When Your Face is Your ID: Public Responses to Automated Facial Recognition. This project would explore public attitudes toward the use of facial recognition technology in public and commercial spaces, schools, and workplaces with a national survey, focus group interviews, and four case studies. The project aims to generate new knowledge about public attitudes through a multi-method interdisciplinary approach that anticipates the future of the technology by studying its use in China. Expected ou ....When Your Face is Your ID: Public Responses to Automated Facial Recognition. This project would explore public attitudes toward the use of facial recognition technology in public and commercial spaces, schools, and workplaces with a national survey, focus group interviews, and four case studies. The project aims to generate new knowledge about public attitudes through a multi-method interdisciplinary approach that anticipates the future of the technology by studying its use in China. Expected outcomes include public reports on the survey and case studies, seven academic journal articles, and a book. The research would provide significant benefits by contributing new knowledge about how to implement the technology in accordance with Australian commitments to civil rights, ethics and democratic values.
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Evaluating the Challenge of ‘Fake News’ and Other Malinformation. Encompassed by the disputed term ‘fake news’, overtly or covertly biased, skewed, or falsified reports claiming to present factual information present a critical challenge to the effective dissemination of news and information across society. This project conducts a systematic, large-scale, mixed-methods analysis of empirical evidence on the dissemination of, engagement with, and impact of ‘fake news’ and other malinformation in p ....Evaluating the Challenge of ‘Fake News’ and Other Malinformation. Encompassed by the disputed term ‘fake news’, overtly or covertly biased, skewed, or falsified reports claiming to present factual information present a critical challenge to the effective dissemination of news and information across society. This project conducts a systematic, large-scale, mixed-methods analysis of empirical evidence on the dissemination of, engagement with, and impact of ‘fake news’ and other malinformation in public debate, in Australia and beyond. It takes a triangulated approach, combining computational big data analytics with deep forensic analysis, to reveal the complex ‘fake news’ ecosystem, replace 'fake news' with more precise terminology, and provide recommendations for policy responses based on robust evidence.Read moreRead less
Internet-distributed television: cultural, industrial and policy dynamics. This project aims to investigate the impact of global subscription video-on-demand platforms on national television markets. The rise of subscription video streaming has created significant challenges for Australian and international broadcast, media and cultural policy frameworks, which are struggling to keep up with audience viewing practices. This project will provide a comparative analysis of how governments are respo ....Internet-distributed television: cultural, industrial and policy dynamics. This project aims to investigate the impact of global subscription video-on-demand platforms on national television markets. The rise of subscription video streaming has created significant challenges for Australian and international broadcast, media and cultural policy frameworks, which are struggling to keep up with audience viewing practices. This project will provide a comparative analysis of how governments are responding and investigating the implications for debates about local content, local screen production, and media diversity. The project will provide an analysis of original production and programming strategies to identify new forms of trans-national media flow. The project will advance an understanding of media globalisation and provide media regulators options and opportunities for a convergent media policy environment.Read moreRead less
Fringe to Famous: Contemporary Australian Culture as an Innovation System. The project examines the crossover between ‘alternative’ and ‘mainstream’ cultural production in Australia, identifying ways in which a hybridisation between the avant garde and the popular promotes the development of cultural industries. It will conduct a detailed study of five cases: comedy (Working Dog and the Chaser), music (Mental as Anything, Paul Kelly and Nick Cave), visual arts/graphic design (Mambo Graphics), sh ....Fringe to Famous: Contemporary Australian Culture as an Innovation System. The project examines the crossover between ‘alternative’ and ‘mainstream’ cultural production in Australia, identifying ways in which a hybridisation between the avant garde and the popular promotes the development of cultural industries. It will conduct a detailed study of five cases: comedy (Working Dog and the Chaser), music (Mental as Anything, Paul Kelly and Nick Cave), visual arts/graphic design (Mambo Graphics), short film (Tropfest) and games development (Freeplay). It will identify the conditions which have allowed crossover between the avant-garde and the mainstream and produce recommendations for policy both in cultural development and the development of creative industries.Read moreRead less
Breaking silences: media and the Child Abuse Royal Commission. This project aims to analyse the role of media, journalism and social media activism in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (2013-17) (RCIRCSA). By focusing on the nexus between media and commissions of inquiry in the digital era, the project will investigate the impacts of a rapidly changing media environment on this national 'listening' exercise. The project will use a case study approach to crit ....Breaking silences: media and the Child Abuse Royal Commission. This project aims to analyse the role of media, journalism and social media activism in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (2013-17) (RCIRCSA). By focusing on the nexus between media and commissions of inquiry in the digital era, the project will investigate the impacts of a rapidly changing media environment on this national 'listening' exercise. The project will use a case study approach to critically analyse the role of a transitioning local, national and social media in triggering, reporting on and keeping alive the findings of the royal commission, ensuring victims of institutional child sexual abuse are heard, and justice is upheld.Read moreRead less
Representation of gender and sexual diversity in Australian film and television. This project aims to investigate the cultural, health and identity impact of gender/sexually-diverse characters, themes and narratives in Australian film and television from 1990 to present. The project expects to generate new knowledge by providing the first comprehensive account of Australian media production’s contribution to sexual minority representation, in the context of its importance for fostering healthy i ....Representation of gender and sexual diversity in Australian film and television. This project aims to investigate the cultural, health and identity impact of gender/sexually-diverse characters, themes and narratives in Australian film and television from 1990 to present. The project expects to generate new knowledge by providing the first comprehensive account of Australian media production’s contribution to sexual minority representation, in the context of its importance for fostering healthy identities, and acceptance of minorities to mainstream audiences in a digital media era. This knowledge will provide significant benefit to the mental health, wellbeing and social harmony for both minority and mainstream Australians and help showcase an important aspect of Australian media inclusivity and diversity in international scholarship.Read moreRead less
Cultural Conversations: A History of ABC Radio National. From old media to the digital, this project offers a detailed study and critical assessment of the national ideas network, Radio National. This ensemble of practices, identified within traditions of 'cultural radio', constitutes one of the most significant yet still underestimated platforms of public media internationally, and remains a singular cultural and media institution in Australia. The project will map practices and programs to und ....Cultural Conversations: A History of ABC Radio National. From old media to the digital, this project offers a detailed study and critical assessment of the national ideas network, Radio National. This ensemble of practices, identified within traditions of 'cultural radio', constitutes one of the most significant yet still underestimated platforms of public media internationally, and remains a singular cultural and media institution in Australia. The project will map practices and programs to understand their changing contribution to Australian public life, media and culture, whether through fostering the arts or contributing to the national conversation around science, politics, art or religion.Read moreRead less
Informal economies and audiovisual industries: histories, dynamics, legal and policy responses. This project will uncover new information about the connections between formal and informal media industries. It will generate valuable new knowledge about innovation in contemporary media, and will contribute to policy discussions in the lead-up to the National Broadband Network.
5G and the Future of Public Telecommunications. This project aims to examine the rollout of 5G and assess the implications of this emerging technology for public telecommunications from the perspective of multiple stakeholders (including emergency services). 5G will radically transform the role and function of the telecommunications sector, and this project will examine the evolution of public telecommunications as part of this larger transformation. It will provide an evidence base for stakehol ....5G and the Future of Public Telecommunications. This project aims to examine the rollout of 5G and assess the implications of this emerging technology for public telecommunications from the perspective of multiple stakeholders (including emergency services). 5G will radically transform the role and function of the telecommunications sector, and this project will examine the evolution of public telecommunications as part of this larger transformation. It will provide an evidence base for stakeholders and chart a new role for public telecommunications during a period of structural change. It will also help scholars reconceptualise core tenets of public telecommunications policy. Benefits include the more efficient use of public resources in the telecommunications sector.Read moreRead less
Chinese-language digital/social media in Australia. This project aims to study the production, content and use of digital/social media by mainland Chinese migrants in Australia. China’s global rise has generated widespread anxiety about its possible use of diasporic Chinese media to influence the world. This project expects to generate a new framework for analysing soft power and propaganda in digital/social media, while also undertaking a major rethinking of the concept of flexible citizenship. ....Chinese-language digital/social media in Australia. This project aims to study the production, content and use of digital/social media by mainland Chinese migrants in Australia. China’s global rise has generated widespread anxiety about its possible use of diasporic Chinese media to influence the world. This project expects to generate a new framework for analysing soft power and propaganda in digital/social media, while also undertaking a major rethinking of the concept of flexible citizenship. The study will produce a more accurate assessment of China’s influence through migrant media in Australia and elsewhere.Read moreRead less