Is social media still social? With the spread of content creation as a business, political strategy, and pastime across platforms, where is the space for sociality in social media? This panel examines the role of engagement farming, influencer culture, misinformation, disinformation, and AI in reshaping social media as a creator economy. In a digital landscape where we all serve as content creators and/or unwitting sources of valuable data, we explore whether social media is still a desirable avenue for forming and cultivating community, engaging in organizing strategies, or simply being social.

This event is open to the public, and we encourage all interested faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students to attend.

Advance registration is recommended. Register to attend on Zoom: https://myumi.ch/NrArW

Panelist information coming soon.

Meet the Moderator

Catherine Knight Steele is an educator, researcher, and award-winning author. She is the author of three books: Digital Black Feminism (NYU Press, 2021), Doing Black Digital Humanities with Radical Intentionality, and Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refusal, a collaborative project with the DISCO Network. She directs the Black Communication and Technology lab at the University of Maryland, where she is an Associate Professor of Communication. Her research focuses on race, gender, and media, with a specific emphasis on Black culture, discourse, and digital communication. Her latest project addresses critical questions about automation, AI, and their implications on our liberation.

We would like to thank the following cosponsors:

• Communication and Media

• Computer Science and Engineering Division

• Department of American Culture

• Department of English Language and Literature

• Department of Film, Television, and Media

• Department of Political Science

• Institute for the Humanities

• Multi Ethnic Student Affairs - MESA

• Program in Computing for Arts and Science

• School of Information

• Science, Technology & Society

• Science, Technology, and Public Policy (STPP) Program

• Trotter Multicultural Center

We want to make our events accessible to all participants. CART services will be provided. If you anticipate needing additional accommodations to participate or would like help filling out the RSVP form, please email Cherice Chan at chericec@umich.edu.