Social media influencers (SMIs) have firmly established themselves as key players in the digital public sphere. Operating at the intersection of interpersonal and public communication, they navigate the tension between social relationships, knowledge transfer and economic logic. This multifaceted positioning means that SMIs cannot be viewed from a single perspective, but rather as actors embedded in relations within digital communication. This interactive panel addresses this issue, shedding light on various traditions within communication studies and incorporating audience contributions. The session begins with three keynote presentations (each lasting 5–7 minutes), which highlight key dimensions of SMI communication and reveal how these dimensions are intertwined by discussing SMIs as epistemic, relational and communicative actors. These presentations will then form the basis of a moderated fishbowl discussion. Key discussion points will be documented in the form of a map. The panel aims to contribute to the ongoing development of research on SMIs and digital communication.\nThe workshop can be conducted in English if desired. If all participants speak German, it will be held in German.

At the business meeting of the DGPuK Digital Communication Division, the division chairs and early-career representatives will report on current and past activities, provide updates on developments within the division and the DGPuK, and offer an outlook on upcoming events and initiatives. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to discuss members\' concerns, ideas, and perspectives.

Through this talk I make the argument for treating technology as architecture, I use this metaphor to trace the past 30 years of paths taken and research directions abandoned in studies of net-related technologies. Through reviewing our disciplinary path, I weave personal and public narratives to tell the story of a micro-discipline that invited the whole world to watch as it was evolving, and the directions that are still left for it as it continues to grow up. \n \nZizi Papacharissi is UIC Distinguished Professor of Communication and Political Science at the University of Illinois-Chicago and Department Head of Communication. Her work focuses on the social and political consequences of online media. She has published 12 books, over 80 journal articles and book chapters, and serves on the editorial board of fifteen journals. Zizi is the founding and current Editor of the open access journal Social Media & Society. She has collaborated with Apple, Facebook/Meta, Microsoft, Tencent, and Oculus, sits on the Committee on the Health and Well-Being of Young Adults, funded by the National Academies of Science, the National Research Council, and the Institute of Medicine in the US, and has been invited to lecture about her work on social media in several Universities and Research Institutes in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Her work has been translated in Greek, German, Korean, Chinese, Hungarian, Italian, Turkish, and Persian. Her latest books include After Democracy: Imagining our Political Future, Connective AI and the Routledge Companion on Digital Media and Democracy.

Current research in the digital sphere is challenged by the need to address complex and dynamic communication phenomena adequately within an agile research process. Throughout this process, legal requirements and research ethics must be considered in a flexible, context-sensitive way. So-called Ethical Decision-Making Models (EDMs) provide structured guidance for ethical reflection and decision-making. They all use an iterative approach to systematically reflect on a specific case and its context based on ethical principles, and to make concrete decisions regarding research ethics. This workshop provides an opportunity to reflect on these relationships using concrete case studies. The fundamentals of \"Internet Research Ethics\" and various EDMs will be introduced and applied to specific case studies. Additionally, specific qualitative or quantitative studies conducted by participants will be discussed. The workshop will focus on exchanging ideas about research ethics issues and potential solutions in the context of empirical research on digital media.\nThe workshop can be conducted in English if desired. If all participants speak German, it will be held in German.

This room can be used throughout the conference as a quiet space to take a short break or work. It is equipped with a large round table, several chairs, and electrical outlets.

As the DGPuK division “Digital Communication” celebrates its 30th anniversary, this session invites you to take a step back — and look sideways. Often, we view the field through the lens of our own research niche, potentially missing the rich, overlapping, and complementary work happening just beyond our immediate view. This big picture session brings together theoretical, methodological, and empirical perspectives on digital communication research — past, present, and future — to surface both common grounds and what we might be overlooking.\nTogether, we will explore where the field currently stands, identify blind spots, and discover emerging themes — while also revisiting established ones with fresh eyes. Whether you are just starting out or have been shaping the field for decades, this session offers a space to (re-)connect with (new) colleagues across career stages and generations and spark new ideas for collaborations.\nOpen to all interested in digital communication research, regardless of career stage. Conducted in English.