Semarang, October 27, 2025 — The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Diponegoro University, strengthened its international academic collaboration by hosting Professor Nicholas Carah from the School of Communication and Arts, The University of Queensland, Australia, in the International Visiting Professor program. The event, held at the FISIP Theater Room, featured two key topics: “Publishing Interdisciplinary Articles on Reputable Journals” and “Social Media, Young People, and Algorithmic Culture.”
The event was officially opened by Dr. Teguh Yuwono, M.Pol.Admin, Dean of FISIP UNDIP, who highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary research in addressing academic and societal challenges in the digital era. He emphasized that such programs embody UNDIP’s commitment to internationalization and academic excellence.
In the first session, Prof. Carah introduced the Australian Internet Observatory, a social research institution that engages citizen scientists to donate digital data for research purposes. Through mechanisms such as data donation packages, screen recordings of online ads and news content, and web archiving of digital experiences, the Observatory examines how data collection and circulation shape contemporary social research.
The second session explored algorithmic culture and its influence on youth and social media behavior. Tracing the evolution of digital advertising models since 2012 — when Facebook first introduced ads in the News Feed, followed by Instagram and Lookalike Audiences in 2014 — Prof. Carah elaborated on the concept of “Tuning.” The term describes how algorithms dynamically adjust and optimize ad delivery and content based on users’ moods and interactions, reshaping digital communication patterns.
Moderated by Dr. Phil Nuriyatul Lailiyah from the Department of Communication, the event attracted lecturers, students, and researchers from across disciplines. Through this program, FISIP UNDIP reaffirmed its role as a globally connected faculty committed to research innovation and academic collaboration. (Muhammad Rif’at Al-Razi)
