UofG hosts International Conference on Social Media & Society
Published: 9 July 2026
An international conference that puts the spotlight on social media and society will be hosted by the University of Glasgow.
Following the UK Government’s recent ban on social media for under-16s, an international conference that puts the spotlight on social media and society will take place this month at the University of Glasgow (13-15 July).
The International Conference on Social Media & Society is one of the first conferences on social media in the world, with a long-established reputation for shaping the future of social media research.
This year it is hosted by the Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy at the University of Glasgow, and co-organised by the Digital Cultures and Economies Research Hub at the University of the Arts London and the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of East Anglia.
The University of Glasgow was chosen to host the conference for its world-changing research that addresses societal implications of social media, algorithms, and AI. Its Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy has led research on intersection of technology and AI with inequalities, racial and environmental justice, and regulation and governance.
In addition, Glasgow’s ‘People Make Glasgow’ ethos aligns with the conference’s mission of fostering debates on social media that centres people and communities.
Dr Mark Wong, Conference Host Chair and Senior Lecturer of Social and Urban Policy at University of Glasgow, said: "Since social media existed, there has been extensive debates about the harmful designs of these platforms, including spreading misinformation, hate speech and discrimination, violence against women and girls, and far-reaching attacks on democracy and social justice. Now that the UK has joined other countries like Australia in introducing new measures to tackle online harm and unsafe content affecting children, the debate around social media has become even more heated.
"As the host chair of the conference, alongside Daniel Jordan in the host team, I’m excited to see the breadth of interdisciplinary research to be presented and discussed over three days in Glasgow. Tackling questions and critiques about technology, its impact on society and inequalities, and powers of tech and AI companies are more urgent than ever. Policymakers across the world are acknowledging, and some taking actions, against the ‘harmful by design’ nature of social media and AI, and the evidence about the harms have been mounting for over a decade. It is time to act.
"There is a place for technological innovation, but a different path must be possible and fairness and public concerns should be at the heart of its development. We as a society must demand better, fairer, and more ethical ways of developing technology."
Dr Zoetanya Sujon, Co-lead organiser and Chair of the International Conference on Social Media and Society, Reader in Communications and Social Technologies at the University of the Arts London, said: "#SMSociety is built upon community values, from enabling important critiques and insights to the complex intersections between social media, platforms and society to supporting scholars to share knowledge and thrive in their respective fields.
"When I first joined #SMSociety as an almost mid-career (but not quite) researcher, I was blown away not only by the quality of papers, but also by the vibrant and supportive community. While being competitive, poster, paper, and panel presenters are invited to submit their work to a special issue of Platforms and Society, a world leading and peer reviewed journal. In this, participants are engaged through every stage of the research publication process regardless of their career stage. For these reasons, #SMSociety has long been my favourite conference. I am honoured to further these traditions and community values in Glasgow this year, as well as in the future."
Dr Harry T. Dyer, Co-lead organiser and Chair of the International Conference on Social Media and Society, and Associate Professor of Education at the University of East Anglia, added: "This conference falls at a vital time for research exploring the social impacts of technology. The papers presented cover key debates about the biases and misinformation created by AI, the role of social media in shaping social and political engagement around the world, the rise and increasing mainstreaming of far-right hate online, and how algorithms impact our identities and education, amongst many other topics.
"We have seen a lot of changes in the social media landscape in the past few years, and increasing policy moves toward restricting social media for young people across the world. In this landscape it’s more vital than ever that we have robust independent research shaping the conversation. The work presented at SMSociety 2026 is a vital evidence base that policymakers and social media platforms should be drawing on as they make decisions that impact us all.
"It's also fitting that the conference is being hosted in Glasgow this year, as 2026 marks 100 years since John Logie Baird, who trained as an engineer in Glasgow, gave the world's first public demonstration of television. A century on from that moment, Glasgow is once again a fitting home for a conference asking how new media technologies are reshaping our society."
First published: 9 July 2026