Virtual Sphere Research Articles

From killer bunnies to talking cupcakes: theorizing the diverse universe of virtual influencers

PurposeThis study aims to expand understanding of the diversity of virtual influencer forms by investigating their nonhuman-like, animal and graphic or cartoon variations.Design/methodology/approachA three-year multisite longitudinal netnography studied 174 virtual influencers and spanned ten social media platforms. Typological categories were constructed from the data set, focusing on 14 influencers located across quadrants. In-depth findings were then developed for eight illustrative cases.FindingsFindings deepen the knowledge of the virtual influencer sphere by highlighting diversity in human-like, nonhuman-like, imaginative and realistic forms. The authors postulate four types of virtual influencers: hyper-human, antihuman, pan-human and alter-human. These forms are linked to specific personalities and communication styles, addressing various consumer needs. Imaginatively represented virtual influencers may prompt audiences to reevaluate beliefs, values and behaviors. These findings challenge prior work’s focus on attractive, hyperreal and human-like virtual influencers, encouraging consideration of divergent types engaged in novel meaning-shaping activities and targeting different segments.Research limitations/implicationsThis research paves the way for consumer and marketing researchers and practitioners to broaden their representations of virtual influencers beyond the human-like, beyond the commercial and into new worlds of fantasy, imagination and posthuman possibility.Practical implicationsDifferent types of virtual influencers speak to diverse audiences and convey marketing messages in subtly different ways. Some forms of virtual influencers fit into roles like defiant voices, oppositional characters, activists, educators, entertainers and change leaders. As the universe of virtual influencers diversifies, this research opens new avenues of marketing for brands.Originality/valueThis study pioneers comprehensive qualitative research across the universe of virtual influencers and their communities, exploring links to popular culture. It offers connections between virtual influencer forms and communication strategies for marketers.

“What Flipping Right Does a Teacher Have to Say Being [LGBTQ+] is Okay?”: Understanding Twitter Discourse Around U.S. Anti-LGBTQIA+ Legislation

Amidst an explosion in anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation and hate crimes in the United States, this study examines public discourses around legislation that suppress LGBTQIA+ rights. We conducted a computer-assisted content analysis of 25,711 posts on Twitter (now called X) collected during the time when bans on youths’ access to gender-affirming care were beginning to proliferate across the country. We identified five topics: education, legislation, medical, Disney dispute, anti-LGBTQIA+ attacks, and assessed the sentiments and toxicity levels of each topic. Findings reveal a fractured virtual public sphere in which discussions about LGBTQIA+ rights are contentious and toxic. We found that education was the most salient topic—whether children should be taught about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools—and tweets on this topic were also the most toxic. Overwhelmingly, the tone of the tweets was negative, although this varied by the topic of the tweets. We discuss the implications of our findings for a healthy online public sphere.

Integration of Blogging and Children’s Television: Issues and Perspectives

The issue of integrating blogging practices into children’s television programs is considered as one of the factors for popularizing the latter among the younger generation. It is noted that children prefer entertaining online resources. It is shown that parents are concerned about their children’s immersion in the virtual sphere, the difficulty of controlling the information received, and the influence of popular bloggers on shaping children’s worldview. It is pointed out that resources for children under 13 are widely available on the Internet and television, while there are no such specialized resources for teenagers, particularly on central television. Meanwhile, the government has adopted a program document for the development of education for children and adolescents, in which a television channel for the latter could provide certain assistance. The author of the article proposes a working concept for a children’s television channel for teenagers, which integrates blogging practices. It is concluded that the synthesis of educational, developmental, and entertainment functions, involving child bloggers and the target audience in program development and hosting, organizing active feedback with the audience, and other factors will contribute to the channel’s success, provided there is government interest.

Lessons for expanding virtual mentoring in academic medical institutions: a qualitative study among senior mentors

BackgroundVirtual activities, hybrid work and virtual mentoring have become part of the ongoing milieu of academic medicine. As the shift to remote mentoring continues to evolve, it is now possible to adapt, refine, and improve tools to support thriving mentoring relationships that take place virtually. This study explores strategies for virtual mentoring as a cornerstone for effective training programs among senior mentors participating in an ongoing mentoring program.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study among prior and current participants of an ongoing “Mentoring the Mentors” program about key strategies for optimizing virtual mentoring. Data were coded and analyzed following a thematic analysis approach.ResultsRespondents were mostly female (62%), white (58%), and associate (39%) or full professors (32%). We found that, with the expansion of hybrid and fully remote work, there are now fewer opportunities for informal but important chance meetings between mentors and mentees; however, virtual mentoring provides opportunities to compensate for reduced interactivity normally experienced in the workplace. The heightened need to plan and be more deliberate in the virtual sphere was woven throughout narratives and was the foundation of most recommendations. Specifically, a central obstacle for respondents was that spontaneous conversations were harder to initiate because virtual conversations are expected to have set agendas.ConclusionsDeveloping new ways to maintain meaningful interpersonal relationships in a virtual training environment, including opportunities for serendipitous and informal engagement, is critical to the success of virtual mentoring programs.

The Impact of Fake News on Virtual Public Sphere

This research paper seeks to understand the impact of the phenomenon of fake news on the virtual public sphere. This is done through a review of a wide range of theoretical works and empirical research. In addition to reviewing the concept of fake news and the virtual public sphere.

ELECTRONIC DIGITAL VIRTUALIZATION IN CRIMINOLOGY: OBJECTS AND FORMS OF RESEARCH; CRIMINALISTIC SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE CRIMINAL PROCESS

The purpose of the study. The article analyzes the manifestations of electronic digital virtualization in criminology, which is reflected both in the expansion of the range of objects of its research, and in the emergence of new types and forms (methodological, hardware-man-made) research in this field. The results of forensic practice make it possible to counteract the criminalization of the electronic digital virtual sphere and become potentially and actually, after their appropriate regulatory and legal formalization, a source of new objective evidence in the fight against criminal manifestations in the electronic digital information and communication environment. Conclusions. Domestic criminology, in the process of a dynamic transition of society from the industrial stage of development to the information one, acquires innovative areas and objects of research, including and in a virtual environment, which is accompanied by the generation and implementation of types and forms of research with virtualization elements. The results of forensic research in a virtual environment should be guaranteed to be able to become a source of objective evidence in the domestic criminal process, which requires the dynamic development of the legislative framework in this area, which at present is very much limited only to the field of computer-technical expertise.

Rationalising the Digital Public Sphere

This paper explores the suitability of Jürgen Habermas' concepts about the rationality of communicative actions in relation to the Internet and social media. The paper investigates the contemporary digital realm, analysing whether it functions as an expansion of the public sphere classic conceptualised by Habermas, with the aim of improving the level of rational communication. To accomplish this, the paper analyses the characteristics of the digital era, exploring Habermas's stance on social media and contemporary media. The paper analyses Habermas's concepts about the rationality of communication and supports the arguments with relevant literature to investigate the impact of current communication tools, including the Internet and its applications, on enhancing the quality of rational discourse. In order to accomplish this, it is important to thoroughly examine the key subjects pertaining to Habermas's philosophy of communication and assess its relevance to the modern virtual public sphere.

“This Bra Protects me Better than the Military”: Bodies and Protests in the Myanmar Spring Revolution

This article explores the gendered dynamics of revolutionary movements through a focus on women’s bodies as tools of resistance and protest. In the Myanmar Spring Revolution, gendered relations of power articulate with military authority to engender both women’s activism and military responses. To maintain power, the Myanmar military have sought to regulate women’s behaviour – and quell the protest – through attention to women’s bodies, sexuality, and reproductive potential. In response, women activists have mobilised against both state control and the violation of women’s bodies in imaginative and transgressive ways, using their bodies as well as gendered artefacts to subvert patriarchal and military norms. This analysis shows how women’s bodies constitute both the material object of protest – in the virtual and physical spheres – and the subject of resistance, aiming to challenge gendered logics. It means that the gendered body must be taken seriously in studies on revolutions and protests. The integral yet historically overlooked role of women in Myanmar’s revolutionary movements necessitates a gender-conscious analytical lens to fully comprehend the transformative potential and the power dynamics of such upheavals.

Bringing Simulation-Based Education in Psychiatry Into the Virtual Sphere

Bringing Simulation-Based Education in Psychiatry Into the Virtual Sphere

Moving Beyond Official Cultural Diplomacy: Unleashing the Potential of Moroccan Students as Unofficial Cultural Ambassadors

Cultural diplomacy plays a pivotal role in international relations, enabling states to project their soft power and shape their global image. This paper explores the current state of Moroccan cultural diplomacy, highlighting the need to go beyond official approaches and embrace unofficial cultural diplomacy. While extensive research exists on official cultural diplomacy, little attention has been given to the contribution of Moroccan study-abroad students in bolstering their country's cultural diplomacy and soft power. More specifically, this paper argues that Morocco's cultural diplomacy is primarily politically oriented and institutionally based, relying heavily on the monarchy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The strategic utilization of Morocco's cultural and religious heritage and diaspora politics showcases the government's efforts to secure its regional and global influence. However, these initiatives are largely driven by official institutions and lack the involvement of ordinary citizens. By examining the limitations of official cultural diplomacy, this paper argues for the inclusion of Moroccan study-abroad students as unofficial ambassadors in the service of their country’s cultural diplomacy. Drawing inspiration from successful examples of unofficial diplomacy, this paper advocates for the active participation of Moroccan study-abroad students as unofficial cultural ambassadors. Their unique perspectives, connections, and grassroots status can offer valuable contributions that official diplomats may not possess. This research paper contends that Moroccan study-abroad students have many resources of power that qualify them to leverage their country’s cultural diplomacy. These resources are informality and grassroots engagement, volunteering and community service, and the power of the virtual sphere. By utilizing these power resources, these students have the potential to foster cross-cultural understanding, build relationships, and enhance Morocco's soft power. In conclusion, this paper highlights the need for a paradigm shift in Morocco's cultural diplomacy, advocating for a combination of both official and unofficial cultural diplomacies.

Design and numerical simulation of a 45 kWel multi-source high-flux solar simulator as a heating source of dielectric materials positioned in a microwave characterization cavity

This study reports the design and modelling of a high-flux solar simulator (HFSS) combined to a resonant cavity for microwave dielectric properties characterization of ceramics at very high temperatures. The HFSS comprises seven xenon arc lamps with ellipsoidal reflectors, delivering a maximal electrical power of 6.5 kWel each. Positioned on a virtual sphere of around 1600 mm radius, the lamps provide concentrated irradiation heating on a sample positioned inside the resonant cavity. The propagation of the lamp’s irradiation to the sample and the cavity is simulated using Monte Carlo ray tracing method. An ANSYS Fluent finite volume method for solving the resulting multimode heat transfer and flow indicate a radiative flux reaching 1.84 MW m−2, and a sample temperature of approximately 1470°C with 10 % non-uniformity. These results suggest that the designed heating system and resonant cavity is suitable for conducting microwave dielectric properties characterization of refracting ceramic materials at high temperatures, addressing a gap in studies focusing on temperatures exceeding 1000°C.

Social Media as a Virtual Public Sphere in Health Education: A Systematic Review from the Perspective of Habermas' Public Sphere Theory

Social media has become an important platform in health education. It allows individuals to connect and share information about health. However, no studies have systematically explored the role of social media as a virtual public space in health education. This systematic review aims to explore the role of social media as a virtual public sphere in health education, from the perspective of Habermas' public sphere theory. The review was conducted by searching for research articles published in reputable scientific journals between 2010 and 2023. The method used to write this article is a systematic literature review (SLR). The systematic literature review method used in this research is the PRISMA method. Article search, article extraction, and article classification using the Watase UAKE application. The article search was conducted online using two (2) database sources, namely Scopus (Q1-Q4) and Semantic Scholar. The review showed that social media has the potential to be an effective virtual public sphere in health education. This platform can be used to. Increase awareness and understanding of health Provide information and support for individuals in need, strengthen community participation in health education, However, social media also has some limitations in supporting health education. These limitations include: Disinformation and misinformation, Polarization of opinion Conflict of interest. In this review concludes that social media can be a valuable tool for health education. However, it is important to be aware of its limitations and take steps to overcome them.

VIRTUAL INTERACTION IN ONLINE ISLAMIC RECITATION

Covid 19 Pandemic restricts public sphere, and make a significant change in every sector of society life. Also in religious activity, include recitation activity for Moslem people. Since public restriction policy applied in Jakarta by the government, Majelis Taklim (MT) Tazkiyatun Nafs transform the recitation acktivity in to virtual sphere by using zoom application. The communication pattern also changes in to virtual interaction which meaning trough some process. The process consists of perception, role taking, and meaning of symbols in online recitation. This research uses qualitative approach with netnography method. The techniques of this research consist of file data, elicited data, dan field note. The results are perception process based on the interpretation of spiritual need and pandemic situation influence the action to participated in online recitation. The role taking reflected based on the participant interpretation in social structure. The meaning of symbols process influenced by role taking. For communicator the process occurred inside and outside virtual room, while for communicant the process occurred outside the virtual room.

Black Twitter and Digital Counterpublics in South Africa

The growth of technology has made the Internet an essential tool in society. Scholars have argued that the Internet supports a more deliberative democracy. However, scholars have also raised concerns about the role of the Internet in political matters. While scholars agree that the Internet has facilitated broader public discussion, in many regards, its ‘virtual public sphere’ still mirrors existing social structures. Twitter has become a common social media platform for many South Africans. This has led to a virtual community of Twitter users engaged in real-time discourses primarily related to Black South Africans. Black Twitter in South Africa is used for social, political, and economic motivations. This study argues for the practice of Black Twitter as a digital counterpublic in South Africa. The aim is to spotlight how black people in South Africa have used Black Twitter as a digital counterpublic for the marginalized groups within South Africa. The research will investigate the potential challenges and opportunities associated with Black Twitter functioning as a digital counterpublic. Utilizing digital ethnography, the study gathered a dataset of tweets from Black Twitter in 2022, focusing on those addressing social, political, and economic issues. More than 700,000 tweets were identified under these specific thematic hashtags.

Cross-sectional layout optimization of the umbilical based on the quasi-physical algorithm

Umbilical, as the lifeline of offshore oil and gas resources exploitation, is composed of a variety of functional components. Due to the differences in physical characteristics of components, the compactness, balance and heat source dispersion of different cross-sectional layouts are also different. So, a multi-objective optimization problem is often encountered. In present study, through a quasi-physical method, different functional components are abstracted as the virtual spheres with different properties lied on a funnel surface. A mathematical description is thereby established according to the interaction force of each two neighbored virtual spheres. Based on that, a new cross-sectional layout optimization formulation is proposed, and solved by using the quasi-physical algorithm. Considering the manufacturing and installation, a layered method is utilized to make the results more in line with the actual needs of the project. Finally, the optimization results of the method are verified by numerical simulation. The verification results show that the cross-sectional layout optimization method based on a quasi-physical algorithm can provide a useful reference for practical engineering design.

Temporalization and the Digital Vigilante: Past Presencing, Un/Doing Futures and “Jewish Revenge” as Affective Justice in Talia Lavin’s Culture Warlords

This paper examines the figure of the hate-fighting digital vigilante as embodied through Aryan Queen, an online persona developed and depicted by self-proclaimed antifa member Talia Lavin in her book Culture Warlords. One chapter in the 2020 memoir relays Lavin’s pursuits to elicit and make known identifying information of Der Stürmer, an anonymous white supremacist online hater. I first locate Lavin’s undertaking in the porous policy landscape regulating online hate transnationally to make a case for its value as an entry into the navigation of hate on Telegram, a platform that has become a popular enclave for hate, and one that remains otherwise impenetrable to state efforts at formal governance. I then introduce the digital vigilante as a cultural figure that has become increasingly distinguished from, but developed in relation to, the classical or analogue vigilante in academic literature, albeit with only limited attention paid to the seemingly boundless temporality that constitutes the virtual sphere. Attending to processes of temporalization, I argue, can well serve an analysis of the moral universe within which the digital vigilante operates, thereby enabling a critical engagement with the motivations, methods, and intentions of her justice pursuits online. With the support of anthropological theories of temporalization – namely, past presencing, un/doing futures, and affective justice – I show that justice pursuits by way of digital vigilantism for Lavin are entangled with an affective longing for revenge, and manifest a complex intermingling of open wounds from injustices that emerge from and produce entanglements of the past, present, and future.

Politics of phygital protests: Palestinian #GreatMarchofReturn discourse on Twitter

Twitter aids public discourse, hashtag activism and sociopolitical advocacy. In terms of Palestinian resistance discourse against Israel, the hashtag #GreatMarchofReturn represents a peaceful digital protest by the Palestinian refugees based in Gaza. We identified 13,000 tweets related to #GreatMarchofReturn, which we analysed using content analysis and descriptive analysis, followed by a visualization of the findings. We argue that hashtag activism facilitates the collective Palestinian protest discourse on Twitter about Israel’s oppressive diplomacies in Palestine. The activism endorses Palestinian nationalism and the mobilization of civilian rights. Moreover, the micro-blogging site becomes a significant platform for politicizing Israel’s punitive populism and subsequent subjugation of Palestinian refugees, especially in Gaza. The psycho-politics of phygital protests affects the socio-emotional mobilization of the Great March of Return in both virtual and physical public spheres.

Hate speech mainstreaming in the Greek virtual public sphere: A quantitative and qualitative approach

Abstract This study delves into the manifestation and characteristics of hate speech in the Greek online public sphere, specifically exploring its most prominent forms, namely racism, anti-immigrant sentiment, nationalism, sexism, and homophobia/transphobia. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods, the research analyzes popular Greek online news media. It aims to uncover the visibility and operational patterns of hate speech, addressing key questions about its prevalence and presentation on these platforms. Findings reveal the normalization of discriminatory speech, particularly sexism and nationalism, in the digital landscape. Moreover, distinct themes and linguistic elements associated with different forms of hate speech highlight the intertwined nature of these discriminatory expressions. This research sheds light on the pervasive nature of hate speech in Greece’s online realm, emphasizing its implications for democratic principles.

Building digital patient pathways for the management and treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) could yield new insights into the potential causes of multiple sclerosis (MS) and factors influencing its course as the use of AI opens new possibilities regarding the interpretation and use of big data from not only a cross-sectional, but also a longitudinal perspective. For each patient with MS, there is a vast amount of multimodal data being accumulated over time. But for the application of AI and related technologies, these data need to be available in a machine-readable format and need to be collected in a standardized and structured manner. Through the use of mobile electronic devices and the internet it has also become possible to provide healthcare services from remote and collect information on a patient's state of health outside of regular check-ups on site. Against this background, we argue that the concept of pathways in healthcare now could be applied to structure the collection of information across multiple devices and stakeholders in the virtual sphere, enabling us to exploit the full potential of AI technology by e.g., building digital twins. By going digital and using pathways, we can virtually link patients and their caregivers. Stakeholders then could rely on digital pathways for evidence-based guidance in the sequence of procedures and selection of therapy options based on advanced analytics supported by AI as well as for communication and education purposes. As far as we aware of, however, pathway modelling with respect to MS management and treatment has not been thoroughly investigated yet and still needs to be discussed. In this paper, we thus present our ideas for a modular-integrative framework for the development of digital patient pathways for MS treatment.

At the frontier of the metaverse: NFTs, artistic expression, and digital immersions

<strong><strong></strong></strong><p>This paper explores the multifaceted landscape of Non-Fungible Tokens beyond their role in digitizing artworks. It delves into the intersection of art, utility, and cultural preservation within the NFT realm. The discussion revolves around the duality of “art for art’s sake” and functional utility, sparking ongoing debates about the essence of art in both the analog and digital realms. The convergence of contemporary aesthetics with practical token utility challenges conventional definitions, offering an alternative to narrative retrieval and contributing to cultural preservation in the virtual sphere. As one enters the NFT ecosystem, a utopian quest for autonomy in healthy production becomes evident, albeit not without formidable obstacles. The paper examines the promise of NFTs to liberate creators from intermediary control and the entwined complexities accompanying their evolution. It sheds light on the cautious and ethical approach required for the mass adoption of these technologies, contrasting this with the current global context characterized by rampant consumerism, individualism, and the relentless pursuit of easy financial gains.<strong></strong></p>