From Passive Consumption to Critical Engagement: Rethinking Social Media in the Post-Truth Era

Mini Track Chair: Christiana Varda, UCLan Cyprus

We invite scholarly contributions that critically examine the evolving relationship between social media, information consumption, and societal trust. In an era often characterized by the diminishing role of gatekeepers, social media deregulation, and the proliferation AI-generated “slop”, concerns for online misinformation has heightened. The presence of online misinformation often serves a polarizing function, and can be amplified by social media algorithms in a bid to increase platform engagement. Understanding how individuals engage with digital content on social media, and how to best support critical engagement, is paramount. We seek proposals that explore the shift from passive reception of social media narratives to active, critical evaluation. One of the challenges of studying how people critically engage with online misinformation is concerned with the ecological validity of studies that take place in simulated contexts. Therefore methodological reflections on how to advance knowledge in this area are welcome. Additional topics include—but are not limited to—research on media literacy initiatives, the development of critical thinking skills in online environments, strategies for fostering responsible digital citizenship, and collective social media imaginaries (i.e., the shared beliefs and perceptions of what social media is and can be) for a critically engaged citizenry. We encourage interdisciplinary approaches from fields such as Communication Studies, Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, Education, and Computer Science. Contributions can be conceptual, empirical, methodological or can focus on practical interventions. The goal is to illuminate pathways toward a more informed and discerning public capable of navigating the complexities of the contemporary information landscape.  Topics may include, but are not limited to:

• The impact of AI-Generated Content on Critical Thinking and Trust
• Developing/Evaluating Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship Learning Interventions
• Cognitive Processes of Online Critical Evaluation on Social Media
• The Role of Gatekeepers and Regulation in Redefining Social Media’s Role
• Algorithmic Amplification and the Shaping of Social Media Imaginaries