are especially interested in work that challenges dominant narratives of innovation and contributes alternative imaginaries, methods or interventions. We therefore invite submissions that engage with, but are not limited to, the following questions: * How can participatory, inclusive or decolonial design practices facilitate innovation in peripheral contexts? * How can applications and interventions be designed to meet the particularities of rural regions? * How do geography, industry and infrastructure intersect to shape innovation trajectories in rural regions? * How far can existing definitions of innovation account for rural contexts and where might they fall short? * What are the political, institutional and historical conditions that enable or hinder rural innovation? * How can rurality be conceptualized as an epistemic object in its own right, rather than as a derivative of urban development trajectories? Further, how do different conceptions of rurality globally offer different epistemic paths to a vision for rural innovation? ⠀Topics of Interest * Rural computing and place-based design * Local infrastructures, maintenance and repair, Circular Economies * Innovation beyond entrepreneurship and startup logics * Agricultural, forestal and environmental innovation systems * Community-led, indigenous or feminist approaches to innovation * Health ecologies in rural contexts * Cultural opening, tradition and the rural public sphere * Policies and governance models that enable or constrain rural innovation * Methodologies for studying and designing in rural settings ⠀Submission Types We welcome a variety of contributions, including: * Full papers (6.000–12.000 words, excluding references and appendices) * Posters and demos (1.000-2.000 words, excluding references) * Workshops (1.000-2.000 words, excluding references). Workshop proposals should include an outline of the envisioned program, including the motivation for the workshop and proposed activities. ⠀All full paper submissions will undergo a double-blind peer review process. Submissions for posters and demos are also double-blind, but are refereed by a member of the program committee. Workshops are not anonymized and will be refereed by the Workshops Co-Chairs. All accepted submissions will be published in the EUSSET Digital Library. We are open to creative formatting, paper structures and approaches, including speculative work, case studies, critiques, and other creative modes of presentation. Submissions should be written in English and use the new EUSSET Conference template, provided on the ECSCW website. All submissions will be handled on the EasyChair platform. Submissions will be accepted on the EasyChair platform. The submission portal will open up on March 1, 2026 and the link will be posted on the conference website. If a submission is accepted, it is expected that at least one author will be present in person to present the paper. Target Audience and Disciplines This conference seeks to bring together researchers and practitioners from a range of fields, including but not limited to: * Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) * Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) * Science and Technology Studies (STS) * Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICTD) * Rural and Regional Studies * Design Research and Interaction Design * Geography and Infrastructure Studies * Innovation and Policy Studies We aim to foster interdisciplinary alliances that explore rural regions not only as sites of technological intervention, but as domains of situated knowledge, socio-ecological practice, and theoretical innovation. Because of this, we explicitly encourage interdisciplinary, critical and practice-based submissions. We also are supportive of work from disciplines that typically don’t publish in conference proceedings (e.g., sociology, anthropology). If you have questions about the process or expectations, please contact the Program Committee Chairs at icirr(a)socio-informatics.de<mailto:icirr@socio-informatics.de> Chairs of Program Committee Jean Hardy, Michigan State University Max Krüger, University of Siegen Organizing Committee Yannick Bollmann, Claudia Müller, Isara Rommel, Philipp Rutz, and Volker Wulf, University of Siegen

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Job announcement: Assistant Professor (General Faculty) in Media Studies at the University of Virginia
by Nemer, David (dn6nn) 13 Apr '26

13 Apr '26

Hi everyone, The University of Virginia’s Department of Media Studies invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Media Studies on the academic general faculty, with an expected start date of August 10, 2026. We are particularly interested in candidates who can teach introductory courses in media studies, film and television studies, streaming, media history, and global media studies. The core responsibilities of this position include teaching six courses per year, three each during the spring and fall terms. This is a three-year, tenure-ineligible appointment with the possibility of renewal, but not a guarantee. Application website: https://apply.interfolio.com/182234 Qualifications: To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, applicants should hold a PhD. The preferred applicant will hold a PhD at the time of the appointment in Media Studies or a related field of study, such as Communication, Journalism, Digital Media, Technology Studies, Cultural Studies, or other related fields. Application Instructions: Review of applications begins on May 1, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled. We will only consider complete applications. To apply, please submit the following: * Cover letter of interest that includes a summary of your teaching interests and experience and demonstrated experience relevant to the University’s ambition to cultivate the most vibrant community in higher education in order to prepare students to be leaders in a diverse and globally connected world. [More information about the 2030 plan.] * CV * A statement of teaching philosophy * 2 sample syllabi Short-listed candidates will be asked for references at that stage of the process. Questions about this position should be directed to Dr. David Nemer at nemer(a)virginia.edu. Questions about the application process should be directed to Margaret Weeks, mew7ys(a)virginia.edu. The university will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment. Best, -- David Nemer, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Media Studies Faculty Affiliate, Department of Anthropology Director, Latin American Studies Program University of Virginia Faculty Associate, Berkman Klein Center Harvard University http://dnemer.com http://favela-digital.com<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__favela-2Ddigital.com_&d…> Books: Technology of the Oppressed (MIT Press, 2022), winner of the 2024 Sally Hacker Prize and 2022 Marcel Roche Award. Tecnologia do Oprimido (Editora Milfontes, 2021) Favela Digital: The other side of technology (GSA, 2013)

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PhD position call in Digital Participation in War
by Devanjan Bhattacharya 13 Apr '26

13 Apr '26

------------Sorry for any cross postings------------------ Dear all, Please find below a PhD position call in our team at University of Edinburgh. PhD opportunity call: The WARSHARE: The New War Front – Digital Participation in War project, funded by a UKRI European Research Council Advanced Grant and led by Professor Andrew Hoskins at the University of Edinburgh, investigates how digital technologies and data-driven communication reshape contemporary warfare. From a computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics perspective, the project examines the large-scale production, distribution, and interpretation of war-related digital content generated through smartphones, social media platforms, and messaging applications. Modern conflicts produce vast volumes of multimodal digital data, including text messages, images, videos, memes, and emojis. These data streams form complex digital traces that can be analyzed computationally to understand patterns of participation, narrative formation, and information propagation during wartime. The project applies AI and machine learning techniques—including natural language processing (NLP), computer vision, and multimodal analytics—to mine and interpret these large-scale datasets. Such methods enable automated classification of textual discourse, detection of visual patterns, and identification of coordinated information campaigns across digital networks. A key methodological component involves building data pipelines capable of collecting, processing, and analyzing high-volume social media data. These pipelines support tasks such as large-scale content retrieval, feature extraction, clustering, and network analysis to map interactions between actors involved in digital warfare communication. The project uses Telegram, a hybrid messaging and social media platform, as its principal case study due to its central role in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Telegram provides a rich environment for studying information diffusion, network dynamics, and digital participation in conflict narratives. By integrating computational methods with interdisciplinary social research, WARSHARE demonstrates how AI-driven analytics can reveal the mechanisms through which digital platforms influence the perception, documentation, and strategic communication of modern warfare. We invite applications from eligible candidates as per the application process mentioned in the links below. The deadline is on 20th April 2026. For any queries, please email me at d.bhattacharya at ed.ac.uk or Prof. Andrew Hoskins, andrew.hoskins at ed.ac.uk. 1. Scholarship webpage: https://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/study/prospective/postgraduate-research-programmes… 1. School Projects listing webpage: https://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/study/prospective/postgraduate-research-programmes… Please feel free to ask me in case of any queries. Thank you. Best, Devanjan ------------------------ Dr. Devanjan Bhattacharya (FHEA) Research Fellow, WARSHARE, SSPS, University of Edinburgh Profile link: https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/persons/devanjan-bhattacharya/ The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336. Is e buidheann carthannais a th’ ann an Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann, clàraichte an Alba, àireamh clàraidh SC005336.

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CFP: Measuring Media Use and Effects: Computational Opportunities and Challenges
by Chung-hong Chan 13 Apr '26

13 Apr '26

Dear Colleagues, GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences in Cologne, Germany, will host the Annual Conference of the Methods Division of the German Communication Association (DGPuK) on September 30 - October 2 2026. The theme of this year's conference is "Measuring Media Use and Effects: Computational Opportunities and Challenges". For the theme track, we invite contributions that address core opportunities and challenges at the intersection of computational methods and the empirical study of media use and effects. We welcome theoretical, methodological, and empirical work – especially studies that critically reflect on how computational approaches shape what and how we can know about media exposure and its consequences. We also welcome other important methodological papers that address other issues. Submissions can be in English or German. The call for papers is now open. Submission guidelines are available on the official website: https://www.gesis.org/forschung/projekte-und-austausch/tagungen-und-konfere… Submission portal: https://www.conftool.net/dgpuk-methoden-2026/ Deadline for submission: May 15 2026 Regards, Chung-hong Chan (on behalf of the organization team)

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