Digital publics form around shared interests, issues, and identities. They develop as the users of digital and social media create, publish, share, and engage with news, media, and journalism; participate in political debates; and express their everyday cultural interests and identities. But digital publics are also affected by, and sometimes actively spread, problematic content such as mis- and disinformation, racism, or extremism; are influenced by, negotiate, and resist the politics and power of digital platforms; and experience the algorithmic shaping of their digital lives.
Digital publics provide new opportunities for news engagement, for public communication, and for cultural participation. The Digital Publics research program within the QUT Digital Media Research Centre uses a range of innovative research methods including advanced data science and rich qualitative approaches to assess:
- the dynamics of these publics;
- their roles in society;
- how they are shaped by and shape platform technologies and politics;
- how regulation and legislation govern them.
Program Leader
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Prof Axel Bruns
Program Leader - Digital Publics