{"title":"The platformization of emotions: Managing affective labor in platform-mediated game work","authors":"Ting He, Colin Agur","doi":"10.1177/14614448251338512","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251338512","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines the management of affective labor on E-Pal, a US-based gaming freelancer platform where gig workers provide companionship and intimacy to clients during gaming. Based on interviews with 27 workers, the research reveals that E-Pal prioritizes emotional connection over gaming skills. The platform uses authenticity expectations, performance evaluations, and gamification to regulate workers’ emotional interactions with customers. The findings also highlight how E-Pal’s algorithmic visibility disproportionately favors Asian and Latina female workers, reinforcing gender and racial stereotypes for economic gain. A tiered governance system rewards high-performing workers with greater agency and financial benefits, while lower-tier workers often experience precarity. This study also illustrates the toll of constant emotional availability, particularly for minority groups and non-US workers who face physical and mental health challenges without adequate institutional support.","PeriodicalId":19149,"journal":{"name":"New Media & Society","volume":"62 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144104537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Radicalization or relief: Divergent impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on incels by seniority","authors":"Lion Wedel, Linda Coufal","doi":"10.1177/14614448251336432","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251336432","url":null,"abstract":"Incels (involuntary celibates) base their identity on the inability to form romantic relationships. We conceptualize the ideology promoted by incels as misogynist extremism and explore the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown on the radicalization of this online community. Based on computational measures, we conducted a multi-perspective exploration, comparing the prevalence of and participation in threads dealing with extremism, ideology and mental health on the incels.is forum between pre-lockdown, lockdown and post-lockdown periods. We found evidence of long-term and temporary radicalization. Moreover, we found that, specifically, older forum members increasingly post in extremist-themed threads triggered by the lockdowns. Crucially, we show that activity on mental health–themed threads temporarily decreased during the lockdown. These findings indicate that real-world social isolation reduces mental health complaints among incels but, at the same time, exacerbates misogynist extremism among active community members.","PeriodicalId":19149,"journal":{"name":"New Media & Society","volume":"59 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144104538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cumulative disinformation through citation: Investigating the longitudinal construction of Sweden as the ‘rape capital’ of the world","authors":"Mathilda Åkerlund, Jesper Strömbäck","doi":"10.1177/14614448251336424","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251336424","url":null,"abstract":"Sweden has increasingly come into international far right focus, and digital media sites in the United States have proven especially active in spreading mis- and disinformative narratives about the country. Using social network analysis and descriptive statistics, we trace 776 links over a 27 year-period to understand how U.S. far-right media sites construct the idea of Sweden as ‘the rape capital’ of the world. The article makes several contributions as it pertains both to the technological and ideological functions of citing for digital far-right media. We highlight the (lack of) timeliness of sourcing, the role of mainstream sources for repurposing and amplification, and practices of exaggeration and pseudo-legitimisation. Against the backdrop of our findings, we suggest the need for approaching digital far-right media information practices as more complex and subtle than they have previously been conceived, and highlight the necessity to problematise misinformation as a label for misrepresentation in digital far-right media.","PeriodicalId":19149,"journal":{"name":"New Media & Society","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144114033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Riding the short video wave: Sense of agency in motion among young users on Douyin","authors":"Yi Xu, Jiahe Wang, Zili Chen","doi":"10.1177/14614448251338515","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251338515","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines how young <jats:italic>Douyin</jats:italic> users navigate algorithm-driven short video platforms, emphasizing their sense of agency (SoA) in shaping engagement strategies. Based on in-depth interviews with 25 users, we identified four engagement statuses—High SoA Use, Low SoA Use, High SoA Nonuse, and Low SoA Nonuse—and two strategic transitions: Disengagement and Reengagement. These transitions illustrate users’ reflective processes regarding past behaviors and highlight deliberate efforts to regain control over platform use. Our findings reveal a complex interplay between user autonomy and algorithmic influence, highlighting the psychological mechanisms underpinning user-driven adaptations. By exploring users’ psychological coping strategies, this study positions user agency as central to fostering sustainable interactions with algorithmic platforms. By advancing our understanding of algorithmic engagement, this research emphasizes user autonomy and offers actionable insights into strategic adaptations, digital wellness, and algorithmic literacy, suggesting the value of mindful social media use.","PeriodicalId":19149,"journal":{"name":"New Media & Society","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144104547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch, Lili R Romann, Isabella Witkowich, Jiayi Chen
{"title":"Exploring social media users’ experiences with algorithmic transparency cues","authors":"Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch, Lili R Romann, Isabella Witkowich, Jiayi Chen","doi":"10.1177/14614448251339493","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251339493","url":null,"abstract":"All mainstream social media platforms now use algorithms to display recommended content, and some (e.g. Instagram, LinkedIn) have started showing what we call <jats:italic>algorithmic transparency cues</jats:italic> about why certain posts are recommended. However, little is known about what cues users see on their own feeds and how they experience them. Thus, using an online survey ( <jats:italic>N</jats:italic> = 515) of adult U.S. social media users, we gathered data about two research questions: (1) What types of algorithmic cues users find in their own feeds, and (2) their experiences with algorithms and their transparency. Content analysis of user-submitted screenshots and cue descriptions shows that most transparency cues refer to users’ behaviors, behaviors of others in their network, and sponsored posts. Furthermore, open-ended responses indicate that users have critical opinions about algorithms, calling for greater algorithmic transparency on social media, and offering suggestions for researchers and platform designers moving forward.","PeriodicalId":19149,"journal":{"name":"New Media & Society","volume":"55 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144097162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Giulia Campaioli, Adriano Zamperini, Marta Cecchinato
{"title":"‘Now you’re home’: Awareness cues, rejection and post-digital safety on mobile dating apps","authors":"Giulia Campaioli, Adriano Zamperini, Marta Cecchinato","doi":"10.1177/14614448251336437","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251336437","url":null,"abstract":"Mobile dating apps (MDA) are popular for intimate encounters, but romantic rejection is common, and can drive surveillance using information from social media. Awareness cues convey digital information about others’ activities, but their link with rejection is underexplored. This study explores the uses of awareness cues in mobile dating applications (MDAs) in relation to rejection, social surveillance and post-digital safety. Using a 1-month diary study with eight participants of diverse gender and sexual identities, we identify a grammar of awareness cues that helps users interpret others’ intentions, manage relational uncertainty (e.g. ghosting) and navigate rejection. While awareness cues convey helpful information, they also expose users to social surveillance or even stalking. Since ‘incognito mode’ is a premium affordance on most MDAs, participants developed creative <jats:italic>invisibility strategies</jats:italic> to restrict access to social surveillance mechanisms.","PeriodicalId":19149,"journal":{"name":"New Media & Society","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144088258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Media coverage and public attention to “fake news”: The moderating role of economic conditions and market-oriented media systems","authors":"Andrea Ceron, Alessio Scopelliti","doi":"10.1177/14614448251339463","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251339463","url":null,"abstract":"Fake news represents a threat to our society since people can face unverified and sensational information. News media can play a crucial role in disclosing and correcting misinformation. This paper argues that higher media coverage can anticipate an increase in public attention to the issue of fake news. Such relationship can be moderated by the country’s economic conditions and by the type of media system. We provide an original dataset and perform regression models for panel data on 12 countries, spanning from January 2016 to December 2022. The results indicate that the public will pay higher attention to the issue of fake news when media coverage on these topics increases; during economic turmoil the positive association between media coverage and public attention is higher; furthermore, the role of media coverage is stronger in countries with public-backed media as state sponsorship of the media strengthens their agenda-setting power.","PeriodicalId":19149,"journal":{"name":"New Media & Society","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144088336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The interweaving functions of entertainment media: A cross-media study of Norwegian teens","authors":"Marika Lüders","doi":"10.1177/14614448251338492","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251338492","url":null,"abstract":"Media entertainment today extends beyond conventional formats like TV shows, music, films, video games, and books to include social media content. This article explores how teens integrate conventional and social media entertainment into their media repertoires, and how they reflect on the interrelations of different media in the context of their daily lives. Using Q-methodology and qualitative interviews, three entertainment repertoires are identified: legacy-oriented, gaming-oriented, and social media entertainment-oriented. Findings reveal that while teens across these repertoires have similar experiences of conventional media entertainment and social media entertainment, they differ in how they portray the value of these. The analysis further demonstrates the complementary nature of various forms of media entertainment. The interweaving functions of entertainment media relate to how content flows between different forms of media, and to how different media are entangled into daily life.","PeriodicalId":19149,"journal":{"name":"New Media & Society","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144088264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Visibility in the shadows: Tips in mainstream versus alternative streaming on Chaturbate","authors":"Emilija Jokubauskaitė, Stijn Peeters","doi":"10.1177/14614448251336422","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251336422","url":null,"abstract":"Webcam sex platforms represent an important sector of the creator economy. Yet, there is a great scarcity of research on revenue flows and performer income. To address this, we collected and analyzed a dataset comprising 2 weeks of tips received by performers on Chaturbate, a prominent camming platform. Our findings reveal that income is highly unevenly distributed, with only a small group of mostly female performers collecting earnings resembling a living wage. Countering the commonly held notion that algorithmic front-page visibility is the main indicator of performer “success,” we demonstrate that “alternative visibility” modes are sustainable and performers find their niche audiences. However, they often precariously rely on a few generous tippers, that is, “whales.” We conclude that while various pathways to financial success exist, performers remain reliant on platform affordances and audiences they have little control over.","PeriodicalId":19149,"journal":{"name":"New Media & Society","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144083178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Influencing for the greater good: Data mining of social media influencers’ social cause communication","authors":"Angie Lee, Te-Lin Doreen Chung, Olivia Johnson","doi":"10.1177/14614448251338499","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251338499","url":null,"abstract":"Recently, social media influencers have promoted social campaigns and movements, contributing to heightened interest and concern among the public about social causes. This study explores influencers’ social cause communication to understand message attributes, which may be catalysts in increasing public attention to the message and engagement in social causes. Data from Instagram were collected, and data mining with sentiment and semantic network analyses was conducted to discover the patterns of sentiments and themes used in influencers’ social cause communication. The results were then compared with the corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication framework proposed by a previous study. Influencers’ message contents comparable to effective CSR communication were found, as well as their distinct features (e.g. emotional expressions with sentimental words and product promotions). The study provides a foundational understanding of influencers’ communication practices, which may contribute to future research investigating the impacts of those message factors on public perceptions.","PeriodicalId":19149,"journal":{"name":"New Media & Society","volume":"75 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144083181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}