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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260414T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260414T190000
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
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UID:516000-1776189600-1776193200@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:AI and the Concentration of Power
DESCRIPTION:Zoë Hitzig\, known for her research and writing on the political economy of AI\, including a widely discussed op-ed reflecting on her decision to leave OpenAI\, will examine how AI systems may reshape where knowledge resides and how decisions are made. As these systems begin to capture and operationalize forms of tacit\, experience-based knowledge long embedded in workers and local contexts\, information itself may become more concentrated—and with it\, power. This shift raises broader questions about how institutions act as information powerbrokers\, and what happens when expertise and decision-making move from individuals and local settings into centralized systems. Hitzig will be joined in conversation with HLS Professor of Entrepreneurial Legal Studies Yochai Benkler to discuss how AI systems may reshape where knowledge resides in the economy. \nClick here to learn more and register to attend. \nNote: Event details are listed in ET (UTC-5). 
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/ai-and-the-concentration-of-power/
LOCATION:Hybrid
CATEGORIES:Talk
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260416T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260416T235959
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
CREATED:20260413T185517Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T185517Z
UID:516002-1776297600-1776383999@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Digital Identity Symposium: Towards User-Owned Identity
DESCRIPTION:Logging into social media platforms and other apps increasingly requires revealing sensitive information\, like your birthday and full legal name. That data is collected\, processed and shared in ways that can be opaque to the user. It’s no wonder six-in-ten U.S. adults say they do not think it is possible to go through daily life without having data collected about them by companies or the government\, according to a 2019 report by the Pew Research Center. \nWhat if there were a better way to prove your identity online\, one that gives you greater control over the information you share in a secure way\, without sacrificing access or participation? \nJoin us on Thursday\, April 16 for the Digital Identity Symposium: Towards User-Owned Identity\, featuring the public launch of the Keyring wallet\, an open source application that demonstrates how technology can enable individuals to take control of their digital identity in a secure and portable way. This half-day symposium will include discussions on the motivations behind this work\, a live demo of Keyring\, and conversations about the future of user-owned identity systems. \nThis is an in-person event at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society for Harvard ID holders. Registration and an active Harvard ID are required.
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/digital-identity-symposium-towards-user-owned-identity/
LOCATION:Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society\, Harvard University\, 1557 Massachusetts Avenue\, Cambridge\, MA\, 02138\, United States
CATEGORIES:Symposium
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260416T000000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260417T235959
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
CREATED:20260415T153942Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T153942Z
UID:516053-1776297600-1776470399@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Global Forum: FIMI & Hybrid Threats
DESCRIPTION:About the Forum\nOver the past two years\, FIMI has shifted from isolated disinformation campaigns to coordinated\, AI-enabled operations that combine narrative manipulation\, cyber disruption\, economic pressure\, and reputational attacks — often running simultaneously. The threat is no longer niche. It targets governments\, democratic institutions\, corporations\, and civil society at the same time. \nThis forum brings together two focused days of expert-led sessions with 15+ speakers from leading research institutions\, governments\, and the security sector — full lineup to be announced soon. \nEach day runs as a continuous live marathon on Livestorm. You’ll receive two joining links — one for each day — delivered to your inbox after registration.
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/global-forum-fimi-hybrid-threats/
LOCATION:Hybrid
CATEGORIES:Conference
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Berlin:20260417T000000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Berlin:20260417T235959
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
CREATED:20260413T191000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T191118Z
UID:516006-1776384000-1776470399@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:The Civic Toolkit: Digital Literacy in the Age of AI
DESCRIPTION:Democracies around the world are grappling with declining trust in public institutions\, increasing polarisation and the rapid spread of disinformation\, often amplified by AI. How can we best build digital literacy and strengthen democratic culture to reconnect citizens with decision-making?‍ \nAt this critical moment\, civic engagement feels increasingly fragile. Yet it remains one of our most powerful tools for collective progress\, strengthening democratic culture\, enabling shared problem-solving and accountability\, and even a source of hope.  An urgent conversation is needed around democratic renewal – and artificial intelligence’s place at the very heart of this moment. \nWhile AI can deepen polarisation and entrench bias\, it can also expand participation\, strengthen transparency and reconnect citizens with decision-making. The question is not whether technology will shape our democratic future – but how. That’s why citizens need a blueprint to play an active role. \nBuilding a Citizens’ Toolkit: Digital Literacy in the Era of AI is a non-partisan initiative designed to strengthen the discussion around democratic culture through structured learning spaces that explore civic innovation\, digital resilience and the responsible role for AI in public life. \nAt our first convening on 17 April\, we will bring together citizens\, educators\, technologists\, community leaders and policymakers to examine how innovation can serve democratic values – and reimagine the public square for the digital age.  This conference is not just about AI. It is a conversation about the kind of society we want and how we build it together. \nWhat To Expect \nStart the day by learning from leading voices on the challenges facing democracy in the modern technological age\, before stepping into interactive sessions designed for reflection and problem-solving. Participants will build digital literacy\, critical insight and gain practical tools to confidently navigate today’s information landscape. \nAgenda \nThe one-day convening will unfold in four key acts\, as we work together to build a toolkit to explore civic participation\, AI and the future of democratic culture. \n11:00: Welcome and Opening \nIntroductions and context-setting \n11:10 – 12:30: AI in the World: Navigating Truth\, Trust & Technology \nWe open by zooming out: The world is being reorganised by competing powers\, and AI is accelerating this in ways that democratic systems were never designed to withstand. \nWe trace how democracy erodes when disinformation spreads\, and probe: What do we do about it – and does democracy’s operating system need a fundamental update? AI does not have to be simply a risk to manage – it is a genuine opportunity to reimagine how states decide\, how citizens participate\, and how institutions regain legitimacy. \n12:30 – 13:30: Networking Lunch \n  \n13:30 – 14:30: The Agora \nIn the second session\, we explore what it looks like to design AI that actively protects democratic systems and show how this is already happening. We introduce AI tools that make political information more accessible and dig into what rebuilding trust in democratic institutions requires on the ground\, not just the theory\, and ask: How do we use AI to maximize its benefits and minimises its harms? \n15:00 – 15:45: The Democracy Lab \nThis session belongs to the room. Participants break into small groups\, work through specific challenges\, and bring their own knowledge\, experience\, and concerns to the table. \n15:45 – 17:00: Return to the Agora  \nThe Democracy Lab findings come back to the full room in an Open Mic session. We close the day with what computer science and algorithmic design can tell us about building decision-making systems that are fair\, transparent\, and worthy of democratic trust.
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/the-civic-toolkit-digital-literacy-in-the-age-of-ai/
LOCATION:The Civic Toolkit 2026\, Wasserturm\, EUREF-Campus 18\, Berlin\, 10829\, Germany
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260421T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260421T130000
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
CREATED:20260413T170137Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T170137Z
UID:515991-1776772800-1776776400@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:AI Can Make Conflict Worse or Better
DESCRIPTION:Join the Tech Impact and Policy Center on April 21st from 12PM–1PM Pacific for a seminarwith Jonathan Stray. \nAbout the Seminar: \nThere has been much discussion of how AI can help humans cooperate\, but much less about what happens when you add AI to humans who disagree — potentially violently. Social media systems\, which are increasingly AI driven\, may amplify divisive or escalatory narratives. LLMs may similarly exacerbate conflict\, especially if they give different answers to people on different sides. I’ll present recent work testing alternative social media algorithms with real users on real platforms in an attempt to reduce polarization around the 2024 election\, and using LLMs to produce “politically neutral” answers on maximally controversial topics. These early experiments give us a glimpse into the turbulent future of AI-mediated conflict. \nAbout the Speaker: \nJonathan Stray is a Senior Scientist at the Center for Human-compatible AI at UC Berkeley\, where he works on the design of AI-driven media with a particular interest in well-being and conflict. Previously\, he taught the dual masters degree in computer science and journalism at Columbia University\, worked as an editor at the Associated Press\, and built document mining software for investigative journalism. \nClick here to learn more and register to attend. \nNote: Event details are listed in PDT (UTC-8).
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/ai-can-make-conflict-worse-or-better/
LOCATION:Hybrid
CATEGORIES:Seminar
ORGANIZER;CN="Cyber Policy Center | Stanford University":MAILTO:cyber-center@stanford.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260421T140000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260421T150000
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
CREATED:20260415T161859Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T161928Z
UID:516056-1776780000-1776783600@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Doing Digital Platform Research with Australian Internet Observatory
DESCRIPTION: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).\n\nDigital 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.\n\nDespite 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.\n\nTo 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.\n\nFind out more about what we are building and how you can use these tools for your research.\nMore information\nRegister now: https://events.humanitix.com/digital-platform-research-aio\n\nNote: Event details are listed in AEST (UTC+10).
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/doing-digital-platform-research-with-australian-internet-observatory/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Webinar
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Shanghai:20260424T100000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Shanghai:20260424T160000
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
CREATED:20260407T180253Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260410T164228Z
UID:515886-1777024800-1777046400@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Influencer Diplomacy Symposium
DESCRIPTION:The Influencer Ethnography Research Lab (IERLab) is hosting our next symposium on Influencer Diplomacy\, to be held via Zoom on 24 April 2026\, 10:00 – 16:00 (AWST). \nThis one-day online event focuses on the generative concept of “influencer diplomacy\,” understood as the ways in which influencer cultures\, practices\, and industries shape diplomatic processes. This includes influencers taking on diplomatic roles and politicians adopting influencer strategies\, to the ways influencer diplomacy extends beyond formal state and institutional settings into everyday politics\, influencing public discourse and social engagement. \nThis symposium features a Keynote from A/Prof Zoe Hurley on Influencer Cultures in the UAE: Navigating Crisis and Orientalist Framings\, and five panels of presentations from researchers across disciplines to examine the emerging role of influencers in shaping contemporary diplomacy. \nClick here to register to attend
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/influencer-diplomacy/
LOCATION:Virtual
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260430T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260430T235959
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
CREATED:20260413T203148Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T203148Z
UID:516022-1777507200-1777593599@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Call for Contributions: Search Engines and Society Annual Conference (SEASON 2026)
DESCRIPTION:On behalf of the Search Engines and Society Network (SEASON)\, we invite submissions for the 2026 edition of the Search Engines and Society Annual Conference (SEASON 2026)\, to be held at HAW Hamburg\, Germany\, from 15–17 September 2026. \nFollowing the success of SEASON 2025\, which brought together an engaged and diverse international community of researchers\, practitioners\, and students\, SEASON continues as a dedicated conference series for critical and interdisciplinary research on search engines and their societal implications. \nSEASON explores the multifaceted role of search engines in today’s culture and society. The conference fosters interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration to deepen our understanding of search engines as cultural\, societal\, political\, and technical artifacts\, as well as their role in everyday practices. \nWe invite submissions for: \n\nLong presentations\nShort presentations\nInteractive sessions (e.g.\, panels and workshops)\nPosters\n\nTopics of interest include\, but are not limited to: \n\nSocial and cultural aspects of relevance  \nEpistemic implications of search engine use  \nSearch engines and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)  \nSearch engines and information disorders (e.g.\, disinformation\, data voids)  \nAI and changing patterns of search engine use  \nSearch engines and environmental crises  \nPolitical economy of search \nAccountability and responsibility of search engine providers  \nSearch engine bias and fair search  \nEthical and affective dimensions of search  \nMedia and information literacy  \nSearch engines in everyday life and educational settings  \nSearch engines and specific communities  \nMethods and data collection for search engine research  \nComparative and historical studies of web search  \nApproaches to opening the “black box” of search engine rankings  \n\nWe welcome conceptual and empirical contributions from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds\, including the humanities\, social sciences\, and technical disciplines. Interdisciplinary approaches\, work in progress\, submissions from practitioners\, and student contributions are especially encouraged. \nClick here to learn more\, or here to submit your proposal. The submission deadline is April 30\, 2026. 
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/call-for-contributions-search-engines-and-society-annual-conference-season-2026/
CATEGORIES:Call for Paper or Proposal,Conference
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260430T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260430T235959
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
CREATED:20260413T204418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T204418Z
UID:516027-1777507200-1777593599@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:"AI\, Algorithmic Media\, and Digital Governance: Power\, Control\, and Technological Transformation" | Call for Papers for Special Issue
DESCRIPTION: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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nThis 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.\nWe 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.\n\nPossible topics include\, but are not limited to:\n\nAlgorithmic governance\, digital statecraft\, and political authority\nAI-driven propaganda\, information manipulation\, and computational misinformation\nState-led AI governance and digital surveillance regimes\nPlatform politics and the political economy of algorithmic systems\nPublic perceptions of AI and the politics of digital rights\nAI infrastructures\, technological sovereignty\, and global asymmetries in digital power\nSmart cities\, Internet of Things systems\, and algorithmic governance in public administration\n\nKey dates\nAbstract submission deadline: 20 May 2026\nNotification of invitations for full papers: 1 June 2026\nFull paper submission deadline: 30 October 2026\n\nPlease submit an abstract of up to 500 words to the guest editors with the subject line “GMAC Special Issue Submission.”\n\nFull details for the Call for Papers can be found here.
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/ai-algorithmic-media-and-digital-governance-power-control-and-technological-transformation-call-for-papers-for-special-issue/
CATEGORIES:Call for Paper or Proposal
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260430T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260430T235959
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
CREATED:20260413T204817Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T204817Z
UID:516029-1777507200-1777593599@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Synthetic Social Media: Studying Platform-Embedded AI | Call for Proposals
DESCRIPTION:Social media platforms are increasingly shaped by the integration of generative AI alongside long-standing analytical and predictive models. Today’s algorithmic systems are moving from the background infrastructure to the forefront of digital social life – where autonomous AI agents operate in coexistence with (or independently of) human users.  They intervene in the content feeds as conversational agents like xAI’s Grok\, reshape identity play through synthetic likenesses of OpenAI’s Sora-2\, and expand the social ecosystem itself through experimental projects like Butterflies AI and Moltbook. As these developments rapidly outpace existing research frameworks\, the need for mixed critical methodologies to explore the nested integration of GenAI into platforms grows more urgent. \nThe 2026 Autumn School edition of the CRC “Media of Cooperation” explores these developments by focusing on generative AI as an infrastructural\, cultural\, and regulated component of social media platforms across three intersecting dimensions: At the cultural level of everyday use\, it refers to the routinized practices of prompting or interacting with platform-embedded generative systems through multimodal inputs. Infrastructurally\, it signals a shift in agency\, as platforms keep multiplying affordances that nudge us into co-producing synthetic outputs. Finally\, it foregrounds research techniques for probing AI models in their entanglements with the platform governance and moderation regimes. \n\nThe deadline for submissions is April 30\, 2026.  \nThis event will take place on September 22-25\, 2026\, hosted by the CRC Media of Cooperation\, University of Siegen. \nFull details can be found here.
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/synthetic-social-media-studying-platform-embedded-ai-call-for-proposals/
CATEGORIES:Call for Paper or Proposal
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Helsinki:20260430T143000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Helsinki:20260430T153000
DTSTAMP:20261005T164652
CREATED:20260413T161209Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T162548Z
UID:515956-1777559400-1777563000@mediawell.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Look What You Made Me Do: How FIMI Actors Weaponize Pop Culture
DESCRIPTION:What if viral cultural moments were not just entertainment\, but strategic entry points for influence? \nHigh-visibility events\, from major entertainment events to viral online controversies\, are increasingly used within the information environment as opportunities for influence and narrative shaping. \nThis webinar explores how Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) actors exploit these moments to inject geopolitical narratives\, and influence public discourse. From coordinated engagement around events\, such as Eurovision\, to the amplification of polarising online trends\, these dynamics reveal a shared playbook combining narrative seeding\, meme-driven framing\, and cross-platform amplification. \nJoin Rachele Gilman (Principal) and Zoé Fourel (Senior Analyst) from Cardigan Collective as they unpack how these strategies operate in practice\, how they intersect with domestic dynamics\, and how to distinguish between organic and orchestrated trends. \nClick here to learn more and register to attend. \nNote: Event details are listed in Central European Summer Time (CEST\, UTC+2). 
URL:https://mediawell.ssrc.org/event/look-what-you-made-me-do-how-fimi-actors-weaponize-pop-culture/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Webinar
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