ZER. Journal of Communication Studies. (58)

"Representation and use of social media in television series”

Guest Editors: Víctor Hernández-Santaolalla, Javier Lozano-Delmar y Alberto Hermida

Submission deadline: March 14, 2025

This special issue will be published in the number 58 of ZER Journal of Communication (May/June de 2025)

Author guidelines

The usage and proliferation of social media have been analysed from various perspectives: communicative, educational, psychological, and even, in the case of minors, from health and paediatric standpoints. These approaches have undeniably brought about a shift in communicative-social relations, enabling, for instance, interaction and collaboration among geographically distant individuals (Rheinghold, 2002; Christakis & Fowler, 2010). However, numerous voices have raised concerns about the drawbacks of widespread social media usage, highlighting potential negative consequences such as the reinforcement of social inequalities and top-down control (Vallespín, 2011; Dencik & Leistert, 2015).

The ubiquity of social media in today's world has made it a prominent theme in recent audiovisual fiction. This has helped bring to screens the ongoing debate about the advantages and disadvantages of its use. Social media in fiction is often depicted as a mere channel for group communication, a tool for solving crimes, a means of reconnecting with lost contacts, or even as a constructor of social identity (Steinfeld et al., 2008; Stern & Moran, 2024). From a more critical perspective, fiction has also addressed its misuse for harassment, bullying, or both horizontal and vertical surveillance (Andrejevic, 2005; Tokunaga, 2011; Lefait, 2013; Hermida & Hernández-Santaolalla, 2020; Mols et al., 2023). Examples include films such as Unfriended (Levan Gabriadze, 2015), Nerve (Ariel Schulman & Henry Joost, 2016), The Circle (James Ponsoldt, 2017), or The Hater (Jan Komasa, 2020), among others.

Beyond these films, television series have given social media a more prominent narrative role, functioning as a catalyst for storylines or as a space for dialogue and character action. A clear example is Black Mirror (Channel 4, 2011–2014; Netflix, 2016), which includes several episodes, such as "Nosedive," centred on this phenomenon (Hernández-Santaolalla & Hermida, 2015; Martínez-Lucena & Barraycoa, 2017; Lata & Bhatt, 2024). Other notable examples include Mr. Robot (USA Network, 2015–2019), 13 Reasons Why (Netflix, 2017–2020), Kiss Me First (Channel 4, 2018), You (Lifetime, 2018; Netflix, 2019–), Clickbait (Netflix, 2021), or Euphoria (HBO, 2019–), as well as Spanish productions such as Élite (Netflix, 2018–2024), SKAM España (Movistar+, 2018–2020), El desorden que dejas (Netflix, 2020), or HIT (La 1, 2020–2024). These audiovisual works incorporate social media as a significant narrative resource, sometimes even establishing it as an aesthetic reference shaping visual representation dynamics.

This representation influences audiences, as the portrayal of social media on screen affects how these platforms are perceived in real life. Moreover, social media plays a promotional role for television programmes, extending storylines through transmedia strategies and fostering discussions among users on these platforms.

In this practical and analytical context, this call for papers invites submissions exploring how television fiction, through series as a dominant cultural discourse, represents, promotes, and critiques social media usage. We seek contributions that examine how these representations reflect and challenge contemporary realities and how digital media reshape communication dynamics.

 

Suggested themes

Submissions may focus on the following themes, though other related topics are welcome:

 

1. Social media and television narratives. This theme examines how social media is portrayed in television series, including its influence on characters, storylines, and visual representation, as well as its narrative significance. Suggested topics include:

- Representation of digital culture and life on social media: how characters use social media, including its impact on interpersonal relationships, mental health, and self-perception.

- Influence of social media on storytelling: integration of digital platforms into plots, addressing themes such as virality, cyberbullying, addiction, and digital identity.

- Influence of social media on visual representation: the ways social media’s language and platform-specific features shape the visual narrative.

- Social media and gender: how series depict the use of social media in the context of gender (in)equality.

- Social media and minors: representations of social media in children’s series and how young characters interact with these technologies.

- Professional uses of social media: portrayals of social media and platforms in professional environments, especially in communication industries.

- Mapping social media in series: which platforms are most represented? How do portrayals vary by country or genre?

 

2. Social impact of representing communication and social media. This theme explores the effect of these representations on audiences and their role in reflecting on the impact of communication and digitalisation in daily life. Topics of interest include:

- Public perception of communication and media: how the depiction of communicators and digital platforms in series influences trust in media and social networks.

- Digital literacy and awareness: how series shape audiences’ understanding of the risks and opportunities of digital life.

- Impact on identity and participatory culture: how television narratives contribute to discussions about authenticity, privacy, harassment, and surveillance in the digital age.

 

3. Social media as narrative expansion. This theme investigates social media as a transmedia extension of television series, serving as a marketing tool, a driver of virality, or a content distribution channel. Topics may include:

- Interaction with audiences through social media: how digital culture enables viewers to interact and engage actively with television narratives.

- New models of serial storytelling: case studies on innovative digital consumption models using social media.

- The use of influencers or content creators in series: the increasing integration of influencers as actors in youth-targeted series, leveraging their follower base and influence to enhance the show’s reach.

 

References

Andrejevic, M. (2005). The work of watching one another: Lateral surveillance, risk, and governance. Surveillance & Society, 2(4), 479-497.

Christakis, N. A. & Fowler, J. H. (2010). Conectados.  El sorprendente poder de las redes sociales y cómo nos afectan. Taurus.

Dencik, L., y Leistert, O. (eds.) (2015). Critical Perspectives on Social Media and Protest. Between Control and Emancipation. Rowman & Littlefield.

Hermida, A., y Hernández-Santaolalla, V. (2020). Horizontal surveillance, mobile communication and social networking sites. The lack of privacy in young people’s daily lives. Communication & Society, 33(1), 139-152. https://doi.org/10.15581/003.33.36450

Hernández-Santaolalla, V., y Hermida, A. (2015). Más allá de la distopía tecnológica: videovigilancia y activismo en ‘Black Mirror’ y ‘Mr. Robot’. Index.Comunicación, 6(2), 53-65.

Lata y Bhatt, P. (2024). Social media as a cause of emotional distress and insecurity in “Nosedive” from Black Mirror. Quarterly Review of Film and Video, 41(8), 1520-1535. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509208.2023.2219089

Lefait, S. (2013). Surveillance on Screen: Monitoring Contemporary Films and Television Programs. Rowman & LIttlefield.

Martínez-Lucena, J., y Barraycoa, J. (2017). Black Mirror: Porvenir y tecnología. Editorial UOC.

Mols, A.; Pereira Campos, J., y Pridmore, J. (2023). Family surveillance: Understanding parental monitoring, reciprocal practices, and digital resilience. Surveillance & Society, 21(4), 469-484.

Rheinghold, H. (2002). Smart Mobs. The Next Social Revolution. Basic Books.

Steinfeld, C.; Ellison, N.B., y Lampe, C. (2008). Social capital, self-esteem, and use of online social network sites: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 29(6), 434-445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2008.07.002

Stern, S., y Moran, K. (2024). Teens and digital media: How do we move toward productive public discourse? Journal of Children and Media, 18(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2024.2302257

Tokunaga, R.S. (2011). Social networking site or social surveillance site? Understanding the use of interpersonal electronic surveillance in romantic relationships. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(2), 705–713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.08.014

Vallespín, F. (2011). Redes sociales y democracia: ¿un cambio cualitativo? Revista TELOS, 89.

 

Biographical profiles

Víctor Hernández-Santaolalla is an Associate Professor in the Department of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising at the Universidad de Sevilla (Spain). He holds a PhD in Communication, awarded with the Extraordinary Doctorate Prize. His research focuses on the effects of mass communication, ideology and popular culture, political communication, propaganda, and surveillance on social media. He is the lead researcher of the LIGAINCOM group (Research League in Communication and Culture. Gender(s), Narrative, Ideology, and Visual Studies). His work has been published by major academic publishers such as Emerald, Routledge, and Peter Lang, as well as in international journals including Information, Communication and Society, Journal of Popular Culture, Sexuality & Culture, Surveillance & Society, and European Journal of Communication. He has authored a book on the effects of mass media and has edited several volumes on television fiction.

Javier Lozano Delmar is an Associate Professor at Universidad Loyola Andalucía (Spain), teaching at its campuses in Seville and Córdoba. His courses include Audiovisual Narrative and Aesthetics and Communication Technology. He is a member of the LIGAINCOM group (Research League in Communication and Culture. Gender(s), Narrative, Ideology, and Visual Studies). His research primarily focuses on television series, active audiences, fandom, and transmedia storytelling in film and television. In recent years, his interests have expanded to include topics such as fake news, disinformation, and media literacy. He has co-edited two collective volumes for Fragua publishing on the Game of Thrones phenomenon and contributed to various books analysing television series for publishers including Síntesis, Laertes, Oxford University Press, Peter Lang, and Routledge. His scholarly articles have appeared in national and international journals such as Analisi, Palabra Clave, Latina, Journal of Happiness Studies, and Transformative Works and Cultures.

Alberto Hermida is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication at the Universidad de Sevilla (Spain). He holds a PhD in Communication and a degree in Audiovisual Communication, for which he received the Extraordinary Graduation Prize. He is a member of the LIGAINCOM group (Research League in Communication and Culture. Gender(s), Narrative, Ideology, and Visual Studies). His research interests include audiovisual mise en scène, image theory, and the study of new audiovisual languages and devices. Visiting scholar at international universities in London, Brighton, and Los Angeles, his work has been published in high-impact academic journals such as Information, Communication & Society, Surveillance & Society, Arte Individuo y Sociedad, New Review of Film and Television Studies, and Communication & Society. He has also contributed to prominent publishers, including Peter Lang Publishing, IGI Global, McGraw-Hill, and Tirant lo Blanch. He has participated in various national research projects on television fiction and has coordinated several books on this subject, among other publications.

 

 

 

 

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ZER. Journal of Communication Studies. (59)

"Cultural industries and platforms: new economic and political challenges”

 

Guest Editors:Guillermo Mastrini, National University of Quilmes (UNQ), in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Martín Becerra National University of Quilmes (UNQ), in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Submission deadline: September 15, 2025.

This special issue will be published in the number 59 of ZER Journal of Communication (November/December 2025).

Author guidelines

 

Over the last 15 years, a model of production and distribution of cultural content has been consolidated, in which internet platforms have occupied an increasingly predominant place. Their emergence has posed a challenge to the traditional model of cultural industries that has been expressed in a serious crisis of its economic system. Given this panorama, there is a need to reestablish balances between interests and forces in conflict, and in this framework some actors demand greater state intervention in the establishment of new rules of the game. This situation has been revealed to be present in European and Latin American countries in the face of the advent of a platform ecosystem largely dominated by American companies.

The efforts made by the European Union in the DSA and DMA laws sanctioned to protect users and companies in its territory are too recent to show results. In Canada, the Online News Act has achieved little progress and generated various problems for users and small companies. For its part, Latin America has not yet reached a consensus on protection regulations while its cultural industries suffer from the consequences of a peripheral position on the international stage. So far, there is no “Brussels effect” in Latin America.

Meanwhile, the portion of advertising and sales of cultural products and services that is absorbed by platforms is increasing day by day and the income of local cultural industries is threatened.

Likewise, the introduction of generative Artificial Intelligence technologies in the cultural production process alters the functions and relative power of the agents and links that participate in the integral circuit of creation of cultural content. This also strengthens the role of the conglomerates that own the large digital platforms, whose data-extractive business model facilitates the provision of gigantic training banks as a source of new technological developments. Hence, the concentration of power in an increasingly platform-driven sector is a trend that conditions the present and future of cultural production.

The main topics that this monograph will address will be:

- Crisis of the income model of cultural industries

- New emerging business models: is there room for alternatives in the era of platforms?

- State intervention in defense of companies and users. - Loss of sovereignty of national states in the regulation of cultural industries.

- Creative labor and platforms

- Copyright and platforms

- Artificial Intelligence and cultural production

 

Guillermo Mastrini

Guillermo Mastrini holds a PhD. in Ciencias de la Información from the Complutense University of Madrid (2014). He is an Argentine researcher and lecturer, specializing in mass media policies and the economics of culture. He obtained a degree in Communication Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires. He served as director of the Communication Sciences (UBA) career between 2006 and 2008 years. He is a professor at the National University of Quilmes, where he also directed the Master's in Cultural Industries. He is also a tenured professor of the Chair of Communication Policies and Planning at the Faculty of Social Sciences (UBA) and a professor at the National University of General San Martín (where he teaches the subject "Culture and Communication Industries" of the Specialization in Cultural Management and Cultural Policies). Additionally, he is an independent researcher at CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas).

 

Martín Becerra

Professor of Communication Policy and Media Regulation at the National University of Quilmes (UNQ), in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he serves as Director of the ICEP Center (“Cultural Industries and Public Space”). Professor of Information and Communication Technologies Policies at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA).  Member of the National Council of Scientific and Technological Research of Argentina (CONICET).

Author and co-author of more than 10 books, 35 book chapters and 40 articles in specialized journals on media concentration and convergence, public service media, Latin American media systems and political economy of media and communication, published in both Spanish and English. Several of these publications are required readings in graduate courses at several universities in Argentina, the rest of Latin America and Spain.He holds a PhD in Information Sciences (Journalism), Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (2001).