The digital landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with artificial intelligence (AI), governance structures, and social media platforms reshaping societies, economies, and individual behaviors. While these technological advancements present immense opportunities, they also introduce ethical concerns, misinformation risks, and governance challenges. The SIMELab Africa International Conference seeks to bring together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to explore these complexities and propose solutions that foster a balanced digital ecosystem.

Themes:

1. The Algorithmic Age: Trust, Power, and Digital Rights
2. The Evolving Digital Landscape: AI, Governance, and Social Media
3. The Digital Public Sphere: Power, Ethics, and Participation

Thematic Areas

1. Digital Technologies in Society

1. The psychological and social effects of digital technologies
2. Ethical implications of AI-driven algorithms in social media
3. Digital well-being, online behavior, and mental health
4. Digitalization, sustainability, and participatory culture

2. Digital Markets & Public Spheres on Platforms

1. Platform algorithms and their role in shaping digital discourse
2. Digital propaganda, misinformation, and AI-generated content
3. The governance of online platforms and data privacy policies
4. The impact of social media on global economies and internet policy

3. Organizing Knowledge & AI

1. The role of AI in knowledge dissemination and digital education
2. Algorithmic bias and fairness in social media platforms
3. Digitalization and the transformation of academic research
4. AI’s role in shaping online discourse and knowledge practices

4. Digital Infrastructures & Democracy

1. Cybersecurity, transparency, and digital trust
2. AI and its impact on political influence and democracy
3. Ethical governance of AI-driven decision-making processes
4. The role of digital infrastructure in shaping power dynamics

Paper Submission

This is a blind peer-reviewed conference. All submissions will be subject to double-blind peer-review process. If interested in participating, submit a technical paper (up to 12 pages), or demo description (up to 2 pages) by the deadlines given below. For questions, please e-mail: simelabadmin@usiu.ac.ke

Paper and Demo Submission Link: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=issm2020

• Full Papers – These include mainly accomplished research results and have 8 pages at the maximum (5,000 words).
• Short Papers – These are mostly composed of work in progress reports or fresh developments and have 4 pages at maximum (2,500 words).
• Posters/Demonstrations – These have one page at the maximum (625 words) besides the poster itself (or demonstration) that will be exposed at the conference.
• Invited Talks – These will be made of contributions from well-known scholars and company representatives. An abstract will be included in the conference proceedings.
• Doctoral Consortium – Doctoral Consortium Contributions should have a maximum 2,500 words (4 pages).
• Exhibitions – Companies will have an opportunity to display their latest offerings of services through an exhibition tent. For further details, please contact the publicity chair – eongus@usiu.ac.ke.

Important Dates

Conference papers

• Submission of abstracts: April 17, 2025
• Reviews sent to authors: May 20, 2025
• Papers due: June 20, 2025
• Reviews sent to authors: July 20, 2025
• Revised paper due: July 20, 2025
• Notification of acceptance: August 1, 2025
• Camera-ready due date: August 30, 2025
• Conference dates: September 24-25, 2025

Demo

• Demo Submission: June 30, 20205
• Demo Acceptance: July 30, 2025

Registration fees

The conference fees is $100 for international delegates, $80 for regional and $60 for locals. Students may attend free of charge. The conference fees cover meals and conference materials.

Supported by

1. National Research Fund (NRF) Kenya
2. Weizenbaum Institute
3. SIMELab and USIU-Africa