Short Abstract:

While we are still immersed in the joy of cyberspace’s openness, the presence of AI and algorithms on social media platforms haunts our research like ghosts. This panel will discuss how these 'ghosts' affect online ethnographic methods and explore the unseen forces shaping our digital interactions.

Long Abstract:

Current internet trends are reshaping the landscape of anthropological research, expanding the traditional boundaries of ethnographic fieldwork into the virtual realms of cyberspace. Social media platforms, where individuals actively and passively generate content, now serve as a rich tapestry for ethnographic storytelling. The democratizing potential of the internet has provided anthropologists with unprecedented access to marginalized communities that have often been out of reach through conventional methods.

But has this truly realized our pursuit of equality and diversity? It seems not. AI and algorithms, as the invisible architects of digital platforms, have become the ghosts that digital ethnographers cannot escape. However, this very intangible and ghostly presence may be having a profound impact on us. Do these algorithms shape our choice of research subjects, subtly influencing our academic pursuits? Are our digital interactions truly with human subjects, or are we dancing with AI-driven constructs? What are the implications of AI and algorithms on the equity and conduct of online ethnographies? Do they have an impact on the production, writing/ unwriting of online ethnography?

This panel aims to scrutinize the impact of AI and algorithms on our digital research endeavors. Especially the impact on writing/unwriting within ethnographic work. We seek to contribute to the evolving discourse on online ethnography in the digital age.

We strongly advocate for interdisciplinary dialogue and invite anthropologists, sociologists, ethnologist, ethnographer, technologists, and other scholars to join this conversation. We particularly encourage the sharing of authentic research experiences, fostering a collaborative exploration of the digital ethnographic frontier.

This Panel has so far received 2 paper proposal(s).
Propose paper