Call for Papers: Journal of Digital Media & Policy (JDMP)

Special Issue: ‘Metaverse Futures: Policy, Power, and the Digital Media Landscape’

#JDMPJournal

Guest Editors:

Brighton Nyagadza, York St John University, London Campus, United Kingdom

Abu Bashar, Gulf University, Kingdom of Bahrain

Eugine Tafadzwa Maziriri, University of the Western Cape, South Africa

Tamer M. Alkadash, Gulf University, Kingdom of Bahrain

View the full call here>>

https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-digital-media-policy#call-for-papers

We invite submissions for a special issue dedicated to exploring the evolving intersections of digital media, emerging technologies, and critical regulatory and policy-oriented research on metaverse. This issue examines the political, institutional, and structural policy dynamics that shape how digital communication industries operate, evolve, and govern participation in immersive digital environments. Metaverse, as the new digital media platform, has brought immersive experience, massive personalisation and customisation, with great interactivity and participation, resulting in seamless integration. The increasing focus on the development of the metaverse has pushed organisations to invest more in next-generation interconnected digital media and virtual technology, such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), and mixed reality (MR), among others. Such an advent of the interrelation between digital media and the metaverse plays a major function in opening opportunities for the highest level of interactivity, which cannot be met in the real world. It helps organisations to discover extensions of novel approaches to doing things better. Moreover, digital media facilitates the creation, distribution, and monetization of content, influencing how brands, influencers, and organisations establish their presence in the metaverse. The virtual identity, privacy, engagement, policy frameworks, and economic models are shaping the future of digital experiences in the metaverse. The current Call for Papers - aims to examine how digital media industries operate, govern, and commodify participation in the metaverse, with a critical lens on:

·       Who controls virtual spaces, data, and economies?

·       How do existing frameworks (e.g., GDPR, antitrust laws) fall short?

·       How do brands exploit behavioural data in virtual spaces, and what regulations curb manipulative practices?

·       Balancing innovation with equity, transparency, and user agency.

·       What policies govern AI-generated personas and deepfake influencers?

·       What new policies are needed for influencer marketing, subliminal ads, and branded environments?

·       How do metaverse platforms handle cross-cultural conflicts in marketing?

·       What new advertising standards and consumer protection policies are required for virtual spaces and immersive commerce?

·       How are data privacy policies, surveillance, and user consent being addressed in metaverse marketing campaigns?

·       How do platform governance and content moderation policies impact brand storytelling and communication ethics in virtual environments?

·       What role do national governments and transnational bodies policies play in regulating marketing and monetization in the metaverse?

·       How does algorithmic targeting evolve in spatial digital environments, and what are its policy implications?

Contributions may address, but are not limited to, the following thematic areas:

1. Immersive brand experiences and consumer engagement - Exploring how brands use immersive technologies (VR/AR/XR) to create interactive storytelling, virtual try-ons, branded environments, and gamified experiences within the metaverse.

2. Regulation of advertising and commercial speech in virtual spaces- Examining evolving legal and ethical policy frameworks surrounding advertising standards, influencer marketing, subliminal messaging, and brand placement within immersive and mixed-reality platforms.

3. Data governance, privacy policies, and algorithmic targeting - Investigating how data is collected, processed, and monetized in the metaverse, with a focus on regulatory policies compliance, consent mechanisms, and algorithmic accountability in marketing.

4. Digital identity, representation and consumer protection policy frameworks - Understanding the role of avatars, virtual influencers, and AI-generated personas in marketing; analyzing how identity construction and manipulation raises new policy and ethical concerns.

5. Virtual economies, IP rights and platform power policies - Addressing the marketing implications of NFTs, digital assets, and creator economies; exploring policy questions related to intellectual property, platform monopolies, and equitable monetization models.

6. Cultural narratives, inclusivity, and global policy frameworks - Examining how brands navigate cultural sensitivity, diversity, and inclusion in virtual campaigns, comparing international regulatory responses to marketing in immersive digital environments.

7. Public communication, state messaging and policy adaptation - Exploring how governments, NGOs, and public institutions use metaverse platforms for civic engagement, public awareness, and regulatory messaging—alongside frameworks for policy adaptation in virtual ecosystems.

Submissions:                                                                   

Submitting abstracts should include the name, institutional affiliation, contact information, title, and a 400-word abstract.

Email your abstracts to all Guest Editors:

·       Brighton Nyagadza (brightonnyagadza@gmail.com).

·       Abu Bashar (abu.bashars@gmail.com).

·       Eugine Tafadzwa Maziriri (eemaziriri@uwc.ac.za).

·       Tamer M Alkadash (dr.tamer.alkadash@gulfuniversity.edu.bh)

Publication Deadlines and Timeline:

• Abstracts Due: 15 July 2025

• Confirmation of Acceptance: 30 July 2025

• Full Manuscript Due: 15 November 2025

• Revised articles due: 1 February 2026

• Publication: June 2026