QUT Digital Media Research Centre
@qutdmrc.bsky.social
World-leading communication, media, and law research for a flourishing digital society. research.qut.edu.au/dmrc/
New podcast episode available!
Your host Klaus Groebner chatted with Caroline Gardam and Carly Lubicz-Zaorski about misinformation on Climate Change and Energy.
Your host Klaus Groebner chatted with Caroline Gardam and Carly Lubicz-Zaorski about misinformation on Climate Change and Energy.
Misinformation on Climate Change and Energy w/ Caroline Gardam & Carly Lubicz-Zaorski
Read Them Sideways · Episode
open.spotify.com
February 16, 2026 at 1:06 AM
New podcast episode available!
Your host Klaus Groebner chatted with Caroline Gardam and Carly Lubicz-Zaorski about misinformation on Climate Change and Energy.
Your host Klaus Groebner chatted with Caroline Gardam and Carly Lubicz-Zaorski about misinformation on Climate Change and Energy.
And that's a wrap on the 2026 Summer School.
Workshops galore on the final day and we ended formal proceedings with a Bake Your Thesis - Cake Decorating, and social activities with a movie night.
Thank you to delegates and presenters for your attendance and contributions. See you again next year!
Workshops galore on the final day and we ended formal proceedings with a Bake Your Thesis - Cake Decorating, and social activities with a movie night.
Thank you to delegates and presenters for your attendance and contributions. See you again next year!
February 5, 2026 at 10:19 AM
And that's a wrap on the 2026 Summer School.
Workshops galore on the final day and we ended formal proceedings with a Bake Your Thesis - Cake Decorating, and social activities with a movie night.
Thank you to delegates and presenters for your attendance and contributions. See you again next year!
Workshops galore on the final day and we ended formal proceedings with a Bake Your Thesis - Cake Decorating, and social activities with a movie night.
Thank you to delegates and presenters for your attendance and contributions. See you again next year!
NEW PUBLICATION!
In a new article in Journalism and Media, the DMRC's Aljosha Karim Schapals and colleagues consider communicative traits young people prefer in a "newsfluencer".
Available to read in open access here:
In a new article in Journalism and Media, the DMRC's Aljosha Karim Schapals and colleagues consider communicative traits young people prefer in a "newsfluencer".
Available to read in open access here:
“Talk to Me as a Friend!”: How Teenagers Prefer Their Newsfluencers on Social Media
This study investigates how Portuguese teenagers (aged 13–18) perceive and prefer the communication characteristics of so-called “newsfluencers” on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Through 20 semi-structured interviews, the research explores how verbal and non-verbal traits shape adolescents’ engagement with news in a media ecosystem increasingly dominated by digital intermediaries. Drawing on literature on brand journalism, the study categorizes preferences into four key elements: character, tone, language, and purpose. The findings reveal that teenagers favor newsfluencers who are inspiring and friendly (character), are honest and direct (tone), use simple and fun speech (language), and aim to educate and inform (purpose). Participants express a desire for journalists who “talk to me as a friend”, emphasizing authenticity, emotional proximity, and conversational clarity over traditional, formal modes of reporting. These insights suggest that effective youth-oriented journalism on social media must balance factual accuracy and emotional engagement, blending education with entertainment. The research contributes to emerging scholarship on social media journalism and youth news consumption by highlighting how relational and affective communication strategies can enhance young audiences’ trust, understanding, and participation in news.
www.mdpi.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:31 AM
NEW PUBLICATION!
In a new article in Journalism and Media, the DMRC's Aljosha Karim Schapals and colleagues consider communicative traits young people prefer in a "newsfluencer".
Available to read in open access here:
In a new article in Journalism and Media, the DMRC's Aljosha Karim Schapals and colleagues consider communicative traits young people prefer in a "newsfluencer".
Available to read in open access here:
On day 2 of DMRC Summer School, delegates joined workshops on data donation, online safety, socio-technical grounded theory, and intersectional approaches to digital media research.
A highlight was the research translation panel discussion.
Tonight, delegates are enjoying the annual quiz night.
A highlight was the research translation panel discussion.
Tonight, delegates are enjoying the annual quiz night.
February 4, 2026 at 9:42 AM
On day 2 of DMRC Summer School, delegates joined workshops on data donation, online safety, socio-technical grounded theory, and intersectional approaches to digital media research.
A highlight was the research translation panel discussion.
Tonight, delegates are enjoying the annual quiz night.
A highlight was the research translation panel discussion.
Tonight, delegates are enjoying the annual quiz night.
PhD scholarship applications are open for a project investigating how public opinion is formed in online spaces, with a focus on the deliberative quality of discussions, social influence dynamics, and platform affordances and governance across major digital platforms.
www.qut.edu.au/study/fees-a...
www.qut.edu.au/study/fees-a...
QUT - Strengthening Public Opinion Formation Amid Digital Threats (PhD scholarship)
www.qut.edu.au
February 4, 2026 at 3:18 AM
PhD scholarship applications are open for a project investigating how public opinion is formed in online spaces, with a focus on the deliberative quality of discussions, social influence dynamics, and platform affordances and governance across major digital platforms.
www.qut.edu.au/study/fees-a...
www.qut.edu.au/study/fees-a...
Congratulations to PhD Candidate Caroline Gardam (Caroline Gardam), who was recently a finalist in the 2026 Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research (ACSPRI). As part of her application, Caroline created a video describing her PhD project.
DMRC PhD candidate and 2026 ACSPRI Fellowship Finalist, Caroline Gardam
PhD candidate Caroline Gardam was a finalist in the 2026 Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research (ACSPRI) Fellowship. For Stage Two of the application, she was invited to submit a video describing her research project.
In this video, Caroline describes the real world potential impa
www.youtube.com
February 3, 2026 at 11:35 PM
Congratulations to PhD Candidate Caroline Gardam (Caroline Gardam), who was recently a finalist in the 2026 Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research (ACSPRI). As part of her application, Caroline created a video describing her PhD project.
The 2026 DMRC Summer School is officially underway!
With 72 delegates in attendance, today's sessions explored a diverse range of topics with the highlight being a keynote address by Nina Jankowicz, internationally-recognized expert on disinformation and democratization.
With 72 delegates in attendance, today's sessions explored a diverse range of topics with the highlight being a keynote address by Nina Jankowicz, internationally-recognized expert on disinformation and democratization.
February 3, 2026 at 6:49 AM
The 2026 DMRC Summer School is officially underway!
With 72 delegates in attendance, today's sessions explored a diverse range of topics with the highlight being a keynote address by Nina Jankowicz, internationally-recognized expert on disinformation and democratization.
With 72 delegates in attendance, today's sessions explored a diverse range of topics with the highlight being a keynote address by Nina Jankowicz, internationally-recognized expert on disinformation and democratization.
Research Fellow Dr Aimee Hourigan has recently been featured in some fantastic media literacy videos, produced by ABC Education. These are appropriate for both primary and high school aged students, with some excellent questions, particularly around generative AI.
Media Explained: Misinformation - ABC Education
Join us as we explore one of today’s biggest media and information challenges: misinformation. Learn about the important role of media in society, reflect on our unconscious biases, debate the value of artificial intelligence and build our skill in identifying and responding to misinformation.
www.abc.net.au
February 2, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Research Fellow Dr Aimee Hourigan has recently been featured in some fantastic media literacy videos, produced by ABC Education. These are appropriate for both primary and high school aged students, with some excellent questions, particularly around generative AI.
The Read Them Sideways podcast is back from summer hiatus! Our first episode of 2026 welcomes Ehsan Dehghan and Pardis Yarahmadi to discuss the ongoing Iranian digital blackout, its implications, and how digital activism can assist. An important listen for your Monday!
The Iranian digital blackout, and how you can help (#37)
Read Them Sideways · Episode
open.spotify.com
February 2, 2026 at 1:19 AM
The Read Them Sideways podcast is back from summer hiatus! Our first episode of 2026 welcomes Ehsan Dehghan and Pardis Yarahmadi to discuss the ongoing Iranian digital blackout, its implications, and how digital activism can assist. An important listen for your Monday!
PhD scholarship applications are open for a project investigating how public opinion is formed in online spaces, with a focus on the deliberative quality of discussions, social influence dynamics, and platform affordances and governance across major digital platforms.
www.qut.edu.au/.../strength....
www.qut.edu.au/.../strength....
January 16, 2026 at 12:23 AM
PhD scholarship applications are open for a project investigating how public opinion is formed in online spaces, with a focus on the deliberative quality of discussions, social influence dynamics, and platform affordances and governance across major digital platforms.
www.qut.edu.au/.../strength....
www.qut.edu.au/.../strength....
Congratulations to PhD candidate, Klaus Groebner, for his acceptance into the Bluebook Traineeship Program at the EU Commission this year! Klaus will be contributing his expertise to regulatory frameworks for electronic communications and digital initiatives, such as the Digital Decade. 🎉
January 6, 2026 at 3:54 AM
Congratulations to PhD candidate, Klaus Groebner, for his acceptance into the Bluebook Traineeship Program at the EU Commission this year! Klaus will be contributing his expertise to regulatory frameworks for electronic communications and digital initiatives, such as the Digital Decade. 🎉
Catch up on all the conference updates from the Digital Media Research Centre in 2025 before we launch into 2026!
🎇 As the new working year starts, I've looked back on the recent conference presentations by my @qutdmrc.bsky.social team and me in 2025, including work from #IAMCR2025, #SEASON2025, #AoIR2025, #ZeMKI2025, #AANZCA2025, and #JERAA2025:
Wrapping Up The Last of My 2025 Conference Presentations | Snurblog — Axel Bruns
2025 is finally over, but other than as part of the liveblogs I haven't yet had a chance to round
snurb.info
January 5, 2026 at 2:59 AM
Catch up on all the conference updates from the Digital Media Research Centre in 2025 before we launch into 2026!
Starting 2026 by sharing a new paper from Prof Axel Bruns, A/Prof Tim Graham and DMRC colleague Simon Copland. You can check out "Sky News Australia as network propaganda: how a niche cable channel became an international right-wing propaganda machine" here!
journals.sagepub.com...
journals.sagepub.com...
January 5, 2026 at 2:55 AM
Starting 2026 by sharing a new paper from Prof Axel Bruns, A/Prof Tim Graham and DMRC colleague Simon Copland. You can check out "Sky News Australia as network propaganda: how a niche cable channel became an international right-wing propaganda machine" here!
journals.sagepub.com...
journals.sagepub.com...
Congratulations to DMRC scholars @kathaesa.bsky.social, @snurb.info, @riedlinm.bsky.social, @vilkins.bsky.social, Laura Vodden, and Thet Zin Myint for their new publication in Media International Australia as part of the AANZCA special issue!
journals.sagepub.com...
journals.sagepub.com...
December 15, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Congratulations to DMRC scholars @kathaesa.bsky.social, @snurb.info, @riedlinm.bsky.social, @vilkins.bsky.social, Laura Vodden, and Thet Zin Myint for their new publication in Media International Australia as part of the AANZCA special issue!
journals.sagepub.com...
journals.sagepub.com...
Incredible work and congratulations to all DMRC researchers who were awarded an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award! 🎉
Honoured to be part of this cohort: five QUT researchers awarded a 2025 ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award $2.53M in total funding 🎉 Grateful for the support by QUT and DMRC @qutdmrc.bsky.social, www.qut.edu.au/news?id=202811
QUT celebrates new Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards
Five QUT researchers have received ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards (DECRA), on projects covering topics from social justice to sustainability, valued at $2,529,831.
www.qut.edu.au
December 12, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Incredible work and congratulations to all DMRC researchers who were awarded an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award! 🎉
Congratulations to PhD candidates Carly Lubicz and Caroline Gardam, along with Associate Professor Michelle Riedlinger for their recent QUT Faculty award in the "Sustainability" category!
December 9, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Congratulations to PhD candidates Carly Lubicz and Caroline Gardam, along with Associate Professor Michelle Riedlinger for their recent QUT Faculty award in the "Sustainability" category!
Australia's social media ban for children under 16 begins today.
Our explainer paper provides an overview of the complex issue of social media bans for young teens, explaining the technical challenges, potential risks, and specific concerns voiced by parents and carers.
Read it here: qut.to/1ww5%
Our explainer paper provides an overview of the complex issue of social media bans for young teens, explaining the technical challenges, potential risks, and specific concerns voiced by parents and carers.
Read it here: qut.to/1ww5%
December 9, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Australia's social media ban for children under 16 begins today.
Our explainer paper provides an overview of the complex issue of social media bans for young teens, explaining the technical challenges, potential risks, and specific concerns voiced by parents and carers.
Read it here: qut.to/1ww5%
Our explainer paper provides an overview of the complex issue of social media bans for young teens, explaining the technical challenges, potential risks, and specific concerns voiced by parents and carers.
Read it here: qut.to/1ww5%
We have your morning commute listening for Wednesday lined up... 👂🔊
DMRC Director Daniel Angus (@antmandan.bsky.social) spoke with the Read Them Sideways podcast team about the social media ban, the implications, and what to expect in the future.
open.spotify.com/episode/6IES...
DMRC Director Daniel Angus (@antmandan.bsky.social) spoke with the Read Them Sideways podcast team about the social media ban, the implications, and what to expect in the future.
open.spotify.com/episode/6IES...
The social media ban: how we got here and what to expect (#37)
open.spotify.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:18 AM
We have your morning commute listening for Wednesday lined up... 👂🔊
DMRC Director Daniel Angus (@antmandan.bsky.social) spoke with the Read Them Sideways podcast team about the social media ban, the implications, and what to expect in the future.
open.spotify.com/episode/6IES...
DMRC Director Daniel Angus (@antmandan.bsky.social) spoke with the Read Them Sideways podcast team about the social media ban, the implications, and what to expect in the future.
open.spotify.com/episode/6IES...
Next in our round-up of #AANZCA2025 conference slides, we have Laura Vodden's presentation on "Reflections on the value of disagreement in human-LLM collaboration".
www.slideshare.net/s...
Laura's co-authors were @kathaesa.bsky.social, @tariqchoucair.bsky.social, and @riedlinm.bsky.social
www.slideshare.net/s...
Laura's co-authors were @kathaesa.bsky.social, @tariqchoucair.bsky.social, and @riedlinm.bsky.social
Vodden_Esau_Riedlinger_Choucair_AANZCA_2025_The_Value_of_Disagreement.pptx
Reflections on the value of disagreement in human-LLM collaboration - Download as a PPTX, PDF or view online for free
www.slideshare.net
December 2, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Next in our round-up of #AANZCA2025 conference slides, we have Laura Vodden's presentation on "Reflections on the value of disagreement in human-LLM collaboration".
www.slideshare.net/s...
Laura's co-authors were @kathaesa.bsky.social, @tariqchoucair.bsky.social, and @riedlinm.bsky.social
www.slideshare.net/s...
Laura's co-authors were @kathaesa.bsky.social, @tariqchoucair.bsky.social, and @riedlinm.bsky.social
A new report led by Michael Dezuanni, Kim Osman and Lynrose Jane Genon has been released today on "Young Australians' perspectives on the social media minimum age legislation".
www.crikey.com.au/20...
Cam Wilson at Crikey has covered the report and its findings.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
Cam Wilson at Crikey has covered the report and its findings.
Facing a ban, teens are sick of adults ignoring what they think about social media
'Banning it fully just straight up makes it a lot harder than finding a solution to the problem … it’s like taking the easy solution.'
www.crikey.com.au
December 1, 2025 at 5:36 AM
A new report led by Michael Dezuanni, Kim Osman and Lynrose Jane Genon has been released today on "Young Australians' perspectives on the social media minimum age legislation".
www.crikey.com.au/20...
Cam Wilson at Crikey has covered the report and its findings.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
Cam Wilson at Crikey has covered the report and its findings.
We had a large DMRC contingent at the #AANZCA2025 conference last week and we will be sharing conference slides for those who were not able to attend.
First up is Sebastian Svegaard's presentation on "Agit-prop in the 20s: reconceptualising propaganda for a networked age".
First up is Sebastian Svegaard's presentation on "Agit-prop in the 20s: reconceptualising propaganda for a networked age".
Agit-prop in the 20s: reconceptualising propaganda for a networked age
Presented at AANZCA 2025 at University of the Sunshine Coast - Download as a PPTX, PDF or view online for free
www.slideshare.net
November 30, 2025 at 11:52 PM
We had a large DMRC contingent at the #AANZCA2025 conference last week and we will be sharing conference slides for those who were not able to attend.
First up is Sebastian Svegaard's presentation on "Agit-prop in the 20s: reconceptualising propaganda for a networked age".
First up is Sebastian Svegaard's presentation on "Agit-prop in the 20s: reconceptualising propaganda for a networked age".
PhD researcher Kate FitzGerald has a new article out in The Conversation today looking at generative AI chatbots and conspiracy theories.
AI chatbots are encouraging conspiracy theories – new research
If you interact with chatbots about conspiracy theories, research shows you can can easily fall down the rabbit hole.
theconversation.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:40 AM
PhD researcher Kate FitzGerald has a new article out in The Conversation today looking at generative AI chatbots and conspiracy theories.
We are very proud of the incredible people and culture that we have at the Digital Media Research Centre. We are celebrating our 10 year anniversary this year, including a podcast episode from some of the people that made it happen.
open.spotify.com/epi...
We hope you enjoy listening!
open.spotify.com/epi...
We hope you enjoy listening!
The DMRC, 10 Years On (Or: How to Build a Research Centre)
Read Them Sideways · Episode
open.spotify.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:33 AM
We are very proud of the incredible people and culture that we have at the Digital Media Research Centre. We are celebrating our 10 year anniversary this year, including a podcast episode from some of the people that made it happen.
open.spotify.com/epi...
We hope you enjoy listening!
open.spotify.com/epi...
We hope you enjoy listening!
Congratulations to DMRC investigator Ehsan Dehghan (@essideh.com) and colleagues across Australia for their 2026 Discovery Project! This project examines the public sphere responses and domestic divides caused by foreign conflicts, to find what fosters or hinders deliberation across difference.
November 19, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Congratulations to DMRC investigator Ehsan Dehghan (@essideh.com) and colleagues across Australia for their 2026 Discovery Project! This project examines the public sphere responses and domestic divides caused by foreign conflicts, to find what fosters or hinders deliberation across difference.
The full Summer School programme is ready to go! Please register before the 19th of December to join us for a packed week of learning and collaboration. ☀️📚 #dmrcss26
😲 Ooooh, the full programme for the @qutdmrc.bsky.social Summer School 2026 is out now, and it's full of sciencey goodness. If you were still on the fence about signing up, you have until 19 Dec. to do so. ⌛
The Summer School dates are 2-6 Feb. 2026. #dmrcss26
research.qut.edu.au/...
The Summer School dates are 2-6 Feb. 2026. #dmrcss26
research.qut.edu.au/...
November 17, 2025 at 4:48 AM
The full Summer School programme is ready to go! Please register before the 19th of December to join us for a packed week of learning and collaboration. ☀️📚 #dmrcss26