Call for Papers IX IX International Congress of Cyberjournalism

The organization of the IX International Congress of Cyberjournalism (#9COBCIBER) invites interested researchers to submit proposals for papers to be presented at the Congress, which will take place on November 18 and 19, 2026, at the Noble Amphitheatre of the Faculty of Letters of the University of Porto.

The 2026 edition proposes shifting the analytical gaze to the relations of influence and power that permeate the digital information ecosystem. More than introducing new objects of study, the aim is to encourage a critical reading of how power is distributed, negotiated and exercised in the processes of production, circulation and reception of information. In this context, platforms, algorithms, political actors, content creators, metrics and emerging technologies are no longer just elements of the media system, but are analyzed as active agents in shaping visibility, authority and informational legitimacy. In this sense, the papers should deal with cyberjournalism, with a special focus on the theme of this edition, “Journalism, Influence and Power”, and may address the following topics, among others:

– Journalism, platforms and the reconfiguration of information power
– Digital influence, content creators and new mediators of current affairs
– Political power, propaganda, strategic communication and journalism
– Disinformation, manipulation and influence operations in the digital public space
– Artificial intelligence, automation and redistribution of journalistic authority
– Algorithms, visibility and hierarchies of attention
– Business models, monetization and economic dependencies of digital journalism
– Metrics, performance and editorial constraints
– Regional and local journalism: proximity, legitimacy and power relations
– Communities, participation and forms of mediated public intervention
– Credibility, trust and disputes over informational legitimacy
– Ethics, transparency, regulation and accountability in the digital ecosystem

Proposals, in the form of an extended abstract, can be written in English, Portuguese, Spanish or French. Each submission should be between 400 and 500 words long and include the identification of the topic and its relevance, hypothesis or central argument, theoretical and methodological framework, expected results and up to five keywords.

Proposals must be submitted by filling in the following form
formby June 30, 2026.

The proposals will be evaluated by the #9COBCIBER Scientific Committee, and the results will be communicated to the authors by July 31, 2026.

Full papers must be submitted by the date of the Congress, and selected papers may be included in
subsequent scientific publications, in formats to be defined, subject to a new evaluation process.

The #9COBCIBER will take place in person on November 18 and 19, 2026, andonline on the afternoon of the 18th, in the Noble Amphitheatre of the Faculty of Letters of the University of Porto.

The conference is organized by ObCiber – Observatório do Ciberjornalismo, CITCEM – Centro de Investigação Transdisciplinar Cultura, Espaço e Memória and FLUP – Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto.

Important dates

Call for papers (extended abstracts) opens: 07.04.2026

Call for papers closes: 30.06.2026

Communication of results: 31.07.2026

Closing date for the 1st registration phase: 30.10.2026

Closing date for the 2nd registration phase: 13.11.2026

Congress: 18 and 19.11.2026

Deadline for submitting full articles: 18.11.2026

Registration

Regime

In person (18th and 19th) / Online (afternoon of the 18th)

In person

1st phase (until October 30th) – 90€; Students – 45€
2nd phase (until November 13th) – 140€; Students – 70€

Online

1st phase (until October 30th) – 180€; Students – 90€
2nd phase (until November 13th) – 280€; Students – 140€