Hello AIR-L Colleagues, I'm writing to let you know that the submission deadline for the 8th Annual Social Media Technology Conference & Workshop at Howard University has been *extended to July 30th! *We're accepting proposals for individual papers, pre-organized panels, and workshops. Graduate students are especially encouraged to submit a proposal. The original CFP is included below. If you have any questions or need more information, please send an email to *info@socialmediatechnologyconference.com <info@socialmediatechnologyconference.com>*. I'm looking forward to seeing some of you here in Washington, D.C. in a few months! *Michael Austin, Ph.D. * Assistant Professor of Media, Journalism and Film Coordinator, Interdisciplinary Studies Program Cathy Hughes School of Communications Howard University 525 Bryant St. NW, Room 229E Washington, D.C. 20059 michael.austin@howard.edu www.mlaustin.com Music Video Games: Performance, Politics, and Play <https://www.amazon.com/Music-Video-Games-Performance-Approaches/dp/150130853X/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=mich008-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=c210fc2ab4b4e33dbaf6fa901dbc1fba&creativeASIN=150130853X> *Social Media Technology Conference & Workshop * *Call for Papers, Workshops and Panels * *October 4-5, 2018 * *Howard University, Washington, D.C. * *Social Media: Safe Spaces or Dangerous Terrain * The 8th Annual Social Media Technology Conference & Workshop will examine the threats and safe spaces of social media. Each year, the two-day intensive conference combines panel discussions, paper presentations and workshops designed to enlighten attendees about new scholarship, professional practices and pedagogical approaches to teaching. Interested individuals can send in papers, workshop ideas and panel proposals that address a myriad of topics surrounding the theme —*Social Media: Safe Spaces or Dangerous Terrain. * This year’s theme focuses on dissecting how the beneficial social connections provided by social media are being jeopardized by dark forces that threaten our individual voices, our privacy and security and even our democracy. Social media have transformed the ways in which we connect, offering international collaborative relationships, easy and instant communication and real-time access to news and information. Some say the unfettered authority we’ve ceded to the social media titans is responsible for the rise in malignant bots, cyborg-created fake news, foreign-based Internet trolls and emerging risks that may rival the benefits of social connectedness and collaborative online relationships. The call for papers for the 8th annual Social Media Technology Conference and Workshop seeks to examine these challenges and new possibilities as social media mature into mainstream and create opportunities for scholars, practitioners and observers to make more informed assessments about the direction of social media and the internet and their impact on our virtual and actual lives. *Paper Submissions * Respondents should submit a 3-5 page proposal that includes an overview of the study as well as research design that includes brief review of the literature, methodology and findings, if possible. All respondents in this category should clearly identify the submission type on their proposal and send the proposal through EasyChair by June 30, 2018 at the following site: https://easychair.org/my/conference.cgi?welcome=1;a=13466166;conf=smtc2018. In addition to the proposal, a file should be uploaded with a 100-word abstract of the proposed paper as well as a 100-word biography for each author. Submission without the biography will be rejected. Presenters will be notified by mid-July of the status of their submissions and should register to attend the conference by September 1, 2018. 2018 *Panel Submissions* Respondents should submit a 3-5 page proposal addressing the purpose of the panel and specific issue(s) to be covered. The proposal should include a list of the confirmed guests or those who will be solicited for the panel as well as their brief biographies. All respondents in this category should send the proposal through EasyChair by June 30, 2018 at the following site: https://easychair.org/my/conference.cgi?welcome=1;a=13466166;conf=smtc2018. In addition to the proposal, a file should be uploaded with a 100-word description of the proposed panel as well as a 100-word biography for each presenter. Submission without the biography will be rejected. Presenters will be notified by mid-July of the status of their acceptance and should register to attend the conference by September 1, 2018. *Workshop Submissions * Respondents should submit a 3-5 page proposal addressing the purpose of the workshop, details about the technology, social media trend or tool to be explored and what attendees will gain from attending it. Workshops are scheduled for 90 minutes, so content should be sufficient enough to fill the time slot. If applicable, the proposal should include a list of the confirmed guests or those who will be solicited for the workshops as well as their brief biographies. All respondents in this category should send the proposal through EasyChair by June 30, 2018 at the following site: https://easychair.org/my/conference.cgi?welcome=1;a=13466166;conf=smtc2018. In addition to the proposal, a file should be uploaded with a 100-word description of the proposed workshop as well as a 100-word biography accompanied by a photograph for each workshop presenter. Submission without the biography will be rejected. Presenters will be notified by mid-July of the status of their acceptance and should register to attend the conference by September 1, 2018. *Cost * The registration fee for the two-day conference is $125. All presenters, attendees and workshop participants are required to pay the conference fee. *Contacts * If you have any questions or need more information, please send an email to info@socialmediatechnologyconference.com.