+++ Submission Deadline: 28. February 2025 +++
i-com 2/2025 – Special Issue on “Social Media”
The i-com Journal invites submissions for a special issue focusing on the theme “Social Media and Society.” As social media continues to shape communication, culture, and interactions in profound ways, this special issue aims to explore the multifaceted implications of social media on societal structures, individual behavior, and public discourse. Plenty of research showed that online social networks did not develop the deliberative power that was originally expected from them. In contrary, the escalating prevalence of hate speech and the broad dissemination of disinformation are increasingly evident, putting democracies under unprecedented pressure. Facing the increasing fragmentation of the digital sphere, with uncertainties over whether the future will unfold across a multitude of isolated social media platforms, these challenges pose significant risks to the cohesion of democratic discourse. Current research in social media examines critical questions such as the platforms’ role in the dissemination of information and misinformation, their influence on mental health, and the impact on democratic processes. Additionally, the evolving nature of artificial intelligence raises concerns about the upcoming of deep fakes and coordinated actions of manipulation. On the same side social media can contribute to democratic opinion building, to enable global social contacts or to explore new perspectives and knowledge. Due to the lack of data transparency, further research is essential to provide recommendations that could inform mechanism changes or regulatory measures. This issue seeks to gather current research in the field and highlight cases that might serve as blueprint to overcome current problems.
Topics of Interest: We welcome original research, theoretical papers, (application-oriented) case studies, and empirical studies that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
- The role of social media in shaping public opinion and political engagement
- Social cohesion through social media
- Social media as a tool for citizen involvement, participation and activism
- The impact of social media on mental health and well-being
- Methods to measure the impact of social media platform mechanisms
- Implications of social media for businesses and consumers
- The influence of social media on interpersonal relationships and community building (e.g. minority communities)
- Cultural representation and diversity in social media narratives
- Intergroup contact in social media
- Ethical considerations and privacy issues in social media usage
- Artificial Intelligence, recommender systems and algorithmic biases in social media
- Hate speech, misinformation and disinformation in social media
- The impact of regulations on social media
- Social media and their role in authoritarian and democratic political systems
For information about how to submit manuscripts see https://i-com-journal.org/calls/ – Regarding Article Processing Fees the publisher is calling for published articles: We have some sponsoring for this available – so, if your institution does not pay for APCs in Golden Open Access journals, do not hesitate to contact the Editor in Chief – We will find a way to cover the costs.
Guest Editors:
- Stefan Stieglitz, University of Potsdam