The 2026 International Conference on Social Media & Society (#SMSociety) invites scholarly and original submissions related to the broad theme of Social Media & Society. We welcome quantitative and qualitative work that crosses interdisciplinary boundaries and expands our understanding of current and future trends in social media research.
Please note: Submissions are now closed
Paper (Extended Abstract 1000-1500 words)
Papers provide authors the opportunity to present their original work (either on a completed or ongoing project) related to the broad theme of social media and society.
NOTE: For published work, we suggest you prepare a panel proposal with 2-3 colleagues in your research area.
- Due: Monday, January 26, 2026 @ midnight (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time)
- Review Results: March 2, 2026
- Submission Format: To streamline the submission/review process, you will need to submit your extended abstract (~1000-1500 words) using the Conference Management Tool (CMT). You will be required to provide the following information: Introduction/Background, Objective(s)/Research Question(s), Method, Results (Preliminary or Final), and Future Work. You can use this Submission Template to prepare each section and then copy & paste them into the conference submission system.
- How to submit: For 2026, #SMSociety uses Microsoft Conference Management Toolkit (CMT) to manage your Paper and Poster submissions. The CMT system will serve as the central hub to check your submission status, review submissions from your peers, and contact Conference Chairs. Here are detailed instructions on How to Submit Your Paper (Extended Abstract) to #SMSociety 2026.
- Peer-Review Process: Extended abstracts are peer-reviewed (double-blind) by other authors who submitted them to the conference, and the Organizing Committee adjudicates final decisions.
- Allowed number of submissions: You may submit up to 2, but only 1 submission as a single or lead author.
- Presentation Format: In-Person
- Peer-Review Requirement: For a submission to be considered, the lead author from each submission is required to peer review (double-blind) three other conference submissions (=extended abstracts). The expected review period is three weeks (around February 1 – 20, 2026). If you are the lead author, please ensure you can conduct peer reviews during this period.
- Publication of Pre-prints and Datasets: To promote your work during and after the conference, authors of accepted papers (extended abstracts) are encouraged to share their work as a pre-print. Preprint will be accessible via the conference online program and other channels. If you have a dataset to share, you can upload it to one of many data repositories, such as Dataverse or Figshare. Authors of accepted papers can provide a link to their pre-print and/or dataset for inclusion in the conference program.
- Journal Publications: We hope that feedback from other scholars during the review process and the Q&A part of your presentation will help you refine your ideas and develop your work into a full paper after the conference. Once ready, you are welcome to submit your full paper to a journal of your choice.
- All #SMSociety conference presenters will also receive an exclusive invitation to submit their work as an expanded full paper to a thematic issue of Platforms & Society.
Panel (2000-3000 words)
Panel presentations provide 3-5 scholars the option of organizing related talks together in a thematic session. Generally, panels focus on a single theme to be addressed by multiple speakers, each of whom presents a distinct element or perspective. Panels typically have a chair or moderator and include some time for audience engagement or Q&A. Panels can be structured or take a more innovative form, however the coordinating logic behind the panel should be clear.
- Due: February 16, 2026 @ midnight (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time)
- Review Results: March 9, 2026
- How to submit: Use this online form to submit your proposal.
- Review process: Panel submissions are reviewed (not blind) by the Organizing Committee
- Presentation Format: 55-min in-person session
Workshop or Tutorial (1000-3000 words)
Workshops or hands-on tutorials will examine a particular research area, a method, or a tool for the analysis of social media data, platforms, or related phenomenon. Workshops and tutorials are intended to facilitate group learning and be engaging and interactive (for example, including demonstrations, hands-on-activities, skill and/or tool-testing, simulations, and/or exploration and application of models). Workshops should still have a chair/organizer and can include multiple people as appropriate to the topic. Workshop and tutorial proposals should clearly identify the purpose, interactive elements, and intended outcomes.
- Due: February 16, 2026 @ midnight (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time)
- Review Results: March 9, 2026
- How to submit: Use this online form to submit your proposal. The panel submission should outline a 500 word rationale for the panel, along with 500 words for each participant’s contribution.
- Review process: Workshop and tutorial submissions are reviewed (not blind) by the Organizing Committee
- Presentation Format: a half-day (~3h) or full-day (~6h) interactive session (in-person)
- Each accepted workshop/tutorial will receive one complimentary conference registration per submission.
Poster (Extended Abstract 1000-1500 words)
The research poster session provides an interactive forum for authors to discuss their research one on one with their peers.
- Due: March 13, 2026 @ midnight (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time)
- Review Results: March 27, 2026
- Submission Format: To streamline the submission/review process, you will need to submit your extended abstract (~1000-1500 words) using our online form. The form will require you to provide the following information: Introduction/Background, Objective(s)/Research Question(s), Method, Results (Preliminary or Final), and Future Work. You can use this Submission Template to prepare your answers and then copy & paste them into the conference submission system.
- How to submit: For 2026, #SMSociety uses Microsoft Conference Management Toolkit (CMT) to manage your Paper and Poster submissions. The CMT system will serve as the central hub to check your submission status, review submissions from your peers and contact Conference Chairs. Here are detailed instructions on How to Submit Your Poster (Extended Abstract) to #SMSociety 2026.
- Review process: Poster submissions are reviewed (not blind) by the Organizing Committee
- Presentation Format: If selected, the author(s) will have the opportunity to present their poster as part of a dedicated poster session. Poster space or display boards will be provided, but the authors are responsible for printing their posters.
Poster Template
You can use and customize this #SMSociety Poster Template to prepare your poster – or create your own.