CALL FOR PAPERS: Special issue of Social Media and Society “Re-Imagining a more trustworthy Social Media Future”. Presenting research that addresses trust related issues of Social Media.

Call for Papers Deadline: 31.03.2019

Guest Editors:

Kevin Koidl
ADAPT Research Center, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
kevin.koidl@scss.tcd.ie

Barbara Guidi
Department of Computer Science, University of Pisa, Italy
guidi@di.unipi.it

Luke Sloan
Social Data Science Lab & School of Social SciencesCardiff University (UK)
SloanLS@cardiff.ac.uk

Colman Noctor
MHS & Assistant Professor Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
colmannoctor@hotmail.com

Abstract submission deadline: 31.03.2019

Notification of Acceptance/Selection: 05.04.2019

Deadline for full papers: 16.06.2019

Trust has become one of the most discussed topics concerning social media and its impact on society. Recent debates about fake-news, post-truth-era, echo chambers and filter bubbles increase this impression. However, trust is a complex and multidimensional concept. Concerning social media, trust is often focused on trusting the platform not to leak private information, trusting the source not to send false information and trusting the algorithm not to promote harmful content. In each case, trust is seen as a driver for a more meaningful relationship. Recent debates about the impact of social media on society, however, exemplify that solving trust related issues are complex and in some cases may be impossible under the current design and paradigms of social media. One reason for this complexity can found in the often conflicted debate related to solutions, such as privacy vs transparency, centralised vs decentralised architecture, encrypted vs open messages, content promotion vs subscription revenue. In the context of this debate solutions ranging from censorship for increased control and blockchain for accountability is mentioned. However, most solutions approach the underlying challenges from a ‘fix’ or ‘patch’ perspective which might not always work. This special edition seeks to re-imagine social media that aims to create and empower meaningful relationships to overcome the mostly socio-technical, economical, psychological and ethical challenges of current Social Media Applications. A specific focus is placed on the concept of trust and how Social Media Applications of the future can promote trustworthiness throughout inter-human and human-machine interactions. The underlying question therefore is: Can we do better?

Based on this question, the main objective of this special edition is to re-imagine social media and social networking applications in general as a more organic and dynamic entity that interacts with digital citizens and their environment by meeting their ‘trust needs’, and explores means for this technology to support a more trustworthy and positive interaction with both human and non-human (digital/robot) entities. For this we encourage the submission of ongoing research addressing current Social Media challenges that inspire future developments. The submission of radically new and novel social media concepts is encouraged. This can include entire platforms/concepts or specific topics such as:

Ethics, Privacy, and Control.
Maintaining psychological wellbeing in a world of Social Media.
User Attitudes Towards Trust Issues within Social Media.
Technological means to support the increase of trustworthiness within Social Media.
Creating and supporting meaningful relationships within and through Social Media.
Connected Digital Citizenship within Smart Environments via Social Media.
Means of fostering social relationships and networks with Machines, such as Chat Bots, Robots.
The use of visual interfaces, such as AR/VR, to increase the trustworthiness of relationships in Social Media.
Ad-hoc networks and proximity-based Social Networks to promote trustworthiness.
Decentralised and Hybrid Architectures related to the Next Generation Internet.
Alternative business models and value systems for Social Media.
Reduction and identification of hate speech and fake-news.
The role of social media in the debate surrounding the debate of the Post-truth era.
Topics focused on Artificial Emotional Intelligence applied to Social Media.
Papers can address, but are not limited to, the following questions:

What principles can be applied to increase trust in social media based interactions?
Are social media applications fundamentally broken? What is a viable alternative?
How can users control their data without breaking the underlying business model of Social Media Applications?
What impact do breaches of trust have on user attitudes and behaviours?
What are possible alternative business models for Social Media Applications that shift the underlying model from Shareholder Value to Stakeholder Value?
Submissions can include early-stage research. However, the submission should contain an empirical element, which is past the idea or concept phase. Therefore, at the least, preliminary (empirical) evaluation data is essential. Considering the complexity of the topic comprehensive literature reviews are accepted in cases in which no empirical data exists. Submissions from a wide range of fields, such as social science, computer science, humanities, medical science and business studies are encouraged.

Submission

Extended abstracts should be no more than 1,000 words and include a brief summary of your proposed paper and a short description explaining how it relates to the special issue theme and submitted by the 31.03.2019.

Invited paper submissions will be informed by the 5th of April 2019. Approximately 10-12 papers will be sent out for a full review. Therefore, the invitation to submit a full article does not guarantee acceptance into the special issue. The special issue is scheduled for publication in late 2019 / early 2020.

SUBMISSION LINK
https://easychair.org/cfp/SpecialIssueSMS2019