Farewell!

This is my last week as a postdoc with the SMC, so I thought I’d write a little something to mark the occasion. It’s been a brilliant two years since completing my PhD, I’ve met some wonderful people and have managed to consolidate my research agenda into something vaguely coherent. During my time here, I …

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SMC internship for the spring: on platforms / news / communities / moderation

I’m thrilled that I get to seek an additional SMC intern this year, for the spring of 2022. This would be a 12-week paid internship, like our summer gig, but running approximately March-May. Please consider applying if you want to work with me on issues around social media platforms, news curation, user communities, toxicity, or …

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Call for Papers: JCMC Special Issue on Technology and the Future of Work!

Nancy Baym and SMC alum Ifeoma Ajunwa are guest editing a special issue of the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication! They welcome submissions from the extended SMC network. See the call for papers below: JCMC Special Issue: Technology and the Future of Work Guest Editors:Nancy Baym, Microsoft Research  Ifeoma Ajunwa, University of North Carolina Nicole Ellison, …

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new essay by Elizabeth Fetterolf: “It’s Crowded at the Bottom: Trust, Visibility, and Search Algorithms on Care.com”

We're excited to share a new publication from Elizabeth Fetterolf, on how care workers perform their trustworthiness, and how platform algorithms grant them different kinds of visibility. Elizabeth is currently the research assistant for the Social Media Collective, having recently completed their M.Sc. in Sociology at the University of Oxford. "It's Crowded at the Bottom: …

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Internship opportunity: Social Media Collective (MSR New England)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 11, 2022 APPLICATION LINK: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/job/1187754/Research-Intern-Social-Media-Collective Microsoft Research New England, part of the global network of Microsoft Research Labs, is looking for advanced PhD students to join the Social Media Collective (SMC) for its 12-week internship program. The Social Media Collective brings together empirical and critical perspectives to understand the political and cultural dynamics …

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Internship opportunity: Sociotechnical Infrastructures (MSR New York City)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 11, 2022 APPLICATION LINK: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/job/1187968/Research-Intern-Sociotechnical-Infrastructures Microsoft Research NYC is looking for an advanced PhD student to conduct an original research project on a topic under the rubric of “sociotechnical infrastructures.” MSR internships provide PhD students with an opportunity to work on an independent research project that advances their intellectual development while collaborating …

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SMC goes to AoIR: talks to look out for

This year at the Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) 22nd annual meeting, current SMC members and alumnae have some fantastic papers around the 2021 theme: independence.  Everything is virtual this year, which means you have until December 15th to watch these incredible talks online! Registration is free for AoIR members – you can register here to be able to view the videos. And this …

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SMC goes to 4S: a list of panels to look out for

Given the overwhelming SMC presence at the 2021 Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) annual meeting, we thought we’d assemble a list of panels chaired by, organized by, and featuring SMC members and alums. Tune in on October 6th - 9th to hear a wide range of presentations on topics such as dead and dying platforms, “caring” for data, the sexual politics of the polygraph, “Green …

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SMC alumnae – the comprehensive book list

Inspired by a burst of new, exciting books from some of our past postdocs and interns, we thought we’d pull all the books from our SMC alums together in one place. What a list! The books presented here cover a wide range of topics and represent the SMC’s deep interest in the sociocultural histories, meanings, and implications of technology. Authors explore the consequences of algorithmic police surveillance, map …

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