Kay O'Halloran - Reflections on the Digital Age and Future Directions for Semiotics Research

When: 2022-10-31 14:00-16:00 (Tallinn time)
Where: CUDAN Open Lab (online)

Website: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/communication-and-media/staff/kay-ohalloran/

The event is public via zoom: https://zoom.us/j/99209544202

Abstract – Reflections on the Digital Age and Future Directions for Semiotics Research

This lecture is concerned with a critical interpretation of the digital age and the artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms which shape human life today. This has led to a reorganisation of knowledge, power and authority which extends beyond the workforce, given that most aspects of daily life (including actions, opinions, feelings, emotions and personal relations) are now mediated by digital media platforms which store and codify the data obtained. Within this scenario, the role of semiotics and future directions for research are considered in the current digital age where data and information (i.e. semiotic constructions) have become major commodities. Future directions for semiotics research could include (a) assisting with the development of Explainable AI algorithms (with clarity about the results) to understand the distribution and filtering of information, together with its inherent biases and possibilities for social change, and (b) providing opportunities for increased digital and data literacies. In other words, a semiotic science for stimulating social action to mitigate the risks and leverage the benefits of digital media technology is required.