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CfP - ICA26 preconference ‘Practicing Trust: Media, Machines and Methods’
by Agata Stepnik 18 Dec '25

18 Dec '25

With apologies for cross-posting. Submissions for the ICA 2026 Preconference ‘Practicing Trust: Media, Machines and Methods’ are now open. *Date:* Thursday 4 June 2026, 8:30am-4.30pm *Location:* Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa Communication as a discipline has long been engaged with questions of trust, although the connection has often been implicit rather than explicit. In recent years, the popularity of generative AI tools has accelerated a sense of urgency around how different media technologies and media systems reframe issues of trust, from addressing hallucinations within chat tools, to identifying deepfakes and algorithmic actors, to questions around how much is too much AI in professional media content? The Practicing Trust: Media, Machines and Methods ICA pre-conference aims to develop new frameworks for understanding the relationship of trust to our understanding of contemporary news and journalism, media industries and practices, and communications and media policy. It seeks to locate trust as being shaped within specific contexts, communities and environments, and to consider how trust is actively influenced by the actions of media organizations, public institutions, and technology companies. The one-day symposium will draw speakers from around the world, in a dialogue about how media, machines, and institutions concretely affect social trust and digital communication, and methods for researching such trust. We are particularly interested in transformations arising from the development, deployment and use of AI platforms and tools for the transformation of information and communications practice, and what this may mean for the future of news industries and societal and institutional trust. Confirmed keynote speakers for the event are *Professor Herman Wasserman* (Professor of Media Studies: University of Cape Town) and *Professor Admire Mare* (Department of Communication and Media Studies, University of Johannesburg). *Pre-conference sponsors*: Media and Communications Discipline, The University of Sydney; Communication Law & Policy Division, ICA; Journalism Studies Division, ICA; Media Industry Studies Interest Group, ICA. *Abstract length*: 250-400 words *Deadline for Abstracts*: 31 January 2026, 11:59 GMT *Notification of acceptance*: 23 February 2026 *Topics:* We welcome contributions that engage with questions of trust arising with relation to: - Communication professions (such as journalism, public relations, policymakers, and influencers); - Media platforms and conglomerates; - Governments and cultural institutions; - Technologies, transparency, and data justice; - Human-machine communications and AI generated information and misinformation; - The future of communications and tech policy; - Audiences, publics and civic participation; - Historical and comparative perspectives; - Research methods and reflexivity. Papers accepted for the preconference may be considered in a special issue of a peer-reviewed academic journal. *Click here to submit an abstract* <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeymucE7VRY9V2-UsEkV8sm885TUXnZmdP…> *Registration Fee:* USD $60 full fee or $30 concession. Fee includes lunch and refreshments on the day. **Please note this is an in-person event only.** *Questions?* Please email the conference team at mediated-trust <mediated-trust.conference(a)sydney.edu.au>. <mediatedtrust.conference(a)sydney.edu.au>conference <mediated-trust.conference(a)sydney.edu.au>@sydney.edu.au <mediatedtrust.conference(a)sydney.edu.au> Professor Terry Flew, The University of Sydney Professor Sora Park, University of Canberra Dr Michael Davies, University of Technology, Sydney Dr Harry Dugmore, University of the Sunshine Coast Dr Timothy Koskie, The University of Sydney Dr Agata Stepnik, The University of Sydney Dr Wenjia Tang, The University of Sydney

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RECORDING – YOUTH IGF LEGACY WSIS+20 Online Side Event
by Joly MacFie 17 Dec '25

17 Dec '25

<https://isoc.live/20019> [image: ISOC LIVE] <https://isoc.live/20019> VIDEO <https://youtu.be/vUw2G0sXz7A> | AUDIO <https://archive.org/download/youthigf-wsis/youthigf-wsis.mp3> | RECAP <https://www.patreon.com/posts/146039381/> | ARCHIVE <https://archive.org/details/youthigf-wsis> | PERMALINK <https://isoc.live/20019> On 15 December 2025. the Youth IGF <https://events.youthigf.com/igf> convened an online side event to the WSIS+20 High-Level Meeting <https://publicadministration.desa.un.org/wsis20/GA%20High-Level-Meeting> at the United Nations General Assembly, with the theme ‘YOUTH IGF LEGACY – Shaping the Next Era of Internet Governance‘. The session reflected on more than a decade of Youth IGF evolution, highlighting how youth engagement has moved from participation to tangible policy influence at national, regional, and global levels. Speakers from youth leadership and parliaments emphasized the need to institutionalize youth voices as active co-authors of Internet governance, not merely participants or observers. SPEAKERS Julie Ward – Former Member of the European Parliament Daniel Molokele – Member of Parliament, Zimbabwe Amira Saber Qandil – Member of the Egyptian Senate Razoana Moslam – Youth IGF Leader, Australia Dunsin Fatuase – Youth IGF Leader, Nigeria Levy Syanseke – Youth IGF Leader, Zambia Sofija Stevanovic – Swiss Youth IGF Brando Benifei – Member of the European Parliament Host / Moderator: Yuliya Morenets – Founder, Youth IGF -- -------------------------------------- Joly MacFie +12185659365 -------------------------------------- -

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DataCenter DataCenter launch
by Davis, Jenny 17 Dec '25

17 Dec '25

Dear Colleagues, I'm proud to share DataCenter DataCenter project https://datacenterdatacenter.com/ This is an information hub and data repository tracking xAI's controversial data centers in Memphis, TN. Though grounded in a single case (for now), the project offers insight into the social and environmental conditions taking shape with AI's rapid infrastructural expansion. Please use as is helpful and share widely! Best, Jenny Jenny L. Davis Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair Professor of Sociology Director of Graduate Studies 2024-2026 Non-Resident Fellow, Center for Democracy & Technology

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RSL 1.0 released
by Joly MacFie 17 Dec '25

17 Dec '25

https://rslstandard.org/press/rsl-1-specification-2025 Today, the RSL Technical Steering Committee, comprised of leading Internet, media, and technology companies, announced the publication of the official standards specification for Really Simple Licensing (RSL) 1.0 <https://rslstandard.org/rsl>, the first licensing standard to protect content in the AI era. Developed as a collaborative effort between the RSL Collective and a broad community of publishers, platforms, and open standards organizations, including Yahoo, Ziff Davis, and O’Reilly Media, RSL 1.0 is an industry-first, open web standard for publishers and creators to define transparent, machine-readable usage and licensing terms for the content on which AI systems rely to fuel future innovation. Based on the widely adopted RSS (Really Simple Syndication) standard, RSL 1.0 augments the simple yes/no blocking rules of robots.txt with a universal language for content rights and licensing terms, offering a scalable economic foundation for the AI-first Internet. Today’s release includes additional capabilities for publishers, including giving search engines permission to include content in search results while opting out of AI search applications, as well as being able to mandate monetary or in-kind contributions from AI systems that benefit from noncommercial content or data. -- -------------------------------------- Joly MacFie +12185659365 -------------------------------------- -

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New book: Global South Creator Cultures and London launch event (20 Jan 2026)
by Tuğçe Bidav 16 Dec '25

16 Dec '25

Dear all, I’m very happy to share that our edited volume *Global South Creator Cultures <https://www.routledge.com/Global-South-Creator-Cultures/Bidav-Mehta/p/book/…>* (Routledge, 2025), co-edited by me and Smith Mehta (University of Groningen), is now out. The book brings together research on creator cultures across India, Turkey, Brazil, Chile, Pakistan, Nigeria, Hong Kong, and China, offering a four-part conceptual framework for understanding platformised creative labour. It foregrounds geographically situated, empirically grounded studies of how creators navigate platform economies, state regulation, language hierarchies, and everyday working conditions. For those based in or near London, we will also be hosting a book launch event as part of the Department of Digital Humanities Seminar Series at King's College London: 📅 Tuesday, 20 January 2026 🕠 17:30 - 19:00 📍 Embankment Room, Strand Campus, King’s College London, WC2R 2NS Further details and registration information can be found here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/digitalhumanitieskcl/1990239 We’d be delighted if you could join us, either by engaging with the book or, if you’re nearby, by coming along to the launch. Best, Tugce -- *Dr Tuğçe Bidav* Lecturer in Digital Labour and Marketing Department of Digital Humanities King’s College London Strand Campus WC2R 2LS

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Blueprints for a good digital society: call for applications
by Helen Kennedy 16 Dec '25

16 Dec '25

Hello all The ESRC Digital Good Network <https://digitalgood.net/> asks what a good digital society looks like and how we get there. We are inviting applications from individuals (or small teams) to produce blueprints as part of a series on what a good digital society looks like. Each one will focus on an aspect of social life or societal institution (eg a family, a museum, a practice like health tracking). Funding recipients will also produce a briefing document making targeted recommendations, with our support. We will fund up to 15 in the series, and ask applicants to identify the aspect of social life or societal institution on which they will focus in their application. Application deadline: Thursday 12 February 2026 16.00 UK time Maximum project duration: 6 months (in the period of June 2026-January 2027) The maximum level of funding that each project can apply for is £15,000 (£12,000 at 80% fEC). We will distribute £215,000 (£172,000 at 80% fEC). Further information can be found on this webpage: https://digitalgood.net/blueprints-for-a-good-digital-society-call-for-appl… The opportunity can be shared via this LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/digital-good-network_our-research-fund-appli… Best wishes Helen -- Professor Helen Kennedy FBA FAcSS Professor of Digital Society, University of Sheffield, @hmtk, @hmtk@scholar.social, she/her Director of: ESRC Digital Good Network <https://digitalgood.net/> (@digitalgoodnet) + Living With Data <https://livingwithdata.org/> (@Living_WithData) + Public Voices in AI <https://digitalgood.net/dg-research/public-voices-in-ai/> *Recent publications:* Kennedy, H., Aiello, G., Annabell, T. & Anderson, C.W. (2025) Generic visuals in the news as public images: Activating emotions, experiences and identities. *European Journal of Cultural Studies*. https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494241310675 Kennedy, H., Ditchfield, H., Oman, S., Bates, J., Perea, I. M., Fratczak, M., & Taylor, M. (2024). How people connect fairness and equity when they talk about data uses. *Big Data & Society*, 11(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517241303162 Ditchfield, H., Oman, S., Kennedy, H., Frątczak, M., Bates, J., Taylor, M., & Medina-Perea, I. (2024). 'What ifs: The role of imagining in people’s reflections on data uses', *Convergence*. https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565241300898 The Digital Good Network (2024) 'What do we mean when we talk about a good digital society?' in British Academy (ed) *What are the Possibilities of a Good Digital Society? * http://doi.org/10.5871/digital-society/9780856726934.001 <http://doi.org/10.5871/digital-society/9780856726934.001>

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Trump in the Global South - Special issue of the International Journal of Critical Diversity Studies
by Iginio Gagliardone 16 Dec '25

16 Dec '25

*Trump in the Global South * *Special issue of the International Journal of Critical Diversity Studies * *Editors: Nicky Falkof, Iginio Gagliardone and Nkululeko Sibiya (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa) * Since his second arrival into office in 2025, Donald Trump has saturated news, social media and public debates well beyond US borders. Yet most scholarship on Trumpism remains US-centric. In this special issue of the *International Journal of Critical Diversity Studies, *we ask how his political brand—populist nationalism, nativism, authoritarian tendencies, eugenic rhetoric and violent attacks on difference – resonates or clashes with political realities, historical experiences, social structures and cultural values in the Global South, parts of which he famously dismissed as ‘shithole countries’. We also ask how perspectives from the Global South allow a reading of Trump and Trumpism that goes beyond increasingly insular frameworks centred on the rise of the far right and threats to civil liberties in the US. With a focus on the first year of Trump’s second presidency, this special issue examines how his policies, and the divisive representations of race, gender, sexuality, disability and nationality that often underpin them, have been received and reported in the South. It invites empirical, critical analyses of how communities, political actors, religious groups, media and social movements in the Global South have interpreted, appropriated, resisted or supported Trump, his discourses and his political agenda. *Scope and key themes: * This special issue encourages contributions that critically explore, but are not limited to, the following themes: ● *Unexpected alliances and affinities: *Where does support for Trump or Trumpism appear among communities in the Global South? How do we understand cases where such alignments may appear counter-intuitive? ● *Resistance and rejection: *What forms of critique, resistance or satire targeting Trump and Trumpism emerge from the Global South? How significant are they in national public debates and how likely to influence national politics? ● *Enforcing identities: *How do responses to Trump and Trumpism enforce resistant, traditional, dominant or minority identities in the Global South? How do these constituencies use their affective responses to Trump to further cement the meanings of their identities? ● *Mediated engagements and digital cultures: *How do traditional and social media in Global South countries frame Trump, facilitate the spread of his ideas or foster communities of support/critique? How do local digital cultures engage with Trumpist discourse (memes, hashtags, influencer commentary)? ● *Contradictions and repercussions: *How do Trump’s rhetoric and policies intersect with local realities? How do engagements with Trumpism exacerbate existing social fractures or create new ones? What are the tangible consequences of these trends? We invite submissions from across the social sciences and humanities, including (but not limited to) critical diversity studies, sociology, political science, anthropology, international relations, media and communication studies, religious studies and gender studies. We strongly encourage interdisciplinary work and welcome a range of methodological approaches, from ethnography and discourse analysis to digital methods, computational social science and mixed-methods research. We are particularly interested in contributions from scholars based in, or conducting research in, Africa, Latin America and Asia. We aim to create a platform for voices that are often marginalised in global academic discourse and to foster a dialogue that places the Global South at the center of critical analyses of global political phenomena. *Timeline and submission details * ●*Abstract submission deadline: *30 January, 2026 ●*Notification of acceptance: *13 February, 2026 ●*Full paper submission deadline: *15 May, 2026 ●*Expected publication date: *Late 2026 Extended abstracts (between 500 and 750 words) and a short bio (max 150 words) should be sent to nkululeko.sibiya(a)wits.ac.za. Final papers should be between 6,000 and 10,000 words (including references) and will undergo a double-anonymous peer review process according to the journal’s guidelines. The *International Journal of Critical Diversity Studies *is published by Pluto Press. The journal is Gold Open Access and there are no article processing charges.

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Work-in-Progress online workshop - WG10 Digital Sociology
by Shahar Mendelovich 16 Dec '25

16 Dec '25

Dear all, You are warmly invited to participate in the 3rd Work-In-Progress Workshop in Digital Sociology, organised within the ISA WG10 Digital Sociology Working Group, offering early-career researchers a space to receive expert feedback and strengthen their ongoing research. WG10 Digital Sociology *3rd Work-In-Progress Workshop* March 18 & 19, 2026, *online* Are you an Early-Stage Researcher (PhD Student, Postdoc, or someone who received their PhD within the last 5 years) seeking feedback on your paper in Digital Sociology and comments on how to enhance it? *AIMS AND SCOPE * The Digital Sociology Working Group (WG10) of the International Sociological Association (ISA) is organising this third workshop for work-in-progress papers. Participation is open to early-career Digital Sociology researchers (PhD students and postdoctoral researchers) and will be held online on March 18 and 19, 2026. You will get feedback on your paper and discuss it with experts and peers. We invite papers on topics surrounding the field of Digital Sociology, such as (for example but not limited to) sociological analysis of big data, algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI), datafication, disinformation, digital transformations, digital inequalities, digital divides, socio-material perspectives on ICT, network activism, digitalization of well-being, platforms and platform economies, theoretical perspectives and interpretations of digitalization etc. We particularly invite emerging scholars from the global south(s) to submit their proposals! *BENEFITS FOR PARTICIPANTS* The workshop seeks to provide a supportive environment for advice, evaluation, and intellectual encouragement to enhance your work-in-progress paper. This offers the opportunity to discuss draft papers and ideas with renowned experts, establish professional networks, together evaluate strategies for its further development, and assess possibilities for their publication. *PROCEDURE* Interested early-career researchers are invited to submit <https://forms.gle/niZ3Ex2KKgtLGG5cA>an extended abstract (500-700 words). After review and acceptance, an advanced draft paper (4000-8000 words incl. references) must be submitted and will be distributed among all participants. During the workshop, each accepted paper will have two discussants: a peer (workshop participant) and an experienced scholar. The discussants will provide feedback on the paper and facilitate a dialogue with the author by suggesting improvements to the theoretical approach, methodological or analytical apparatus, style, citations, etc. *HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?* Participation is free. We encourage participants to join the ISA WG10 community and continue our discussions on Digital Sociology (more info here <https://www.isa-sociology.org/en/research-networks/working-groups/wg10-digi…> ). *IMPORTANT DATES* - *Submission of Extended Abstracts* (500 to 700 words): January 1st, 2026 Submissions can be made here <https://forms.gle/niZ3Ex2KKgtLGG5cA>. - *Notifications of acceptance: *January 9th, 2026 - *Submission of an advanced draft of the full paper: *February 23rd, 2026 (4,000 to 8,000 words) For questions, please contact digital.sociology.ec(a)gmail.com Join the Digital Sociology Early Career Mailing List here <https://groups.google.com/u/2/g/digital-sociology-ec/about>. *ORGANIZING COMMITTEE* Sérgio Barbosa, University of Graz Samuel Cabbuag, University of the Philippines Diliman; Hong Kong Baptist University Shahar Mendelovich, Bar-Ilan University Rima Žilinskaitė, Vilnius University Thomas Zenkl, University of Graz -- Shahar Mendelovich PhD Candidate in Digital Sociology Department of Sociology, Bar-Ilan University https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shahar-Mendelovich/research

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Journal of Visual Political Communication – Volume 12, Issue 1 Now Available
by Dechun Zhang 15 Dec '25

15 Dec '25

Dear colleagues, The Journal of Visual Political Communication is pleased to share its latest issue (Volume 12, Issue 1), bringing together four original research articles and one book review that examine how visuals shape political meaning, participation, and power across media, platforms, and contexts. 1. Shifting shadows: A visual analysis of the representation of older individuals in German media amidst the pandemic — Janica Ezzeldien Explores how German media visually represented older individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing how crisis imagery shaped public understandings of age, vulnerability, and political belonging. doi: https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00040_1 2. Transindustrialization: Art, Regeneration and Cultural Inequalities — Darren Lilleker & Maike Dinger Examines how art and cultural regeneration are inherently political, demonstrating how visibility, commemoration, and exclusion in post-industrial spaces reflect and reproduce cultural inequalities. doi: https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00048_1 3. Visual Attention to Mobilizing Political Social Media Posts — Anna Gaul et al. Uses eye-tracking experiments with Instagram posts to investigate what captures users’ attention in mobilizing political messages and how visual cues relate to political participation. doi: https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00047_1 4. Demolishing democracy: A comparative visual framing analysis — Marina Petric Offers a comparative visual framing analysis of the US Capitol insurrection and Brazil’s 8 January attacks, showing how iconic images shape narratives of democracy, violence, and political legitimacy. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00049_1 5. Book Review Visual Citizenship: Communicating Political Opinions and Emotions on Social Media (Catherine Bouko, 2024), reviewed by Darren Lilleker, examining how visual expression on social media reshapes political voice and civic engagement. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00050_5 Read the full issue: https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/jvpc/12/1 #VisualPoliticalCommunication #PoliticalCommunication #MediaStudies #VisualPolitics Best wishes Dechun Zhang JVPC Socical Media Editor (on behalf of the JVPC Editorial Board)

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Journal of Visual Political Communication – Volume 12, Issue 1 Now Available
by Dechun Zhang 15 Dec '25

15 Dec '25

Dear colleagues, The Journal of Visual Political Communication is pleased to share its latest issue (Volume 12, Issue 1), bringing together four original research articles and one book review that examine how visuals shape political meaning, participation, and power across media, platforms, and contexts. [??] Shifting shadows: A visual analysis of the representation of older individuals in German media amidst the pandemic — Janica Ezzeldien Explores how German media visually represented older individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing how crisis imagery shaped public understandings of age, vulnerability, and political belonging. [??] https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00040_1<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1386%2Fjvpc_00040…> [??] Transindustrialization: Art, Regeneration and Cultural Inequalities — Darren Lilleker & Maike Dinger Examines how art and cultural regeneration are inherently political, demonstrating how visibility, commemoration, and exclusion in post-industrial spaces reflect and reproduce cultural inequalities. [??] https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00048_1<https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00048_1?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExSG9TT…> [??] Visual Attention to Mobilizing Political Social Media Posts — Anna Gaul et al. Uses eye-tracking experiments with Instagram posts to investigate what captures users’ attention in mobilizing political messages and how visual cues relate to political participation. [??] https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00047_1<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1386%2Fjvpc_00047…> [??] Demolishing democracy: A comparative visual framing analysis — Marina Petric Offers a comparative visual framing analysis of the US Capitol insurrection and Brazil’s 8 January attacks, showing how iconic images shape narratives of democracy, violence, and political legitimacy. [??] https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00049_1<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1386%2Fjvpc_00049…> [??] Book Review Visual Citizenship: Communicating Political Opinions and Emotions on Social Media (Catherine Bouko, 2024), reviewed by Darren Lilleker, examining how visual expression on social media reshapes political voice and civic engagement. [??] https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00050_5<https://doi.org/10.1386/jvpc_00050_5?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExSG9TT…> [??] Read the full issue: https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/jvpc/12/1<https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/jvpc/12/1?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZ…> #VisualPoliticalCommunication<https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/visualpoliticalcommunication?__eep__=6&__c…> #PoliticalCommunication<https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/politicalcommunication?__eep__=6&__cft__[0…> #MediaStudies<https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/mediastudies?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZapphoO…> #VisualPolitics<https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/visualpolitics?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZapph…> Best wishes Dechun Zhang JVPC Socical Media Editor (on behalf of the JVPC Editorial Board)

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