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Background: With the rapid digital transformation across the African continent, ensuring the protection of personal data through effective regulatory frameworks is crucial. Key regulations, including Nigeria’s Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and the African Union’s Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection, have been enacted to address growing concerns about data privacy and cybersecurity.Aims: This literature review critically examines the impact of data privacy regulations on cybersecurity practices in Nigeria and across Africa, focusing on empirical studies that highlight the interplay between regulation enforcement and cybersecurity outcomes.Methodology: This review synthesizes empirical studies that explore the effectiveness of these regulations in improving cybersecurity practices in both public and private sectors.Results: Empirical research from Nigeria indicates that while the NDPR has led to some positive changes in organizational data protection strategies, challenges in enforcement, resource allocation, and awareness continue to hinder its full impact. Studies reveal that small to medium enterprises (SMEs) face difficulties in complying with the regulations due to a lack of capacity and knowledge. Similarly, research across several African countries shows a significant gap in both the implementation of data privacy laws and the cybersecurity measures required to mitigate emerging threats, such as ransomware and data breaches. Furthermore, empirical evidence highlights that varying levels of regulatory enforcement across the continent result in inconsistent cybersecurity practices, leading to vulnerabilities in the digital infrastructure. The review also explores empirical findings on the socio-economic and political barriers that affect the successful enforcement of data privacy regulations, with particular focus on limited technical expertise, political instability, and insufficient resources for regulatory bodies. Additionally, studies suggest that there is a growing need for cross-border collaboration and capacity building to bridge the regulatory gaps and improve overall cybersecurity resilience.Conclusion: Empirical evidence underscores the need for stronger regulatory frameworks and greater cooperation across African nations to enhance the protection of personal data and fortify cybersecurity practices across the region. Recommendations for future policy development are provided, based on the insights gained from existing empirical studies.

Background: The visual turn is one of the most important features of contemporary culture. Therefore, in climate change communication, images can play a crucial role in conveying environmental messages. Environmental advocates use the potential of visuals to deliver part of their messages to their audience. However, only a limited number of studies have focused on the visualization of climate change communication. Given the characteristics of social media, free from the constraints of mainstream media, they can serve as a suitable platform for visualizing climate change messages.Aims: Despite Iran's role in greenhouse gas emissions and the engagement of environmental activists, no research has been conducted on the role of images in conveying climate change messages on Iranian social media. Therefore, the main question of this research is: How do Iranian users on social media platform X frame climate change through images, and within what discourses?Methodology: To answer the question of the research, a combination of quantitative and qualitative visual discourse analysis was applied to 500 images in 2023.Findings: Studies on the visualization of climate change messages have predominantly focused on developed countries. The findings reveal that Iranian users have addressed climate change through four key discourses: scientific, political, ecological, and protest. Furthermore, the results show that visual discourses have been seen globally in Persian X and it has addressed the present tense and the framework of the consequences.Conclusion: In general, the public's attention to climate change in Iranian society reflects the dynamism of the environmental movement in Iran and the growth of environmental literacy among Iranian social media users.

Background: Space is a constructed concept: a cultural and ideological segmentation, and a translation of the sociopolitical structures of society. On social media platforms, the public becomes a composite of privates, where individuals’ multiple selves are (re)presented before a multiplicity of audiences within a third type of space, which we coin the “publivate” sphere. This sphere emerges from the combination and blurring of public and private spaces on social media platforms.Aims: This article aimed to shed light on issues related to cyber self-(re)presentation within this “publivate” space.Methodology: We utilized cross-level integration, synthesizing micro- and macro-level theories, and interdisciplinary integration, incorporating concepts and theories from diverse fields, including social media studies, sociology, psychology, and regulatory perspectives.Discussions: We discussed how the interplay among public, private, and “publivate” selves, along with the reciprocal influences of conformity, pluralistic ignorance, normalization, and normativity, have been transforming the traditional compartmentalization of spaces in Iranian social life. Additionally, we discussed the complications of trans-jurisdictional regulation of cyberspace and their implications for users, particularly Iranians.Conclusions: Given the dynamic nature of societies, norms, and cultures, effective governance of cyberspace and cultural practices should account for sociocultural dynamics.

Background: Social media platforms are increasingly used in healthcare to provide psychosocial support to cancer patients. Despite global enthusiasm, concerns about misinformation and emotional vulnerability persist. In Iran, cultural and regulatory contexts add complexity to this dynamic, necessitating a localized understanding of healthcare providers’ perspectives. Aims: This study aims to explore Iranian oncology nurses’ perceptions of the benefits and risks associated with hospitalized cancer patients' use of social media, and to identify factors influencing these perceptions. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 131 oncology nurses from various hospitals in Iran, primarily in Tehran. Participants completed a structured questionnaire assessing demographics, life satisfaction, personal social media use, and perceptions of social media's impact on patient morale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and path analysis. Results: Overall, nurses held a positive view of social media’s role in enhancing patient morale, with a mean perception score of 7.1/10. Younger nurses and those with junior professional ranks exhibited more favorable attitudes. Personal social media usage positively correlated with optimistic perceptions, while life satisfaction showed a weak but significant positive association. Path analysis indicated that daily social media usage and younger age were the strongest predictors of positive perceptions. Some nurses, however, expressed concerns about misinformation and patient vulnerability. Conclusions: The findings highlight the generally favorable yet nuanced attitudes of Iranian oncology nurses toward social media use by cancer patients. Efforts to enhance digital literacy among healthcare providers and culturally sensitive strategies are recommended to maximize social media’s psychosocial benefits while mitigating associated risks.

Background: Many efforts have been put into using serious games for education over the past two decades. Although there are different definitions for serious games, there is a relative agreement that the education of knowledge or skills through or by means of entertainment is at the heart of every serious game. However, educational capacities of serious games and learning strategies exploited in them require further studies.Aims: Considering the capacities of Fauconnier and Turner’s Blending theory, this paper aims to show that the learning strategies in serious games can have other dimensions.Methodology: This paper employs a conceptual and theoretical analysis methodology, drawing on Fauconnier and Turner’s Conceptual Blending Theory to examine the learning strategies embedded in serious games. Additionally, it utilizes a case study approach, analyzing the serious game FLIGBY to illustrate how structural and conceptual blending contribute to creative learning.Findings: The focus point of the paper as the source of the generation of different kinds of unconscious learning processes will be conceptual blending. In the end, the paper will also introduce the serious game FLIGBY from the perspective of Fauconnier and Turner’s blending theory at both structural and conceptual levels.Conclusions: By means of blending theory, it will be discussed that the elevation of serious games to a higher level is possible; a level that will not only reduce the tiredness of serious games but also pursue a more innovative learning, happening at two levels of structural and conceptual.

Background: Throughout history, humans have consistently developed groundbreaking technologies, from fire and the wheel to modern computing, showcasing their ability to innovate and control their creations. The rise of artificial intelligence has sparked renewed concerns about whether machines might eventually surpass human intelligence and autonomy.Aims: This study aims to critically assess AI’s role in human society, particularly addressing concerns that it may surpass human control and agency. It seeks to demonstrate that while AI is a powerful tool, it lacks autonomy, self-augmentation, and intentionality, making it unlikely to replace human decision-making. Additionally, the paper examines historical technological advancements, showing how humans have always adapted and controlled new innovations.Methodology: Employing a historical-comparative methodology, this study traces the evolution of computing technologies from early tally systems to quantum computing. It incorporates philosophical analysis through the works of Hubert Dreyfus, John Searle, and Michael Tomasello, assessing AI’s limitations in replicating human cognition.Findings: The study finds that despite AI’s rapid advancements, it remains fundamentally dependent on human input, lacks true understanding, and is incapable of independent self-enhancement. The historical trajectory of technological progress demonstrates that while new technologies can disrupt societies, humans have consistently adapted and maintained control. Philosophical critiques of AI further reinforce the argument that intelligence is not solely computational but deeply rooted in embodiment, intuition, and shared intentionality—qualities that AI lacks.Conclusions: Concerns about AI overwhelming human agency are largely misplaced. Just as humanity has managed previous technological revolutions—including writing, mechanization, and computing—AI will be integrated and regulated according to human needs and ethical considerations. While vigilance is necessary, the myth of AI autonomy is exaggerated.

Background: The airline industry is highly competitive and service-oriented, making it particularly vulnerable to customer dissatisfaction and brand hate. Brand hate, defined as intense negative emotions toward a brand, can lead to consumer retaliation, boycotts, and long-term reputational damage in airline context.Aims: This study explores effective strategies for managing brand hate in the airline industry.Methodology: Using a dual-method qualitative approach, we conduct (1) a netnographic analysis from the consumer perspective and (2) five semi-structured interviews with airline managers, analyzed using Lexico 3.Findings: Our findings identify five key strategies for mitigating brand hate. Consistent with prior literature, we confirm that management processes and brand recovery are valuable for addressing short-term customer complaints. Additionally, we propose novel long-term strategies, including benchmarking and competitive intelligence, workplace control, and enhanced security measures. In fact, by integrating insights from both customers and brands, this research deepens the understanding of hate management and highlights the severe repercussions of consumer attrition for airline companies.Conclusions: Our study emphasizes the need for proactive interventions and equips managers with actionable strategies to reduce brand hate, repair customer relationships in digital environments, and enrich the literature on crisis management and relationship between consumer and brand.

Background: Understanding color preference in virtual environments is crucial for applications in digital design, human-computer interaction, and virtual reality (VR).Aims: This study examines how luminance, hue, and saturation influence color preference in VR settings, considering both environmental and perceptual factors.Methodology: A controlled VR experiment was used, where participants interacted with two distinct virtual zones designed to simulate different lighting conditions.Finding: The findings suggest that chromatic lightness and perceived hue play distinct roles in color preference, with evidence supporting Weber's Law of illumination adaptation. It was also shown that regions with elevated chroma exhibit more pronounced colors. Additionally, the participants' average color preferences were determined, and the appropriate modification rate was extracted by comparing the preferred colors to the average colors of the virtual spaces. One significant finding was that, cooler colors were favored to warmer ones, which is consistent with previous research on color preferences. Furthermore, a correlation between lighting circumstances and color preferences was established.Conclusion: The findings indicated that adjusting the hue, saturation, and brightness can improve the design of virtual environments by matching the tastes of users. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of color perception in digital spaces and have implications for design, architecture, and cognitive science.

Background: Despite advancements in environmental policies and education, many individuals remain disconnected from nature, leading to ecological neglect and unsustainable behaviors. Aims: This study explores the institutionalization of environmental intelligence in education, emphasizing an Iranian perspective within the context of globalization. It argues for an educational paradigm that integrates traditional ecological wisdom with contemporary learning models, fostering a holistic, experiential, and culturally grounded approach. Methodology: Using literature synthesis and philosophical interpretation, this research draws on the spiritual and ethical teachings of Attar and Rumi alongside modern educational theories, including experiential, interdisciplinary, and quantum education. Discussion: The study examines how globalization and urbanization have reshaped traditional environmental perceptions, particularly in Iranian culture, where mountains once held deep ecological and cultural significance but have become overlooked in modern urban life. Additionally, it investigates the role of global communication and virtual education in shaping environmental consciousness. Rather than proposing a replacement for existing environmental education, this study introduces a complementary framework that blends Iranian philosophical heritage, contemporary pedagogy, and digital learning. By fostering spiritual, ethical, and ecological awareness, this paradigm encourages a collective, participatory approach to sustainability. Conclusions: It envisions an education system where cultural wisdom and modern innovation work together to cultivate deep, empathetic connections between people and the environment.

Background: The rapid growth of computer technology in recent decades suggests that people today, in addition to print media, have many electronic information items that need to be managed appropriately and have increased the use of personal computers.Aims: This Researches descriptive and analytical based on the purpose of applied Research, and in terms of data collection and nature and comparison between the activities of personal information management and two measures of knowledge and skills has been presented.Methodology: The statistical population includes the students of Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in Ahvaz in the academic year 2017-2018. To determine the statistical population, the sampling method was used by determining the total number of students 1300 and using the Karjesi-Morgan table, the approximate number of the sample was determined to be 297. The data collection was done using the questionnaire of 2012 and in order to analyze Pearson and Spearman correlation tests and AMOS and SPSS software were used.Results: The results of the survey show that knowledge and skill variables have a significant and positive effect on personal information management, and age, level of education, and school of study have a significant and positive effect on personal information management.Conclusions: The results of the research show that the status of personal information management of medical students in Jundishapur Ahvaz has a positive and meaningful effect based on the knowledge and skills of the students. According to the changes made in the management of personal information activities, it can be said that the difference in the amount and amount created in the variables of personal information management can be seen. The main reasons for this can include not having enough time, work pressures and lack of familiarity with the activities required for personal information management.