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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: The Opportunities, Challenges and the Mitigation Strategies of the Young Indigenous Social Media Users of the Chitagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh

Ishmam Bin Rofi et al.

Yokohama, Japan: CHI ’25, April 26–May 01, 2025 (2025), 22 pp.

"The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh is home to numerous Indigenous ethnic communities, and their languages, rituals, and values are distinct from those of the mainstream population. These diferences, coupled with the past eight decades of turbulent political history, have contributed to ... more

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Disinterested and Disillusioned? Information and Political Engagement Practices of Young People From Disadvantaged Backgrounds

Leonie Wunderlich

Youth & Society (2025), 22 pp.

"Inequalities in news use and political participation exist among young people from (dis-)advantaged backgrounds which challenge the idea of informed citizens that can participate in democratic processes. Relating to self-actualizing (AC) and dutiful (DC) citizen identity paradigms and performative ... more

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Intercultural communication competence and classroom interaction among teachers and students in a tertiary institution in Timor Leste: Building an enhanced model and policy framenwork

Kasmir Nema

Los Baños: University of the Philippines Los Baños, Doctoral Thesis (2024), xiii, 391 pp.

"This study examined the Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC) of teachers and students at a Catholic school in Timor Leste using Zhong et al.'s (2013) developmental model. Employing a mixed-methods design, data were collected via the ICC Self-Rating Scale (ICCRS) survey, focus group discussi ... more

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Connected Resilience: Gendered Experiences of Meaningful Connectivity through a Global Pandemic

Ingrid Brudvig, Sonia Jorge, Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u

Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (2024), 57 pp.

"Looking at patterns between those with meaningful connectivity — defined as having daily internet use with 4G-like speeds, owning a smartphone, and an unlimited access point at home, work, or a place of study — and those with just basic or no internet access at all, we saw key distinctions betw ... een women based on geography and education in our study sample which impacted their experiences of the internet. Across our six survey countries [Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ghana, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda], women with a tertiary education were nearly twice as likely to be meaningfully connected compared to their peers with less education. Women living in rural areas were three times more likely to lack internet access than their urban-dwelling peers, while women living in cities were over 50% more likely to have meaningful connectivity. Meaningful connectivity enabled women around the world to learn, earn, access government and financial services, and connect with family and communities, thereby also saving essential time and money in transport costs. Women’s educational level and having meaningful connectivity are the strongest predictors of finding information online or participating in the digital economy. Women int erviewed in underserved localities — such as remote villaes in India and impoverished urban settlements in Nigeria — reported restricted digital access due to: lack of infrastructure (such as mobile towers); high cost of devices and data services; income-generating activities and unpaid care work leave little to no time available to access connectivity or digital skills educational initiatives; dependency on men in their family to use devices [...] We propose four tiers of achievable solutions — and call attention to policymakers, investors, and the ICT sector at large to fast-track meaningful connectivity and inclusive digital development for all: 1. Deep investments that use substantial resourcing to make profound changes in a specific policy area or for a specific community. Universal Service and Access Funds (USAFs) represent a key mechanism across the majority world for deep investment strategies. When well executed, they provide clear interventions with measurable changes in the lives of affected communities. 2. Grand visions that combine years of effort with substantial funding resources to revolutionize the status quo. National broadband plans and other key strategy documents — when appropriately supported and resourced through implementation stages — represent a core example of grand visions within this space. 3. Easy wins that are comparatively discreet and specific changes that can still create tangible value at their scale. Gender data — collecting it, creating it, analyzing it, and using it — is a critical component to several easy wins that have been implemented in recent years. Policymakers can start from this level of research and measurement to make clear steps in the right direction. 4. Scalable systems that represent large, programmatic change in the pre-existing ways of working. Multistakeholder approaches and gender targets can provide the foundation for long-term, ongoing processes that scale progress towards closing the gender digital divide. By using policy and regulation to create mechanisms and procedures that consider digital inclusion, policymakers can build habits and routines that gradually and consistently change the course of history." (Executive summary, pages 2-4) more

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Influence of Malawi's Cybersecurity Act 2016 on Online Evangelisation among Young Catholics in Blantyre

Frank Mwinganyama

Nairobi: Daystar University, Master Thesis (2024), xi, 89 pp.

"The youth are ardent users of digital media and there is no much difference between virtual and real life for them. So, the Catholic Church has persistently invited the faithful, especially the youth who are the true natives of the digital world, to adopt online platforms for evangelization. Concer ... ns, however, arise from cyber security issues which are part of the online experiences of the users of digital technologies. The prevalence of abuses of digital technology generated a need for legislation to foster a safe environment for those who use online platforms. Malawi’s Electronic Transactions and Cybersecurity Act 2016 is one such legislation aimed at creating a free and safe online environment. Nevertheless, concerns arise regarding the influence and relevance of this Act in Malawi, with certain sections blaming its application for curtailing freedom of expression online. This study sought to investigate the influence of Malawi’s Cybersecurity Act 2016 on online evangelisation among young Catholics in Blantyre. The study had three objectives. First, to explore the motivations and experiences of young Catholics in Blantyre as they engage in online evangelisation. Secondly, to investigate the influence of Malawi’s Cybersecurity Act 2016 on online evangelisation efforts by young Catholics. Thirdly, to assess the perceptions of young Catholics regarding the relevance of Malawi’s Cybersecurity Act 2016 in fostering safe online evangelisation. The researcher employed two theories; Diffusion of Innovation and the Chilling Effects theory of social conformity to rigorously explore the purpose of the study. Participants in this study were purposively sampled and four focus group discussions (FDGs) comprising five and seven participants were chosen for the study. The findings have revealed that there is a significant presence of the youth online platforms that are adopting online evangelisation. It also discovered that there are chilling effects resulting from the political weaponisation of the cyber laws contained in the Act. Consequently, the relevance of the Act in fostering a safe environment was questioned as it is compromised. The researcher recommended further research on other demographics and using different research methods may give a more comprehensive picture of the influence of cyber law on online evangelisation." (Abstract) more

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Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA): Ghana

Reyn Anderson, Yaroslav Eferin, Kate Gromova, Vlad Manoil, Victor Teppeh

USAID, Digital Frontiers Project, external version (2024), 149 pp.

"Ghana is among Sub-Saharan Africa’s leaders in digital transformation. Over the past decade, the government has put the key institutions, legislative frameworks, strategies, and policies in place that are necessary to drive change. The Ministry of Communications and Digitalization leads and coord ... inates development and implementation of a core set of policies and strategies that are digitally transforming the government, economy, and society. The ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) Policy has guided this journey for more than a decade. A new Digital Economy Policy is drafted and under review to drive the next stage of Ghana’s digital development. The National Financial Inclusion and Development Strategy and the National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy have also been key. Ghana adopted an inclusive approach to developing its cybersecurity strategy, which contributed to improved cybersecurity capacity and considered citizens’ online safety and freedoms. However, a clear strategy for protecting critical national infrastructure is missing. Ghana has been a pioneer and champion of digital government transformation in West Africa over the past decade, with funding and support from the World Bank. Important whole-of-government platforms and services have been put in place, including the Government Wide Area Network (GWAN), which provides internet connection to more than 1,000 district assemblies, hospitals, police stations, and post offices across the country; a National Data Center; the Smart workplace suite, which includes email and productivity tools for government employees; and Ghana.gov portal, a one-stop-shop for citizen services. Still, digital government transformation is incomplete. Easy, efficient, online government services are in demand, but the Ghana.gov portal options are limited, and most major government service providers have their own separate online services portals. The national identity Ghana Card could enhance digital service delivery by providing a universally recognized, secure, and easy-to-use means of digital identification and authentication for citizens when accessing both public and private digital services, but the current identification system is not integrated with other government-operated databases, significantly reducing its many potential applications. The Regional Coordinating Councils, and metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs) are just now embarking on the digital transformation journey. The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development coordinates their efforts. Challenges for Ghana’s remaining efforts at digital government transformation include adequate funding to manage and maintain its connectivity and data center infrastructure, affordable internet for regional governments, inadequate digital literacy and skills among mid-level and regional staff, or related national training programs. A big skill gap exists in cybersecurity; Ghana faces a deficit of skilled cybersecurity professionals. The government also needs to improve efforts at stakeholder engagement and awareness-raising when developing new policy proposals." (Executive summary, pages 11-12) more

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Understanding Homeless Media: A Study on Social Media Based Informal Local News in Five Indonesian Cities

Geger Riyanto et al.

Remotivi;Internews (2024), 107 pp.

"Homeless media refers to news outlets that initially distributed information solely through social media, with the majority of them now based on Instagram. Nowadays, as our findings suggest, homeless media outlets have emerged as an important source of local news, referred to for their quick update ... and locally relevant content. Using content analysis of their news, interviews with homeless media founders and personnel, and discussions with media audiences, this study attempts to understand their emergence and dynamics, how they are positioned among other actors in the contemporary Indonesian media landscape, and their prospects and issues. [...] The following are the main findings of this study: • Homeless media outlets are mostly run informally, with only a few employees. Only one from nine we interviewed is registered as a media entity, and that was only after years of operation. There are two homeless media outlets that are only managed by one person. Others are mostly managed by two to five people. They may hire more on occasion if they need to create higher-quality content, such as endorsements. • Four homeless media outlets we interviewed began as something entirely different, such as hobby, community, or paid Instagram promotion pages. They changed course after noticing increased engagement by providing local news, as well as citizens voluntarily sending them newsworthy incidents to be published. • As the majority of homeless media outlets are not legally registered as a media entity, this raises concerns about governance among government officials and journalists. However, our homeless media interlocutors stated that they have implemented an internal code of conduct, particularly in terms of filtering misinformation. • The informality of homeless media outlets provides them with advantageous flexibility, allowing them to respond to audience submissions or circulating internet content while making quick decisions about what content to publish. • The most engaging content on homeless media is related to crime, followed by city facts, eccentric citizen behavior, city romantization, commotion among citizens, and accidents; however, they most frequently post about shopping/service recommendations, government policies, crime, culinary recommendations, and city facts. • Homeless media outlets provide impressively specific and local news to their audiences immediately after it occurs, thanks to audience submissions and the circulating local social media content. They function as an effective local information hub. • Nonetheless, because homeless media outlets rely on social media as a publishing platform and distribution channel, losing their accounts, whether due to a social media ban or hacking, can pose a significant risk to their operations. Our interlocutors have no plans to mitigate the risk. This happened to another account managed by @merapi_uncover personnel, and they were unable to do anything about it. • Many of our audience interlocutors admit to being first exposed to local news through homeless media, and they actively use homeless media outlets to learn about recent events in their community, such as incidents they witnessed or traffic jams. • Homeless media’s most engaging content—city facts and romantization—evokes a sense of connection between the audience and their city. • Although not all, homeless media outlets may become participatory spaces, with citizens using them to draw attention to incidents or public issues, or to respond to other posts. [...]" (Executive summary, pages 3-5) more

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News Under Siege: The Impact of COVID-19 on Journalists in Pakistan with Focus on AJK and GB

Syed Mubashar Hussain Shah, Babar Hussain Shah

International Journal of Kashmir Studies, volume 6, issue 1 (2024), pp. 205-233

"This study investigates the experiences of journalists during COVID-19 pandemic from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) through a series of focus group discussions (FGDs). The research aims to develop strategies for enhancing journalists' capabilities and well-being in anticipat ... more

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Genre, journalisme et pouvir: Rôle des femmes journalistes dans les salles de rédaction d'Afrique francophone

Catherine Gicheru, Khady Sakho (eds.)

Africa Women Journalism Project (AWJP);International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) (2024), 66 pp.

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Unveiling journalistic resilience: A blueprint for future crises

Syed Mubashar Hussain Shah, Babar Hussain Shah

Journalism (2024), [no pag.]

"This research article presents an examination of the findings and recommendations drawn from a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) with senior journalists. The main aim was to develop a strategy to safeguard the skills and well-being of journalists in the face of potential future pandemics or ... more

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Crisis under the coup: Gender-based discrimination, violence and sexual harassment against Myanmar women media professionals

Myanmar Women in Media (2024), 19 pp.

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Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA): Bangladesh

Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, Raiyan Kabir, Connor Mackenzie, Olga Morawczynski

USAID, Digital Frontiers Project (2023), 116 pp.

"The Bangladesh Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA) report presents the findings and recommendations of the Bangladesh DECA. It outlines the key aspects of Bangladesh's digital ecosystem and provides 10 recommendations for creating a more inclusive, safe, and enabling environment. Guided by ... three USAID/Bangladesh priorities, which include i ) improved democratic systems that promote transparency, accountability, and integrity; ii) enhanced opportunities for an inclusive, healthy, educated society, and a robust economy; and iii) strengthened resilience to shocks and stressors, the DECA process included desk research, consultations with USAID/Bangladesh technical offices, and 81 key informant interviews with stakeholders from civil society, academia, and the private and public sectors. Key findings include: Bangladesh’s digital ecosystem has steadily evolved over the last decade; the Government of Bangladesh (GoB)'s Vision 2021 and Vision 2041 underscore the importance of Digital Bangladesh and have been drivers for digital transformation across the country. However, undefined roadmaps and uneven knowledge of digitalization among government officials undermine GoB’s efforts; limited digital literacy is a key barrier across all aspects of the ecosystem; connectivity is affected by poor quality of services and lack of affordable data; a growing ecosystem of locally relevant content is key to closing the usage gap; barriers in terms of funding and understanding user needs remain; Bangladesh ranks Number One in South Asia on the e-government academy’s National Cybersecurity Index (NCSI) in terms of the availability of necessary laws and policy, but there is significant room for improvement when it comes to the strength of implementation across the ecosystem; misinformation and disinformation are widespread in the digital sphere; mobile financial services are expansive in Bangladesh and increasingly inclusive; e-commerce and the tech startup environment have grown quickly due to an increase in international and domestic investments and an active private sector; an expansive digital talent pool exists, but they are not trained to their fullest potential, hindering their income potential and Bangladesh’s growth trajectory." (https://www.usaid.gov/digital-development) more

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Vernacular Radio and the Practice of Resistance: Community Radio as a Cultural Tool to Engage on Health and Social Identities Among Marginalized Communities in Ghana

Emmanuel Essel, Eliza Govender

Journal of Radio & Audio Media, volume 30, issue 1 (2023), pp. 99-118

"This article explores how local values and social identities can be integrated into Ghana’s formal COVID-19 public health communication interventions using community radio. The study adopted a qualitative approach using focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and reflexive thematic analysis ... more

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Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA): El Salvador

Raiyan Kabir, Iris Palma, Peter Johnson

USAID, Digital Frontiers Project (2023), 90 pp.

"The El Salvador Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA) report presents the findings and recommendations of the El Salvador DECA. It outlines the key aspects of El Salvador’s digital ecosystem and provides 10 recommendations for creating a more inclusive, safe, and enabling environment. Guide ... more

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‘It is Guiding Us to Protect Ourselves’: A Qualitative Investigation Into Why Young People Engage with a Mass-Media HIV Education Campaign

Venetia Baker, Sarah Mulwa, Sophie Sarrassat, David Khanyile, Simon Cousens, Cherie Cawood, Isolde Birdthistle

Culture, Health & Sexuality, volume 25, issue 7 (2023), pp. 803-817

"This study explores how and why young people engage with MTV Shuga, a popular mass media campaign in South Africa, to understand what makes effective HIV edutainment. Young MTV Shuga viewers from the Eastern Cape, South Africa and their parents participated in remote individual interviews and focus ... more

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"Verständlicher, nicht so politisch": Einblicke in die Bedürfnisse und Nutzungspraktiken gering informationsorientierter junger Menschen

Leonie Wunderlich, Sascha Hölig

Hamburg: Hans-Bredow-Institut (2023), 53 pp.

"Unter Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen gibt es eine zunehmend große Gruppe, die ein geringes Interesse am aktuellen Weltgeschehen hat, kaum Informationsangebote etablierter Medien nutzt und mit journalistischen Angeboten entsprechend kaum noch erreicht werden kann: die gering Informationsorient ... ierten, im Folgenden kurz GIO genannt. Junge Menschen, die sich diesem Informationstyp zuordnen lassen, haben in der Regel eine niedrige formale Bildung und oft einen Migrationshintergrund. Da bislang allerdings wenige (vor allem qualitative) Befunde dazu vorliegen, was diese jungen Menschen – neben soziodemografischen Merkmalen – auszeichnet, bestand das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie darin, ihre Informationsbedürfnisse, Nutzungspraktiken und Einstellungen genauer zu beleuchten. Hierzu wurden im Sommer 2023 in vier Großstädten in Deutschland zehn Fokusgruppen (n=46) mit solchen Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen durchgeführt, die sich aufgrund ausgewählter soziodemografischer Merkmale der Gruppe der GIO zurechnen lassen. Die Fokusgruppen fanden in den Städten Hamburg, Bottrop (Nordrhein-Westfalen), Dresden (Sachsen) und Nürnberg (Bayern) statt. Im Folgenden werden die wichtigsten Ergebnisse zusammenfassend dargestellt. • Das allgemeine Bedürfnis, über das aktuelle Weltgeschehen Bescheid zu wissen und sich dementsprechend aktiv zu informieren, ist in der untersuchten Gruppe sehr gering ausgeprägt. Das hängt zum einen mit einer wahrgenommenen Distanz zu „typischen“ politikbezogenen Nachrichtenthemen zusammen; zum anderen damit, dass die Teilnehmenden in soziale Gruppen und Gefüge eingebunden sind, in denen es kaum relevant ist, Bescheid zu wissen. • Nichtsdestotrotz gibt es gesellschaftlich relevante Themen, mit denen sich die Teilnehmenden beschäftigen und die sie in der Freundesgruppe besprechen. Ausschlaggebend sind dabei persönliche Berührungspunkte; Themen müssen die eigene Person und Identität (Religion, Herkunft und Interessen) oder das engste Familien- und Freundesumfeld betreffen. • Den Bedürfnissen entsprechend lassen sich die Nutzungspraktiken der befragten Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen als beiläufige, passive und nahezu exklusive Informationsaufnahme im Kontext der Nutzung sozialer Medien – allen voran TikTok, YouTube und Instagram – zusammenfassen. Das Wissen über aktuelle Ereignisse basiert auf zufälligen Nachrichtenkontakten, die im Zusammenspiel mit dem Algorithmus der jeweiligen Plattform entstehen. Eine gezielte Informationssuche findet nur anlassbezogen und in der Regel mittels einer Google-Suche statt. • Gering Informationsorientierte haben ein schmales Informationsrepertoire, zu dem kaum journalistische Angebote zählen und auch nicht ergänzend hinzugezogen werden; vielmehr haben einzelne Social Media Content Creator wie Herr Anwalt oder Rezo die Rolle als Informationsquelle eingenommen, da diese a) die richtigen Themen, auf b) die richtige – neutrale – Art mit c) der entsprechenden unterhaltenden Darstellungsweise behandeln und d) als vertrauenswürdig wahrgenommen werden, wodurch sie e) das Interesse von jungen Leuten wecken. Allgemein präferieren die Befragten visuelle Formate, die den über TikTok kultivierten Konsumgewohnheiten sowie ihren impulsgesteuerten Nutzungspraktiken gerecht werden. • Trotz der großen Relevanz und Beliebtheit von TikTok und anderen Plattformen wird deutlich, dass diese für die Teilnehmenden ein schwierig zu navigierendes und unsicheres Informationsumfeld darstellen. Dies liegt zum einen am überwiegend negativen und „toxischen“ Content, der dort verbreitet wird. Zum anderen führen sowohl „Fake-Accounts“ als auch „Fake-Inhalte“ zu Unsicherheiten und in der Konsequenz zu fehlendem Vertrauen in die Inhalte in sozialen Medien allgemein – eine Differenzierung nach Accounttyp bzw. Absender wird dabei oftmals nicht getroffen." (Überblick über die wichtigsten Ergebnisse, S.5) more

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Communicating the Sacred in Religious Advertising in Light of the Mediatization of Religion Theory and Research on Digital Religion

Krzystof Stepniak

Church, Communication and Culture, volume 8, issue 2 (2023), pp. 285-307

"The main research problem of the article is the communication of the sacred in the Catholic Church in light of the theory of mediatization of religion and research on religion in the era of digital media. Communicating the sacred takes place through various channels and in various ways. One of its ... more

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Digital fit: Influencia de las redes sociales en la alimentación y en el aspecto físico de los menores

Madrid: Fundación MAPFRE;UNIR (2023), 41 pp.

"Las conclusiones generales y aplicables a toda la muestra, independientemente de su edad, sexo y comunidad autónoma, son: 1. TikTok se posiciona como la red social en donde los menores siguen a más influencers, seguida de YouTube e Instagram. 2. El tipo de influencer más seguido son los gamers, ... more

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Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA): Guatemala

Liliana Fernandez, Julio Herrera, Sergio Martinez, Susannah Horton

USAID, Digital Frontiers Project (2023), 112 pp.

"The Guatemala DECA report presents the findings and recommendations of the Guatemala DECA. It outlines the key aspects of Guatemala’s digital ecosystem and provides nine recommendations for creating a more inclusive, safe, and enabling environment. Guided by USAID/Guatemala priorities: i) partner ... more

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Terror without training: First-hand experiences of student journalists covering the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings

Karen Neill

Journal of Applied Journalism & Media Studies (2023), [no pag.]

"In 2019, 51 people were killed in terror attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, a city on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand with a population of around 400,000 people. It was the deadliest mass shooting in the country’s history and the first terror attack of its kind on home soil ... more