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        <title>Frontiers in Communication | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication</link>
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        <pubDate>2026-08-11T10:57:20.840+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1933358</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1933358</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Societal awareness in the virtual world: a qualitative analysis of professional challenges and emerging opportunities in digital spaces]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-11T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Systematic Review</category>
        <author>Mohammad ali Alquaary</author><author>Safran Safar Almakaty</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This qualitative study examines the evolving relationship between community awareness and virtual environments, focusing on the professional challenges and opportunities that emerge within digital spaces. Using a structured thematic synthesis of peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and professional reports, the study explores how digital platforms reshape community engagement, social responsibility, and collective action. Sources published between 2010 and 2026 were identified through systematic searches of scholarly and policy databases (including JSTOR, ProQuest, SAGE, Taylor & Francis, IEEE Xplore, and the ACM Digital Library) and screened against explicit inclusion criteria emphasizing peer review, methodological transparency, and direct relevance to community awareness in digital settings. The analysis identifies five interrelated themes: digital literacy as a foundational enabler, information authenticity and trust, cultural identity preservation, the digital divide and equitable participation, and professional adaptation and ethical responsibility. Recent empirical and meta-analytic evidence (2024–2026) is integrated to ground these themes in current scholarship. Findings reveal that, although virtual worlds offer unprecedented opportunities for community mobilization and cross-cultural dialogue, they simultaneously present significant challenges that require coordinated professional responses. The study concludes that sustainable community awareness in virtual environments depends on comprehensive digital literacy programs, ethical and algorithmic governance frameworks, and balanced approaches that preserve authentic human connection while leveraging technological innovation. The study's principal contribution is conceptual: it integrates five previously fragmented strands of scholarship into a single framework of digitally mediated community awareness, expressed as testable propositions. Because the analysis rests on secondary sources rather than original empirical data, the framework is offered as a heuristic to be examined and refined in subsequent field research. Recommendations for future research include longitudinal studies of digital community resilience, cross-cultural comparative analyses, and empirical investigations of intervention effectiveness, including the effects of artificial intelligence–assisted moderation and immersive technologies.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1915724</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1915724</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Ideology through visual signs: analyzing Wardah and Pond's cosmetic advertisements on digital platforms]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ira Wirasari</author><author>Ranti Rachmawanti</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe visual phenomenon of cosmetic culture on digital platforms has intensified and expanded significantly over the past decade, driven by a shift in consumer behavior toward the digital ecosystem and the rise of social media as the primary venue for advertising, brand communication, and the construction of consumer identity. This study examines the representation of ideology through visual signs in cosmetic advertisements for Wardah (local) and Pond's (global) on social media platforms such as Instagram.MethodsThis research employs a qualitative case study methodology, utilizing visual semiotic analysis of advertising materials collected from Instagram.ResultsThe findings indicate that Wardah constructs an image of reliable and comfortable protection for an active lifestyle, aligning with the values of modesty and naturalness. In contrast, Pond's positions itself as a scientific solution that offers superior results and global aspirations. These ideological representations differ significantly because of the use of specific visual signs: Wardah emphasizes symbols of naturalness and modesty, whereas Pond's highlights symbols of science, luxury, and global standards.DiscussionThe diversity of ideologies presented by brands such as Wardah and Pond's reflects the varied cultures of consumption and the potential of social media to either support or challenge prevailing beauty norms.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1753207</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1753207</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The role of digital technology in shaping visual scenography in Jordanian cinema]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Omran Hassan</author><author>Najwa Kondakji</author><author>Kareem Ahmad Fadhil</author><author>Abdulsalam Alshboul</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Digital technologies have become increasingly central to contemporary film production, yet their adoption in Jordanian cinema remains shaped by uneven levels of training, infrastructure, technical specialization, and production experience. This study examines the extent to which reliance on digital technology in Jordanian cinema is associated with filmmakers' professional experience, number of completed projects, technical specialization, and production volume. A survey-based approach was used to collect data from practitioners involved in Jordanian film and visual effects production, with analysis focusing on patterns of technology use, perceived challenges, and relationships between experience, project intensity, specialization, and digital production practices. The findings indicate that reliance on digital technology increases significantly with accumulated experience, a higher number of projects, stronger technical specialization, and greater production volume. The results also show that practical training, exposure to more demanding production tasks, and access to advanced production environments are key factors in improving digital production quality and increasing the efficiency of technology use. These findings suggest that Jordan has a promising base of motivated young talent in digital cinema and visual effects, but this potential requires systematic institutional support. The study concludes that the development of Jordan's visual effects industry depends on integrated investment in human resources, production infrastructure, professional training, and supportive legislation. By documenting current practices, challenges, and development needs, this study provides a scientific basis for future strategies aimed at strengthening the Jordanian film industry and enhancing its competitiveness at regional and international levels.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1808988</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1808988</link>
        <title><![CDATA[From resistance to recuperation: Avatar, soft propaganda, and the blockbuster apparatus]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Elie Yazbek</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This article investigates the “blockbuster apparatus”—the intersection of massive capital investment, political soft power, and ideological dissemination. It asks not merely how these films communicate their messages, but whether they are driven by a specific ideological or propagandistic agenda, or whether their apparent “radicalism” is better understood as a market-tested aesthetic designed for global consumption. In Hollywood, the “power of money” conditions narrative choices and representational limits. With budgets reaching the hundreds of millions of dollars, the financial stakes incentivize a “universal” ideology that remains palatable across diverse political territories, from the United States to China, often resulting in a sanitized and commodified version of rebellion. To address these questions, the research situates James Cameron’s Avatar trilogy within a broader theoretical framework of ideology and propaganda, emphasizing science fiction’s capacity to operate as a laboratory for political ideas. By defining these terms both in their general sociological sense and their specific cinematic applications, the article examines how Hollywood functions as a site of cultural hegemony and ideological management through spectacle. To provide comparative depth, the study draws on a secondary corpus of science-fiction blockbuster landmarks—Star Wars, Independence Day, War of the Worlds, The Terminator, and Starship Troopers—to situate Avatar’s strategies within a broader tradition. Star Wars exemplifies the mythic naturalization of binary moralities (“Rebel vs. Empire”/“Good vs. Evil”), whereas Starship Troopers shows how the genre can appropriate the visual language of propaganda to expose it. Read alongside the integrative nationalism of Independence Day, the post-9/11 siege imaginary of War of the Worlds, and the recuperation of technophobia in The Terminator, these comparisons clarify how science-fiction blockbusters manage dissent through spectacle and competing worldviews. Ultimately, the article mobilizes Debord’s concept of “recuperation” and the “military-entertainment complex” (Lenoir) to analyze funding structures and the trilogy’s evolving themes. It asks whether Pandora is a genuine site of ideological resistance or a sophisticated form of soft propaganda that reinforces the status quo through critique: is the audience moved to action, or merely consuming a high-tech simulation of revolution? The sections outlines the corpus and analytical approach before presenting results and discussing implications.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1872768</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1872768</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Bridging tourism and cultural communication in Bakar Tongkang tradition for sustainable tourism in Riau, Indonesia]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Noor Efni</author><author>Ricca Angreini Munthe</author><author>Nik Norma Nik Hasan</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Communication plays an important role in preserving cultural identity as a tourist destination amid the development of media that erases national boundaries. In the context of Bakar Tongkang tradition in Rokan Hilir, Riau, Indonesia, a cultural heritage steeped in mysticism, it has become a venue for cultural tourism and an economic added value for the local community. This study aims to examine the community's capacity to preserve Bakar Tongkang tradition. It then identifies the roles of the actors (stakeholders) in preserving Bakar Tongkang tradition as an identity and an arena for cultural and sustainable tourism, and outlines future challenges. The research method is qualitative, with data collected through in-depth interviews with local government officials, the Chinese community, residents, tourists, and the media. The results of the study show that the existence of Bakar Tongkang tradition is driven by strong traditional values and the mystical beliefs inherent in it. Additionally, there is collaboration and synergy between the government, the community, and the media in formulating policies, promoting solidarity among the community for the continuation of the annual Bakar Tongkang ritual, which has an impact on improving the community's economy, especially in business sectors such as accommodation, culinary, handicrafts, and opening new business opportunities in Rokan Hilir. The cultural heritage of Bakar Tongkang tradition holds social, historical and spiritual significance for the Chinese community, and has become a defining feature of Rokan Hilir society. Various cultural elements, including symbolic and acculturative aspects, are interwoven through this unique ritual, fostering harmony within the community. However, this tradition still faces challenges, particularly for the younger generation, who must be continually educated to ensure it survives amid the rapid development of technology.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1947018</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1947018</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Correction: Network signals as national proxies: an analytical demonstration of social signal amplification theory in Nigeria’s pre-electoral context]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Correction</category>
        <author>Ada Peter</author><author>Favour Egbogun</author><author>Rejoice Gberevbie</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1938346</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1938346</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Correction: From home screens to homeland: a narrative review of soft power, diasporic connections, Indian identity, and video streaming platforms]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Correction</category>
        <author>Pooja Valecha</author><author>Kuldeep Brahmbhatt</author><author>Anabel Quan-Haase</author><author>Dhara Shah</author><author>Divyani Dubey</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1847029</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1847029</link>
        <title><![CDATA[“Have the writers actually read abortion law?”: using YouTube comments to explore audience responses to entertainment TV abortion plotlines]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Stephanie Herold</author><author>Piper Narendorf</author><author>Beth Hoffman</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionComment sections on social media websites such as YouTube provide a unique venue to observe contemporaneous audience interpretation and discussion of entertainment television content. While entertainment-education research has largely examined whether and how exposure to television content influences viewer knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs, analyzing comment sections provides an opportunity to observe how audiences interpret and discuss these plotlines in an organic setting.MethodsWe examined comments posted to YouTube clips of entertainment television abortion plotlines to document how these comments explicitly discussed the plotlines depicted and what themes emerged in these discussions. We identified 15 YouTube clips of abortion plotlines posted between 2018 and 2023 on official network accounts. We used thematic analysis techniques to qualitatively assess the top 20 comments and replies for each video (n = 162).ResultsTwenty-six percent of all comments referenced the content of the clip. Overarching themes included (1) evaluating the perceived authenticity of abortion portrayals, (2) interpreting characters' motivations and emotional experiences, and (3) comparing the quality and impact of abortion storylines across various television shows. We found that audiences engaged in sophisticated meaning-making around abortion storylines.These comment sections illustrate the kinds of reflective engagement that contemporary theories of meaningful (eudaimonic) entertainment propose are central to narrative influence.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1839828</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1839828</link>
        <title><![CDATA[From worship to collective practice: zakat, local leadership, and social change in Indonesia]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Abdul Malik</author><author>Liza Diniarizky Putri</author><author>Media Sucahya</author><author>Abdul Hamid bin Saifuddin</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Zakat is generally viewed as both an individual religious obligation and an economic redistribution instrument within the Islamic philanthropy system. However, beyond its normative and financial functions, zakat is also a social practice shaped, interpreted, and carried out through communication processes within society. This research aims to analyze how zakat communication practices and the roles of local leaders contribute to social change, using the Communication for Social Change (CFSC) perspective. This research employs a qualitative case study design in Serang Regency, Banten Province, Indonesia. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with institutional leaders, local government employees, religious leaders, Zakat Collection Unit (UPZ) managers, and community members. Data collection was also supplemented by field observation and documentation studies. The data were analyzed using manual thematic analysis, read through the CFSC framework, to identify changes in meaning, social relations, and collective participation in zakat practices. The research finds that social change in zakat practices occurs through dialogical and participatory communication, which drives a shift in the meaning of zakat from a personal obligation to a collective social practice. Local leadership plays a role as a symbolic communicative actor that strengthens legitimacy and public trust, while UPZ functions as a community intermediary that facilitates grassroots community participation. Nevertheless, this social change remains a challenge in terms of inclusivity, particularly due to limitations in the utilization of digital media and the low participation of the non-civil service sector. This study contributes to the study of social change communication by expanding the application of CFSC to the context of religion-based philanthropy and local governance. This study demonstrates that zakat can serve as a mechanism of social change when practiced through dialogical, participatory communication legitimized by local leadership.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1860875</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1860875</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Adaptive communication strategies for energy and economic resilience in Jakarta's positioning within global discourse (amid VUCA to BANI challenges through ICT innovations)]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Themotia Titi Widaningsih</author><author>Algooth Putranto</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Jakarta's trajectory toward becoming a resilient global city is marked by strategic communication challenges amidst the shifting paradigms from VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) to BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible). This study employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine how the Provincial Government of Jakarta constructs digital narratives of energy and economic resilience. To provide methodological clarity, the study analyzes a dataset of over 1,000 textual data points and keyword occurrences sourced from official social media accounts, the JAKI super-app, smart city portals, and strategic policy documents published between 2022 and 2024. Findings indicate that the dominant discourse emphasizes technological innovation, efficiency, and rapid responsiveness, primarily through keywords such as “digitalization,” “smart city,” and “adaptiveness.” However, these narratives often privilege technocratic and elite actors, marginalize non-digital communities, and foster symbolic participation without substantive inclusion. The study reveals a dissonance between performative global city branding and the lack of structural inclusivity in digital governance. By uncovering how power dynamics and underlying biases shape public messaging, this research calls for a shift from symbolic communication toward reflective, plural, and citizen-centric engagement. Ultimately, it contributes to the discourse on urban resilience by highlighting the need for more equitable and emotionally attuned public communication in the digital age.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1894103</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1894103</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Artificial intelligence in news analysis: social and ethical implications for media practice]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Hunida Gindil Abu Backer</author><author>Ayman Mohammed Abdelkader El-Shaikh</author><author>Amel Ibrahim Ahmed Abuzaid</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThis study examines artificial intelligence (AI) as a socio-technical phenomenon and explores its ethical and social implications for professional news analysis across selected MENA contexts.MethodsA qualitative approach was adopted through interviews with 31 experts in news analysis and editorial management. The study investigated the use of AI in digital media production, its potential applications, and associated ethical considerations.ResultsThe findings indicate that AI can enhance analytical processes by supporting text interpretation, theme identification, misinformation detection, and data-driven editorial decision-making. However, experts emphasized that automated content generation and summarization systems cannot fully replicate human interpretive journalism, which requires contextual understanding, cultural awareness, and narrative sensitivity. The results also reveal that traditional media organizations maintain stricter human-in-the-loop oversight standards than digital platforms when implementing AI technologies.DiscussionThe study highlights key ethical concerns, including transparency, bias, accountability, and public trust. It proposes a framework that positions AI as a supportive tool rather than an autonomous agent and emphasizes the importance of professional training, clear editorial policies, and culturally informed AI adoption strategies to ensure responsible integration in news analysis.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1876994</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1876994</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Young and realistic? A transnational case for critical language awareness in climate and energy education]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Daniel Wuebben</author><author>Sonia-Aránzazu Ferruz-González</author><author>Duilio Lorenzo Calcagno</author><author>Marta Paradés</author><author>Almudena González del Valle-Brena</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study examines how to help university students translate climate concern into support for energy transition policies, with specific anchoring to Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7) and Climate Action (SDG 13). Using survey data from Argentina, Denmark, Italy, Spain, and the United States (n = 404), we find near-universal agreement among young people that climate change is human-driven, yet markedly weaker and differentiated support for specific decarbonization policies. Our multivariate regression analyses show that policy support is shaped less by personal beliefs than by how energy and climate policies are framed: perceived health co-benefits consistently raise support, while economic harm narratives suppress it. Together, the findings suggest that the gap between climate concern and action is partly due to a lack of energy literacy, which, we argue, might be ameliorated with critical language awareness (CLA). We present a three-part energy literacy intervention that is grounded in CLA and designed to build students’ capacity to interrogate the construals, trade-offs, and distributional claims embedded in climate and energy discourse, and to connect these to credible, agency-oriented everyday practices bridging SDG 7 and SDG 13.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1875857</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1875857</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Knowledge acquisition mechanisms during movie viewing: a case study of the impact of science fiction films on scientific thinking skills]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Lingqiang Kong</author><author>Hongyan Gao</author><author>Derui Kong</author><author>Yuxiang An</author>
        <description><![CDATA[With the rapid development of digital streaming platforms, people are increasingly recognizing their positive social impact through knowledge dissemination, in addition to focusing on their entertainment functions and criticizing the resulting issues of internet addiction,. Given the fast-growing consumption of science fiction content on streaming platforms, this study takes this as a starting point to explore how users internalize knowledge through the viewing experiences and enhance their scientific thinking abilities, thereby providing insights for platform content management and user value creation, as well as offering a reference for enhancing the positive social and educational significance of streaming platforms. Drawing on narrative transportation theory and a knowledge management perspective, this study constructs a cognitive–emotional interaction model to examine how narrative transportation influences learners’ scientific thinking ability through the dual pathways of emotional resonance and cognitive load, while also examining the moderating role of narrative processing styles. Based on survey data from 351 viewers of science fiction content on mainstream streaming platforms, the results indicate that narrative transportation significantly and positively influences scientific thinking skills; emotional resonance mediates this relationship positively, while cognitive load mediates it negatively; narrative processing style positively moderates the relationship between narrative transportation and emotional resonance, and negatively moderates the relationship between narrative transportation and cognitive load—that is, an experiential processing style strengthens the positive pathway and weakens the negative pathway. This study reveals asymmetric effects between experiential and rational learners, providing guidance for optimizing the balance of science popularization content on digital platforms. Theoretically, it integrates narrative transportation theory with the knowledge management paradigm. Practically, it proposes tiered recommendations based on processing styles and narrative complexity optimization strategies to promote the high-quality and sustainable development of scientific thinking skills in the digital age.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1894984</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1894984</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Virtual influencers in advertising and marketing communication: mapping the intellectual landscape of research on consumer psychology and human-AI interaction]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Systematic Review</category>
        <author>Donia Khalfallah</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThis study examines the psychological foundations of virtual influencer research within the broader context of artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven personalization, advertising, marketing communication, and human–AI interaction. As AI-generated social actors become increasingly embedded in digitally mediated environments, research on virtual influencers has expanded rapidly across psychology, communication, marketing, and media studies. However, the field remains conceptually fragmented, limiting understanding of its dominant psychological themes, intellectual structure, and future research directions.MethodsThis study employed the SPAR-4-SLR protocol to conduct a systematic literature review of virtual influencer research. Articles were retrieved from four major databases and screened using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in a final sample of 116 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025. Bibliometric techniques, including performance analysis and science mapping using VOSviewer, were applied to examine publication trends, collaboration patterns, influential contributors, and thematic structures within the field.ResultsThe findings indicate that virtual influencer research has expanded rapidly since 2021 and has evolved into an increasingly interdisciplinary field. China emerged as the leading contributor in terms of publication output, while analyses of publications, citations, and co-authorships revealed a fragmented intellectual structure, with influence distributed across multiple research teams. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified seven thematic clusters, highlighting authenticity, trust, anthropomorphism, consumer engagement, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing as the dominant research themes.DiscussionThis study integrates systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis to provide a comprehensive overview of the intellectual development of virtual influencer research. The findings indicate that the field is increasingly shaped by the convergence of consumer psychology, artificial intelligence, advertising, and marketing communication, with authenticity, trust, anthropomorphism, and consumer engagement emerging as its principal research themes. By synthesizing fragmented evidence, this study provides a structured roadmap for future research on human–AI interaction, digital identity, parasocial relationships, and virtual influencer marketing. The findings also contribute to advertising and marketing communication by clarifying the dominant research directions, identifying emerging knowledge gaps, and highlighting opportunities for future theoretical and empirical development.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1841854</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1841854</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Artificial intelligence and media labour transformation in Arab journalism: professional identity, behavioural change, and ethical challenges]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Hypothesis and Theory</category>
        <author>Rania Abdel Qader Abdallah</author><author>Sawsan Taha</author><author>Rahima Aissani</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping the media industry by transforming newsroom technologies, professional identity, and journalistic practices. This study examines how AI-driven systems, including automated news production, audience analytics, and multimedia tools, are restructuring labor processes and influencing behavioral patterns within Arab media organizations. Drawing on Technological Determinism and Media Practice Theory, the study adopts a conceptual analytical approach based on recent scholarly and institutional literature as well as documented regional and international experiences. The analysis explores the impact of AI integration on professional identity, decision-making routines, and managerial strategies, while also addressing ethical concerns related to algorithmic bias, editorial autonomy, and transparency. Particular attention is given to the Arab media context, where linguistic complexity, uneven digital readiness, and limited governance frameworks shape journalists’ interactions with AI technologies. The findings indicate that AI adoption creates both opportunities and tensions, enhancing efficiency and data-driven journalism while generating professional uncertainty, behavioral adaptation, and ethical challenges. The study concludes that sustainable integration of AI in journalism requires a human-centered approach that prioritizes professional identity, ethical governance, and interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to a deeper understanding of media labor transformation in contemporary Arab media environments. Theoretically, the study advances a conditional-determinism framework - an integration of Technological Determinism and Media Practice Theory in which the force of technological pressure is treated not as a constant but as a variable conditioned by institutional capacity, governance maturity, and linguistic infrastructure - and formalises it in three testable propositions. Practically, it translates this framework into an editorial AI-governance architecture, a phased implementation roadmap, and a five-dimensional readiness assessment designed for Arab newsrooms.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1825578</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1825578</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Problem analysis and policy directions toward improved language accessibility in geologic risk communication]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Policy and Practice Reviews</category>
        <author>Fatima M. Moncada</author><author>Ma. Mylene Martinez-Villegas</author><author>Jeffrey S. Perez</author><author>Joan C. Salcedo</author><author>Ramil B. Atando</author><author>Charmaine V. Villamil</author><author>Lucille Rose D. Sanico</author><author>Jesus Rafael B. Jarata</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In multilingual countries such as the Philippines, language accessibility is a critical aspect of effective geologic risk communication, yet it remains underexplored. Despite policy proposals promoting the use of local languages and plain language in official communications, questions remain about the extent to which these measures address the challenges of communicating geologic risk information across diverse linguistic contexts. This Policy & Practice Review examines language accessibility in geologic risk communication using a problem structuring approach. The analysis draws on document reviews, including existing policies and related proposed bills, as well as a survey and a series of focus group discussions involving disaster risk reduction and management practitioners, educators, scientists, and language experts. The findings identify stakeholder-perceived challenges related to communication failures, such as difficulty conveying scientific uncertainty, absence of accurate translations, weak contextualization, and expert-driven communication. The study participants associated these challenges with broader institutional and structural conditions affecting geologic risk communication. Based on the substantive problems and root causes identified through the analysis, the review assesses existing and proposed policy approaches and examines their implications for language accessibility. The review suggests that language accessibility can be viewed as extending beyond translation and readability concerns to encompass participation, knowledge integration, and institutional arrangements that shape geologic risk communication practices. It proposes policy recommendations that position language accessibility as a development enabler, strengthen science communication systems and disaster literacy, institutionalize inclusive communication, integrate knowledge systems, and establish institutional enablers for coordinated implementation.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1831830</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1831830</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Examining cultural intelligence and culture shock among international students in Türkiye]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yasemin Kuzu</author><author>Sümeyye Özer</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThis study examined cultural intelligence and culture shock among international students studying in Türkiye. It focused on the relationship between cultural intelligence and culture shock and the extent to which cultural intelligence predicted culture shock.MethodsThe study employed a quantitative correlational survey design. Cultural intelligence and culture shock levels were examined, and differences according to gender, city of residence, and country category were analyzed. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between the variables and the predictive role of cultural intelligence and its dimensions.ResultsParticipants generally reported high levels of cultural intelligence and low levels of culture shock. Differences according to gender, city of residence, and country category were limited. Cultural intelligence was negatively associated with culture shock (r = −.353, p < .01) and significantly predicted culture shock (β = −.353, R² = .124, F = 34.548, p < .001). In the final regression model, motivational and metacognitive cultural intelligence emerged as significant predictors.DiscussionThe findings suggest that cultural intelligence, particularly its motivational and metacognitive dimensions, may be an important intercultural resource associated with lower culture shock. These findings may inform universities and policymakers in developing orientation programs, counseling services, and intercultural training initiatives that support international students' adjustment, well-being, and social integration within Turkish higher education.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1849855</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1849855</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Perceived circular-economy transparency in electronics markets: green authenticity and greenwashing skepticism as boundary conditions for responsible purchase intention]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-31T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Asem Alnasser</author><author>Amr Noureldin</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between perceived circular-economy transparency (CET) and responsible purchase intention (RPI) in the Saudi electronics market. It also investigates whether perceived green authenticity (PGA) mediates this relationship and whether the proposed mechanism is weaker among consumers reporting higher levels of greenwashing skepticism (GWS). Data were obtained through a cross-sectional online survey of 400 adult electronics consumers in Saudi Arabia. Direct, indirect, moderated and conditional indirect effects were estimated using PLS-SEM in SmartPLS 4 with bootstrapping. Perceived CET was positively associated with PGA and self-reported RPI, while PGA was also positively associated with RPI. PGA also statistically mediated the CET-RPI association. In addition, GWS weakened the CET-PGA path and, to a smaller extent, the PGA-RPI path, so the indirect association was stronger at lower skepticism and weaker at higher skepticism. Because the design is cross-sectional and self-reported, the findings should be interpreted as theory-driven associations rather than causal effects. The study contributes to circular-economy communication research by showing that the perceived transparency-RPI association in electronics markets is partly linked to authenticity evaluations and conditioned by skepticism toward green claims. It also suggests that electronics brands and policymakers should pair circularity disclosures with credible, comparable, and decision-relevant evidence. Future research should directly test labels, traceability systems, third-party verification, and digital product passport-like tools through experimental or longitudinal designs.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1920449</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1920449</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Rethinking how firms communicate with society]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-31T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Gabriele Giorgi</author><author>Monica Thiel</author><author>Nicola Mucci</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1861367</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1861367</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The digital public sphere in Nahdlatul Ulama's leadership crisis: netizen counter-discourse and social media discourse]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-31T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author> Suhaimi</author><author>Umi Musyarrofah</author><author>Kiky Rizky</author><author>Armawati Arbi</author><author>Rulli Nasrullah</author>
        <description><![CDATA[ObjectiveThis study examines how YouTube commenters construct vernacular counter-discourse in response to a long-form political podcast discussing the leadership crisis within Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest civil society religious organization. The research investigates the interpretive practices through which ordinary viewers negotiate organizational legitimacy, sacred authority, procedural integrity, and resource politics within the affordances of YouTube's comment section. Previous studies have examined digital religion, online religious authority, and social media engagement in Indonesia. However, limited attention has been paid to how ordinary audiences construct counter-discourse during internal organizational crises within major religious institutions.MethodsEmploying Ethnographic Content Analysis (ECA), the study analyzes 739 comment entries—608 top-level comments and 131 replies—posted between 19 December 2025 and 26 January 2026 on a YouTube conversation featuring Mahfud MD and Nadirsyah Hosen. The analytical procedure followed Altheide and Schneider's stage protocol, incorporating iterative theoretical sampling, constant comparative analysis, and reflexive field notes to capture both manifest categories and latent discursive dimensions.ResultsThe analysis reveals that commenters construct a Sacred–Procedural–Resource (SPR) grammar, systematically interweaving references to sacred authority, organizational procedure, and resource politics. Positive feedback functions not as passive approval but as mobilizing praise that carries programmatic reform demands. Commenters articulate specific, sequenced conditions for credible reconciliation, including audits, proper ordering of islah and muktamar, transparency, political disentanglement from state patronage, and identity maintenance that embeds critique within ongoing affective commitment.ConclusionThe findings demonstrate that YouTube comment sections function as vernacular deliberative forums where lay audiences co-produce organizational accountability discourse rather than merely react to elite speech. The SPR grammar and intertextual verification loops theorize how religious authority negotiation shifts from unquestioned charisma to publicly justified procedural compliance subject to audit and evidentiary demonstration. This re-proceduralization of religious authority carries implications for religious organizations, podcast producers, and platform designers navigating the digital public sphere in Global South contexts, while opening avenues for comparative research across platforms, religious traditions, and crisis types. This study contributes theoretically by proposing the Sacred–Procedural–Resource (SPR) grammar and Intertextual Verification Loops (IVLs) as frameworks for understanding how digital publics negotiate religious legitimacy and organizational accountability.]]></description>
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