[#44] Researching Next-Gen Social Media Ecosystems & Scientific Research in the Age of Big Players

The social media landscape is undergoing significant transformation as centralized platforms (e.g., Facebook and X) witness a shift in user engagement, prompting the exploration of next-generation and alternative ecosystems such as Decentralized Online Social Networks (DOSNs). The surge in DOSNs popularity finds its root in the accessibility to open-source software, fostering the growth of independent yet seamlessly interconnected instances (i.e., servers), participating in a broad decentralized network.During this talk, we will delve into the unprecedented perspective offered by Mastodon, the most well-known DOSN, unveiling the unique traits that set this social media apart from its common centralized peers. We will understand the impact of decentralization on user relationships and unveil the emergence of strategic user roles related to two interrelated axes of social behavior: information consumption and boundary spanning. Finally, we will explore the drivers of social influence that led to the well-known Twitter migration to Mastodon, one of the largest digital migrations in the history of the Social Web.

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, groundbreaking advances in scientific research—particularly in artificial intelligence and machine learning—are increasingly associated with major industry players, which drive influential research thanks to immense computational resources and top-tier talent. This perceived dominance can be discouraging for young and early-career researchers, with (apparently) little room to contribute meaningfully. However, this narrative overlooks a fundamental truth: scientific progress has always been, and continues to be, a collective endeavor. This discussion will explore how the collaborative nature of science transcends computational boundaries, and why every researcher’s unique perspective is vital to scientific advancement. We will reflect on how early-career researchers can find their place in this ecosystem, emphasizing that meaningful progress comes not just from computational power or resources, but from the diverse thinking, creative approaches, and various perspectives that characterize the individual researchers worldwide.