Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL210100051
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,518,080.00
Summary
Dynamics of Partisanship and Polarisation in Online Public Debate. Rapidly increasing partisanship and polarisation, especially online, poses an urgent threat to societal cohesion in Australia and other established western democracies; polarisation is also a critical cybersecurity concern when actively promoted by bad-faith actors to undermine citizens’ trust in democratic institutions. By introducing an analytical framework that distinguishes four key dimensions of polarisation, the Fellowship ....Dynamics of Partisanship and Polarisation in Online Public Debate. Rapidly increasing partisanship and polarisation, especially online, poses an urgent threat to societal cohesion in Australia and other established western democracies; polarisation is also a critical cybersecurity concern when actively promoted by bad-faith actors to undermine citizens’ trust in democratic institutions. By introducing an analytical framework that distinguishes four key dimensions of polarisation, the Fellowship aims to conduct the first-ever assessment of the extent and dynamics of polarisation in the contemporary online and social media environments of six nations, including Australia. The evidence is expected to enable an urgently needed, robust defence of our society and democracy against the challenges of polarisation.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101616
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$423,150.00
Summary
The Bhutan-Wiki project: knowledge, literacy and orality in the digital age. This project investigates how a minority language community, the Bhutanese, strategically responds to the growing problem of digital colonialism on the Internet. Through a comparative study of English and Dzongkha Wikipedias, it will produce detailed analysis of the ways an oral culture transfers knowledge online and how collaborative media platforms can contribute to cultural resilience. Expected outcomes include new ....The Bhutan-Wiki project: knowledge, literacy and orality in the digital age. This project investigates how a minority language community, the Bhutanese, strategically responds to the growing problem of digital colonialism on the Internet. Through a comparative study of English and Dzongkha Wikipedias, it will produce detailed analysis of the ways an oral culture transfers knowledge online and how collaborative media platforms can contribute to cultural resilience. Expected outcomes include new digital applications and insights into emerging knowledge practices and institutions. This will provide significant benefits including new pathways to online inclusion for minority cultures, new methods of decolonization and insights into orality in the digital era.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101435
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$452,000.00
Summary
Combatting Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour on Social Media. Online disinformation is a global problem that threatens national security and is harmful to society. However, current methods are not suited to detect coordinated disinformation operations that conceal their activity by co-opting and cultivating regular users, groups and social movements. This project develops cutting-edge methods and workflows to accurately distinguish genuine activity from coordinated inauthentic behaviour, and to ....Combatting Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour on Social Media. Online disinformation is a global problem that threatens national security and is harmful to society. However, current methods are not suited to detect coordinated disinformation operations that conceal their activity by co-opting and cultivating regular users, groups and social movements. This project develops cutting-edge methods and workflows to accurately distinguish genuine activity from coordinated inauthentic behaviour, and to trace and evaluate the adoption of material spread by malicious actors across multiple platforms.Read moreRead less
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
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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The internet of toys: examining connected toys for children. This project aims to investigate the emerging communication world of the internet of toys where toys relate one-on-one to children and also connect to other toys, other children and/or database data. The project will examine the emerging benefits and risks of these connected toys through engaging with families and industry, as well as with regulatory and policy developments. It will inform and influence policy makers, toy designers and ....The internet of toys: examining connected toys for children. This project aims to investigate the emerging communication world of the internet of toys where toys relate one-on-one to children and also connect to other toys, other children and/or database data. The project will examine the emerging benefits and risks of these connected toys through engaging with families and industry, as well as with regulatory and policy developments. It will inform and influence policy makers, toy designers and families of children too young to understand the implications of data privacy and security that these toys bring. It will benefit decision-making regarding the design and regulatory environments in which these toys are made.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100092
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$403,250.00
Summary
Outbound Chinese social media platforms and platform governance . This project aims to investigate outbound Chinese social media platforms such as TikTok and the regulatory issues they raise. Chinese platforms are rapidly expanding in Australia and globally, yet they are poorly regulated, leading to the circulation of inappropriate and illegal content. This project expects to advance policy knowledge of the overseas operations of Chinese platforms, their self-regulatory measures, and external re ....Outbound Chinese social media platforms and platform governance . This project aims to investigate outbound Chinese social media platforms such as TikTok and the regulatory issues they raise. Chinese platforms are rapidly expanding in Australia and globally, yet they are poorly regulated, leading to the circulation of inappropriate and illegal content. This project expects to advance policy knowledge of the overseas operations of Chinese platforms, their self-regulatory measures, and external regulatory options. Expected outcomes of the project include improved understanding of the policy and regulatory implications of outbound Chinese platforms. Expected benefits include suitable policy advice on regulation of these platforms in Australia, targeted at reducing public exposure to harmful content. 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
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
Valuing Web Series: Economic, Industrial, Cultural and Social Value. This project investigates the value of web series as a form of online screen entertainment characterised by original and diverse content produced by emerging creatives. It will deploy the theoretical frame of ‘total value’ to assess the role and viability of web series: value accrued as career development opportunities for digital content makers; value accrued by the audiences who consume web series; and the value accrued by t ....Valuing Web Series: Economic, Industrial, Cultural and Social Value. This project investigates the value of web series as a form of online screen entertainment characterised by original and diverse content produced by emerging creatives. It will deploy the theoretical frame of ‘total value’ to assess the role and viability of web series: value accrued as career development opportunities for digital content makers; value accrued by the audiences who consume web series; and the value accrued by the Australian screen industry as web series contribute to innovation in a rapidly evolving global screen ecology. We have partnered with four leading web series festivals who will benefit directly from a hosting a number of forums for the discussion and dissemination of our comparative findings.Read moreRead less