[Commlist] Call for Interest Conference Insights for a Balanced Regulation: Considering Platforms Benefits

Call for interest for the conference “Insights for a Balanced 
Regulation: Considering Platforms Benefits and Protection Needs”, to be 
held online on December 14, 2021 at 2:30 pm.

The joint conference of the Italian Chapter of the IIC (International 
Institute of Communications) and Agcom (Italian Regulatory Authority of 
Communications) aims to explore the benefits produced by the digital 
ecosystem and, in particular, by the rise of online platforms, beyond 
the immediate and obvious new business models and commercial offerings.

Although the very notion of “benefit” varies according to geo-cultural, 
social and political contexts, the conference focuses on a particular 
typology of occurrences: second order effects, also called “side 
effects”. These are positive externalities, i.e. unintended or 
unexpected outcomes - albeit desirable - produced by the mass diffusion 
of a specific service, which was originally designed for other purposes. 
While the direct benefits of online services are obvious and immediately 
observable, the indirect benefits are more difficult to identify, but 
nevertheless, crucial to consider when exploring targeted and 
proportionate remedies to their equally readily observable negative 
externalities.

An example of indirect benefit is geo-tracking of mobile phone user 
services, whose widespread use has allowed valuable social effects, such 
as optimized traffic management with the associated reduction in 
pollution through decongestion of overloaded thoroughfares.

The conference aims to bring together representatives of industry, 
regulators, and academics from different countries in order to explore 
the indirect benefits (second-order positive externalities) arising from 
specific online services in relation to different fields (Economy, 
Finance, Labor; Society, Culture, Environment; Law, Democracy, 
Institutions).

Those interested in participating as speakers are invited to submit (by 
November 15, 2021, via email: (IICConference /at/ agcom.it) 
<mailto:(IICConference /at/ agcom.it)>) a 150-words abstract referring to 
original research, published work, a point of view or a way forward.

Communication and Media Studies scholars are welcome. No payment from 
the authors will be required.

The submission should also indicate the preferred discussion panel from 
those listed above and 3 thematic keywords. Details of institutional 
affiliation are also required.

Selected participants will be notified by the end of November.

An extended version of the call for interest, with more details on the 
notion of benefit under consideration, can be found here: 
https://www.iicom.org/event/iic-italy-chapter-webinar-insights-for-a-balanced-regulation-considering-platforms-benefits-and-protection-needs/ 
<https://www.iicom.org/event/iic-italy-chapter-webinar-insights-for-a-balanced-regulation-considering-platforms-benefits-and-protection-needs/>

*Please submit your proposal to ((IICConference /at/ agcom.it) 
<mailto:(IICConference /at/ agcom.it)>) together with:

1.Title of your input

2. 150 words abstract

3. Three thematic keywords

4. Preferred discussion panel

5. Name and institutional affiliation

Deadline for abstracts is November 15, 2021


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