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Background: Social identity theory suggests that individuals define themselves partly through their membership in social groups, and these identities shape attitudes and behaviors, including consumption choices. Brands increasingly function as social symbols, allowing users to express group belonging, self-concept, and shared values through brand affiliation. Consequently, users’ social identities can significantly influence their intention to purchase a brand by strengthening emotional attachment, perceived congruence, and loyalty toward brands that represent their in-group. Aims: Consumers like to associate themselves with different brands to represent their social identity. This study suggests a social identity perspective of customer-brand relationship and integrates brand identity with social media usage, electronic WOM (eWOM) and brand loyalty in predicting brand purchase intention in an online environment. Methodology: Data were collected through a questionnaire-based survey among a sample of higher education students in a public university in Iran. A sample of 423 respondents was selected through a convenience sampling technique. Data were then analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to provide a prediction-oriented model assessment by LISREL 8.54. Sobel mediation tests were performed to test the mediating effects of social media use, eWOM and brand loyalty on the relationship between social identity and brand purchase intention. Findings: The findings indicated that social identity (affective, cognitive, and evaluative) of users/consumers has a significant impact on: (a) social media use, (b) eWOM about brand, and (c) brand loyalty. Social media use and brand loyalty were found to be the determinants of eWOM about brand. Finally, this research found that all three variables of: (a) social media use, (b) eWOM about brand, and (c) brand loyalty are the main determinants of intention to purchase a certain brand. Conclusion: This research suggests that social identity perspective can be integrated with other perspectives to model the consumer's psychological path to brand purchase intentions. This study confirms the critical role of social identification of users in the reaction towards a given brand and stresses the mediation effects of social media use, brand loyalty and eWOM on the effects of social identity on the path to brand purchase intention.

Background: Self-development microcelebrities constitute a distinct and rapidly expanding subtype within the broader culture of fame. These figures primarily operate within the digital self-help domain, offering audiences simplified psychological and lifestyle concepts that promise personal transformation through adherence to their guidance. Contemporary self-help discourse is rooted in the positive psychology movement that gained traction in the United States during the late 20th century and is heavily influenced by neoliberal ideologies that emphasize individual agency and responsibility. Aims: In this research, Instagram pages of Iranian self-development microcelebrities were studied to understand what they share with their audience and the various methods they employ to engage with them. Methodology: This study analyzes the Instagram accounts of Iranian self-development microcelebrities with follower counts exceeding 300,000, using a thematic analysis approach. Initially, each account was analyzed individually, followed by a cross-case analysis to identify recurring thematic patterns. Findings: The analysis revealed three overarching themes—pseudoscience, the primacy of luck and the inner self, and self-made rules—comprising seven organizing themes and 31 basic themes. The findings indicate that these microcelebrities promote a form of hyper-individualism aligned with neoliberal values. Conclusion: This model of subjectivity emphasizes psychological self-regulation and inner transformation while detaching individuals from social and political engagement.

Background: Social media has enabled both intentional and incidental user exposure to diverse cultures and subcultures. This exposure fosters the socialization of similar cultural elements or produces changes in original cultural patterns through cyber-acculturation, which arises from continuous contact with culturally distinct groups. Aims: This study aimed to develop models of social media users’ cyber-acculturation in their exposure to cyber-subcultures. Methodology: Using a Q methodology research design, the study employed convenience snowball sampling and an online questionnaire to collect data from 52 participants, who freely rated 61 statements derived from interviews. Exploratory Factor Analysis, treating participants as variables, was conducted to identify distinct cyber-acculturation models. To further examine the characteristics of each factor, network analysis was applied. Discussions: Users demonstrated varying patterns of cyber-acculturation. Comparable to the model proposed by Sam and Berry (2006)— which outlines the strategies of assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalization— this study identified five distinct models of social media users’ acculturation in exposure to cyber-subcultures: 1) Conservative Socialization Adopters, 2) Media-Literate Non-Adopters, 3) Media-Literate Acculturation Adopters, 4) Change-Aspirant Semi Non-Adopters, and 5) Risk-Taking Socialization Adopters. Each of these categories, to some extent, reflects the integration strategy, particularly motivated by social mobility, self-actualization, well-being, and personal advancement. Conclusion: Understanding the variations in how users adopt cultural elements enables governance bodies, policymakers, and professionals in media, culture, and education to design and implement more effective measures with greater impact across different user types.

Background: Afghans are the main group of migrants in Iran, and in recent years, their presence has been met with negative reactions from the Iranian public. For example, recently on Twitter, hashtags such as #Expel_Afghans_a_National_Demand (in Persian: # اخراج_افغانی_مطالبه_ملی ) have been widely used by Iranian users. Aims: This study aims to examine Iranian users' perspectives on Afghans by analyzing tweets written with this hashtag about Afghans living in Iran. Methodology: Using thematic analysis, it investigates the negative views expressed by Iranian users. This analysis is based on Bennett’s six-stage model of intercultural sensitivity. The extracted themes from these tweets include five main categories: dissatisfaction with the lifestyle and behaviors of Afghans living in Iran, financial-related dissatisfaction, nationalism-related dissatisfaction, xenophobia-related dissatisfaction, and dissatisfaction due to internal factors. Finding: The dissatisfaction of Iranians toward Afghans aligns with the Defense stage of Bennett’s model, as this stage is characterized by individuals distinguishing between themselves and others, perceiving their own culture as superior, and viewing other cultures as inferior. Conclusion: Based on the themes present in the tweets, it seems that some targeted actions can help reduce xenophobia and counter dominant narratives.

Background: Following the Islamic Revolution and the expansion of access to visual media, the use of this media in Shia rituals, such as religious gatherings ( hey’ats ), significantly increased. In recent years, a new form of Shia ritual, referred to as “public communities”, has emerged which organized by cultural institutions. These communities differ markedly from traditional Shia-Iranian rituals and have established a distinct communicative domain. Aims: This study aims to critically examine these events by identifying their constitutive components and analyzing the nature of their mediatization. Methodology: Three events held in the Iranian calendar year 1401 were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach. These Shia-revolutionary performative rituals are categorized into two main domains: the “Public construction of the ritual” and the “construction of the presence and positioning of the subject”. Their media representation is also shaped by two principal categories: the “transitionalization of the communication mode” and “ideological representation”. Findings: Our findings indicate that the organization and media representation of these events produce a spectacular pseudo-ritual that significantly diverges from traditional Shia rituals in Iran. Conclusion: These events have been organized and represented in ways that prioritize spectacle, visibility, and media populism, thus enabling a transformation in ritual structures and indicating a growing tendency toward mediatization in Iran.

Background: Contemporary debates on disinformation are dominated by two influential approaches: Fallis’s functional (teleological) model and Simion’s purely epistemic Disinformation as Ignorance-Generating Content (DIGC) model. Their respective strengths and weaknesses become salient in real-world settings such as the Backfire Effect, the spread of bullshit, and disputes about the epistemic status of Large Language Models (LLMs). Aims: We aim to (i) critically evaluate the explanatory and classificatory utility of the functional and purely epistemic models across these scenarios, (ii) diagnose key failure modes (especially DIGC’s over-generation and the functional model’s difficulties with non-intentional sources), and (iii) propose a more extensionally adequate framework. Methodology: We conduct a comparative conceptual analysis of both models and test their classifications against several cases. In particular, we use empirical findings on the Backfire Effect to examine whether a purely consequence-based criterion misclassifies accurate, well-intentioned scientific information. We also incorporate Frankfurt’s distinction between lying and bullshit to refine how epistemic malice is characterised. Findings: Fallis’s functional model captures complex forms of disinformation (including true and adaptive disinformation) by tying disinformation to a misleading function, but it struggles to classify outputs from non-intentional sources such as autonomous AI. DIGC broadens coverage by removing intentionality and focusing on dispositions to increase ignorance, yet this purely epistemic stance yields an Over-generation Problem: under Backfire conditions, it can wrongly classify accurate and well-intentioned scientific communication as disinformation. To address these limitations, we propose a hybrid teleological framework, Functional-Contextual Disinformation (FC-DIGC), which combines DIGC’s consequence criterion with a teleological constraint requiring a misleading function. This synthesis better separates malicious deception (disinformation) from unintended epistemic harm (contextually harmful misinformation) and helps clarify how LLM outputs should be categorised. Conclusion: A hybrid teleological approach improves extensional adequacy by preventing over-generation while retaining coverage for non-intentional systems. FC-DIGC provides a principled way to distinguish disinformation from contextually harmful misinformation and, by integrating the lying–bullshit contrast, captures a broader spectrum of epistemically motivated malice relevant to contemporary information environments, including AI-mediated communication.

Background: As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies become embedded in public and private decision-making, questions of governance have become a critical global concern. The European Union (EU), widely regarded as a leader in digital regulation, has developed an AI governance architecture that includes the AI Act, Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI, and multiple stakeholder platforms. Aims: This article examines how expert networks and national governance models from France, Germany, and South Africa contribute to the European Union’s artificial intelligence (AI) governance through conceptual, institutional, and procedural spillover. Methodology: The research employs comparative case study analysis, drawing on policy documents, ethical guidelines, expert reports, and process tracing to track how national frameworks migrate into EU deliberations. The theoretical framework integrates spillover theory with multi‑level governance, norm diffusion, and epistemic community perspectives. Discussion: The central question is how transnational actors influence EU regulation via mechanisms such as normative transfer, expert mobility, and platform convergence. The study hypothesizes that EU AI governance is increasingly co‑constructed through multidirectional spillover, in which norms and ethical frameworks from both the Global North and Global South are adapted and embedded into supranational regulation. Findings: South Africa’s “Fair AI” framework, France’s participatory ethics inquiry, and Germany’s strategic critique each shape EU debates on trustworthy AI, accountability, and regulatory experimentation. Together, these cases indicate that EU governance functions not as a closed, top‑down system but as a porous and adaptive architecture responsive to external influence. Conclusion: The expert communities across regions contribute to the co‑production of global AI standards, and that ethical pluralism is emerging as a significant feature of supranational regulation.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming global economic systems, reshaping labor markets, industries, and geopolitical power structures. The Age of AI and Our Human Future</em> by Kissinger, Schmidt, and Huttenlocher (2021) offers an influential perspective on these transformations, warranting systematic academic analysis. Aims: This study aims to examine the major economic and societal themes emerging from The Age of AI and Our Human</em> Future and to interpret their implications for the future of the world economy in the age of AI. Methodology: Using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis, the book was analyzed as the primary qualitative data source. The theoretical framework combined the concept of Disruptive Technologies and Schumacher’s human-centered perspective to interpret how AI influences global economic and ethical structures. Findings: Four key themes were identified: (1) Transformation of Industries, (2) Labor Market Shifts and Economic Inequality, (3) AI and Global Power Dynamics, and (4) Regulation and Ethical Frameworks. The findings show that AI drives innovation and productivity while intensifying inequality and geopolitical competition. Ethical and regulatory frameworks are essential to balance technological progress with social justice and human welfare. Conclusion: AI’s rapid development is reshaping the world economy, necessitating interdisciplinary approaches and global cooperation. Human-centered and ethically governed AI development is vital to ensure that technological progress contributes to equitable and sustainable global prosperity.

Background: Nigeria's rapid digital transformation has led to increased cyber risks, endangering the country's security and stability. Although various policies and guidelines have been developed on cybersecurity, it is not yet clear how effective they are when compared to global benchmarks. Aims: This literature survey compares cybersecurity governance in Nigeria with developed countries, identifies shortcomings and offers recommendations for improvement. Methodology: Through qualitative data analysis, the study highlights weaknesses in laws and regulations, lack of cybersecurity awareness and training, corruption issues, infrastructure, housing shortages and poor economic integration. Comparing global practices with countries such as the UK, the US and Estonia, the study reveals that Nigeria lags behind in key areas such as law enforcement and the concept of work. Finding: The recommendations include reforming the regulatory framework to respond to emerging threats, promoting stronger public-private partnerships, expanding awareness and training, and adopting Recognize global best practices in cybersecurity governance. Conclusion: Improving these aspects will help Nigeria strengthen its ability to defend itself against evolving cyber threats and better align with global standards.

Background: This article presents the findings of our specially designed study based on data from the GSS 2022 comprehensive survey. We wanted to investigate the landscape of psychological support in the contemporary American workplace. As the significance of employee well-being grows, organizations recognize the need to provide effective psychological support to foster a healthy work environment. Aims: Our study aimed to evaluate psychological support programs' awareness, availability, utilization, and perceived efficacy in various industries and organizations, particularly in relation to Internet use. Methodology: A varied group of American citizens took part in the study, answering questions related to their awareness of available resources, involvement in workplace support initiatives, and the effects on their overall well-being. Findings: The findings suggest that employees’ perception of psychological support from managers positively influences both work and life satisfaction. However, only a portion of the original hypotheses concerning the relationships between this perception and other variables were supported by the data. Conclusion: Notably, it was discovered that younger individuals tend to perceive less psychological support from management. Additionally, individuals previously married, regardless of their current marital status, were more likely to perceive their managers as psychologically supportive. In addition, those with a higher level of education reported a higher level of perceived employer support. And, balanced daily internet engagement can enhance the perception of support.