Welcome to Infonomy (ISSN 2990-2290), the academic journal of scientific dissemination of Information, Documentation and Social Communication. In an increasingly complex and technological world, it is crucial that scientists make an effort to communicate their findings to the general public. Scientific communication not only helps foster interest in science and technology, but can also improve informed decision-making on important issues, such as public health and the environment. Scientific dissemination not only benefits the general public. It is also important for scientists to communicate with each other and share their discoveries in an accessible way. Scientific findings can often be difficult for non-experts to understand, so it is essential that researchers strive to explain their ideas and studies in a clear and concise manner. In this “outreach” academic journal, notes published cover a wide range of topics, from Communication to Bibliometrics, including Documentation, Information Management and Scholarly Publication. It is open to authors who are not only experts in their fields, but also in communicating their ideas in a way that is easy and accessible to everyone. We hope you enjoy reading Infonomy and feel inspired to continue learning about Information and its communication, management or measurement. We also hope that if you are a researcher you will feel motivated to go the extra mile to communicate your findings and discoveries to a broad and diverse audience. Together, we can foster a culture of learning and discovery.
Ediciones Profesionales de la Información S.L. (EPI SL)
Vision and attitudes of public library staff towards the digital inclusion of older people
Public libraries play a key role in fostering the social and digital inclusion of older adults in a context shaped by digital transformation and population ageing. This article examines librarians’ perceptions, attitudes, and competencies regarding the assumption of this role when it is specifically focused on older people. A qualitative methodology was employed, using focus groups with a purposive sample of public library professionals from the Region of Murcia (Spain). The findings reveal a gradual, though still insufficiently structured, adoption of the educational and training function by public libraries. This process is constrained by professional uncertainty, skills gaps, and organizational limitations. Nevertheless, the study also identifies innovative intervention practices based on individualized support and contextualized learning. The article concludes that consolidating this role requires stronger institutional planning, continuous professional development, and explicit recognition of the educational and training mission of public libraries.
Copyright (c) 2026 Francisco-Javier García-Gómez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Innovative library spaces: Dokk1, Oodi, Deichman Bjørvika and Gabriel García Márquez
This article seeks to identify innovations in the design of recent public libraries. It examines whether there is genuine innovation in library architecture and its influence on service provision and the community. To this purpose, four libraries that have received the IFLA Public Library of the Year Award are analysed. A precedent analysis is carried out based on visits to the four facilities. All of this is supported by a critical literature review. The selected examples are Dokk1, Oodi, Deichman Bjørvika and the Gabriel García Márquez Library. Although their programmes differ, resulting in distinct characteristics, the four libraries share significant similarities in terms of their conception as a third place, their adaptability –specific flexibility–, participatory design, and respect for the environment. It is concluded that, although the individual innovations they contain often have already been previously available in other libraries, the fact of bringing them together in a single location, combined with the adaptability of the spaces, makes them examples of innovation with a strong influence on the community through these services. This adaptability is the best guarantee for easily adopting new innovations and services that may arise in the future.
Copyright (c) 2026 José-Pablo Gallo-León https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Library mythology: regarding the authorship of the first UNESCO Public Library Manifesto (1949)
The first UNESCO Public Library Manifesto (1949) is one of the founding documents of the global public library movement. However, a significant portion of the specialised literature erroneously attributes its authorship to the French writer André Maurois. This research note analyses the origin and persistence of this historiographical error through a review of primary and secondary sources. It examines the institutional context of IFLA-UNESCO cooperation in the post-war period; presents documentary evidence confirming the collective authorship of the text, prepared by the UNESCO Libraries Section in cooperation with the IFLA Public Libraries Committee; proposes an explanatory hypothesis locating the source of confusion in the essay about libraries that Maurois wrote for UNESCO in 1961; and presents the results of an experiment with generative artificial intelligence systems that illustrates how this error has been perpetuated in the contemporary information ecosystem. The research concludes that restoring the collective and institutional authorship of the 1949 Manifesto is not merely an exercise in historiographical rigour, but an act of symbolic justice towards the library profession itself.
Copyright (c) 2026 Pedro Quílez-Simón https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Innovative spaces for browsing library collections. Transmedia Library Shelf Experience pre-prototype in the Comicteca of the Biblioteca Regional de Murcia
This paper presents an experimental application of the Transmedia Library Shelf Experience, a project designed to promote physical and digital library collections through a novel hybrid shelf interface. The prototype was temporarily deployed at the Biblioteca Regional de Murcia, allowing users to interact with, browse, and borrow from the collection. This activity is part of a collaboration between the research group and the library’s Comicteca, focusing on the theme of graphic medicine. A mixed-methods analysis was adopted, combining non-participatory and non-invasive observation with usability testing, which utilized an adapted version of the WAMMI questionnaire to evaluate the digital components. The results highlight the impact of the prototype’s physical features, particularly the faced-out display of books, which successfully stimulated spontaneous browsing and a substantial increase in loans. Furthermore, the interactive map connecting the library’s resources through a transmedia approach was highly rated by users, who perceived it as both attractive and efficient.
Copyright (c) 2026 Roberto Testa, Vicente Funes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Participatory interface redesign in an academic library: a UX and co-creation experience
The Library System of the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina faces the challenge of redesigning its digital ecosystem under an innovation paradigm. Traditionally, academic library interfaces have been structured according to an internal organizational logic; however, this project draws on an evidence-based diagnosis that revealed minimal average user interaction time, demanding an extremely efficient information architecture. Through metric analysis and a user survey, a gap was identified between technical library science terminology and users' actual search needs. These findings drove the adoption of a human-centered design (UX) methodology, which encompassed user research, benchmarking of reference institutions, user persona modeling, information architecture redesign, and a plain language writing strategy. The resulting prototype was evaluated through usability testing and successive iterations, and also incorporated a participatory redesign stage via an open design competition. The findings suggest that applying UX methodologies in academic libraries can improve the usability of digital services and strengthen the relationship between the institution and its community.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yocselys Bermúdez-Gómez, Ana Faggiani https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Mapping trends for the third-place public library concept through systematic review and co-occurrence analysis
This research investigates contemporary trends in the discourse surrounding public libraries and the third place concept. Employing a systematic review coupled with co-occurrence analysis, it aims to identify the most relevant documents on this topic, categorize them by relevance, and extract thematic areas from their titles and abstracts. The goal is to understand the evolving nature of the public library concept in today's context. Two primary research questions guide this study: 1) What new terms are emerging to describe public libraries today? and 2) To which thematic areas do these terms belong? The first section outlines the process of document identification and classification based on relevance. This classification utilizes a controlled vocabulary developed during searches using terms found in the titles and abstracts of the documents. The second section presents a proposed co-occurrence data analysis. This method enables the detection of trends in the literature on the studied concept and offers a qualitative interpretation of the data, revealing emerging thematic lines that may diverge from the traditional understanding of the public library.
Copyright (c) 2026 Néstor Mir-Planells, Nicolás Robinson-García, Marie D. Martel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
SEMTEST: A pedagogical multi-layer semantic enrichment demonstrator based on Linked Open Data for teaching in Information and Documentation Science
SEMTEST is presented as an interactive web tool designed for teaching semantic query enrichment in the field of Library and Information Science. Starting from a free term entered by the user, the application executes a nine-phase sequential pipeline that transparently and traceably illustrates the transition from the Document Web (Wikipedia, HTML) to the Web of Data (DBpedia, Wikidata), also integrating open bibliographic resources (Open Library). The main novelty of this version lies in the deepening of knowledge representation through the explicit incorporation of all layers of the Semantic Web architecture —from URI/IRI identifiers and XML syntax to RDFS taxonomies, SKOS schemas, OWL ontologies, and SPARQL querying— both in the RDF property extraction and classification process and in the visualization of the resulting graph and standard export formats. The article describes in detail the technical architecture of the demonstrator, its mechanisms for accessing REST APIs and SPARQL endpoints, the logic of pedagogical property classification, and the generation of multi-level knowledge graphs reflecting hierarchical, associative, and instance relationships between entities. Its pedagogical possibilities in the context of knowledge organisation and Semantic Web training are also analysed. It is concluded that SEMTEST constitutes an effective didactic resource for demystifying semantic technologies and demonstrating their conceptual continuity with traditional documentary processes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Manuel Blázquez-Ochando, María-Antonia Ovalle-Perandones https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Public libraries as agents for preventing unwanted loneliness: analysis and intervention proposal
Context: This study addresses the need to highlight and systematize the role of public library facilities in preventing unwanted loneliness (UL), defined as the subjective experience resulting from a mismatch between the social relationships a person desires and those they actually have. Recognized as a public health issue associated with sociodemographic, health-related, psychological, and structural factors, UL requires the involvement of accessible community infrastructures such as public libraries. Beyond promoting reading and providing access to information, libraries function in practice as spaces for social cohesion and community support. Objectives: To analyze the role of public libraries as agents of social cohesion and community support in addressing unwanted loneliness, identifying both their potential and their limitations. The study also aims to provide a practical and adaptable framework for designing and implementing projects to prevent and reduce UL in public libraries. Methodology: The study combines a literature review with an analysis of strategic institutional documents from different public administrations in Madrid and Barcelona in order to identify how UL is addressed in public policies and service planning. The case study focuses on consolidated collaborative initiatives. A questionnaire was administered to 13 public libraries, and telephone interviews were conducted with their directors. Based on the findings, the study proposes a framework structured around ten intervention areas that can be adapted according to community needs and available resources. Conclusions: The study systematizes the relationship between UL and public libraries by conceptualizing the library as an open and neutral “third place” that encourages informal socialization, as an agent of social cohesion, and as a key community health infrastructure integrated into multisectoral prevention networks. The findings confirm that public libraries play an important community support role. The study also reveals the absence of standardized indicators for measuring the social impact of libraries in preventing UL, identifying the development and validation of such indicators as an important line for future research.
Copyright (c) 2026 Marc De-Blas-Lorenzo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From classical media groups to platformization: Evolution and diagnosis in the world of megaconglomerates
This article examines the transformation of the global media system from the classic media conglomerates to the current scenario of platformization and Big Tech dominance. Drawing on a diachronic, business‑history perspective and framed within Political Economy of Communication, it analyses the main phases of this process, focusing on horizontal and vertical integration strategies, merger and acquisition cycles, and the evolution of concentration levels. The study combines a review of the specialized literature with a longitudinal design that spans from the deregulation that began in the 1980s to the consolidation of technological megaconglomerates, and incorporates the Spanish case as a specific field of observation. The results help nuance the continuity between the oligopoly of the traditional large groups and current configurations, highlight the role of platforms as new hegemonic infrastructures, and show the difficulties faced by the main Spanish media groups in sustaining competitive positions in an increasingly concentrated environment shaped by global dynamics.
Copyright (c) 2026 María-José Pérez-Serrano, José-Vicente García-Santamaría, Gema Alcolea-Díaz https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From media mix to global convergence: The evolution of Japanese animated cinema communication
This paper examines the evolution of communication in Japanese animated cinema, focusing on the shift from the media mix model to a global multiplatform ecosystem. Its main objective is to explain, from a historical perspective, how the industrial logic of media mix laid the foundations for the current configuration of anime cinema as an expanded communicative object. In addition, the paper analyses how this transformation has reordered the international circulation, promotion, monetisation and public visibility of anime, with particular attention to the case of Makoto Shinkai as a synthesis of a new phase. The methodology adopts a qualitative and interpretative approach based on a literature review. The findings show that anime has moved from national circuits linked to manga, television and merchandising to a strategic position within an international network structured around cinemas, streaming platforms, festivals, social media and fan communities. In conclusion, the paper argues that anime cinema has incorporated the legacy of media mix into a new structure of global circulation, shaped by the weight of platforms, the expansion of overseas markets and the intensification of digital visibility.
Copyright (c) 2026 Pablo Impelluso-Cortés, José-Patricio Pérez-Rufí https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Science, common goods and digital sovereignty: Towards a community-governed artificial intelligence
The rapid integration of large language models (LLMs) and generative artificial intelligence into scientific workflows has introduced a structural asymmetry: the instruments that increasingly mediate knowledge synthesis are owned by commercial entities, which govern and optimize them according to incentive structures that diverge from the epistemic norms of science. In this paper, I argue that regulatory frameworks grounded in ethical principles, while necessary, are insufficient to safeguard the integrity of the scientific record or to ensure the equitable participation of researchers in low- and middle-income countries. Through a synthesis of evidence drawn from the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical research, open science analysis, and public health research, this paper highlights the population-level risks associated with knowledge generated or mediated by commercial interests. To mitigate these risks, I argue that international scientific bodies must lead the transition toward sovereign, community-owned AI infrastructure. I situate this proposal within the institutional momentum generated by the United Nations Global Digital Compact, the establishment of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, and the nascent Global Dialogue on AI Governance. Drawing on the precedents set by CERN and the Wikimedia Foundation, I contend that the global research community must translate political will into concrete computational sovereignty. Designed as an Open Commons, such infrastructure would transcend mere research utility to become the driving force of a community-governed global knowledge ecosystem.
Copyright (c) 2026 Humberto Debat https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Evolution of science communication: Media transformation, digital convergence and the emergence of new players
This study examines the evolution of science communication within the context of digital transformation and media convergence. Its main objective is to analyze the shift from a traditional, institutional, and unidirectional model to a hybrid ecosystem characterized by active audience participation, format diversification, and the emergence of new actors, particularly sci-influencers. The methodology combines a theoretical review with the analysis of representative case studies from the Spanish context, including public media, digital creators, and institutional structures such as Science Culture and Innovation Units (UCC+i). The results reveal a reconfiguration of communicative practices driven by digitalization and the logic of the attention economy, which prioritizes short, visual, and interactive formats. At the same time, key challenges are identified, including content oversimplification, algorithmic dependency, misinformation, and structural inequalities such as gender gaps. The study concludes that science communication is a complex social practice with essential educational, social, and political functions for fostering critical citizenship. Its future development will depend on the implementation of collaborative strategies that balance accessibility, visibility, and scientific rigor in an evolving media environment.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mónica Valderrama-Santomé, Beli Martínez, Talía Rodríguez-Martelo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Forced inclusion, tokenism, and cancel culture in the contemporary film industry
This article examines the dynamics of forced inclusion, tokenism, and cancel culture in contemporary audiovisual culture from a sociological perspective. Focusing on widely discussed case studies such as The Little Mermaid, The Rings of Power, James Bond, and The Queen’s Gambit, it explores how diversity is represented, negotiated, and contested within today’s screen industries, as well as the strategies adopted by major international production companies in response to changing cultural expectations. The analysis shows that, although these texts seek to address growing demands for inclusivity, they often give rise to tokenistic forms of representation or to controversies that culminate in processes of public backlash and cancellation. The study identifies persistent tensions between the pursuit of broader diversity and the polarized responses of audiences, suggesting that forced inclusion and tokenism may weaken the perceived authenticity of cultural discourse. It further argues that cancel culture, rather than fostering substantive debate, may constrain both creative freedom and narrative complexity. Finally, the article proposes a set of critical criteria for avoiding tokenism in the film industry.
Copyright (c) 2026 Montserrat Vidal-Mestre, Alfonso Freire-Sánchez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Disruption(s). From the media crisis to the irruption of AI
This article analyzes the deep transformation of the media industry over the last twenty years, marked by three pivotal moments of disruption. The first, triggered by the 2008 financial crisis, signaled an irreversible decline of the advertising-based business model and the transition toward ‘digital first’ strategies. The second, around 2012, saw digital consumption and advertising volume overtake traditional print media, forcing a re-evaluation of sustainability and the emergence of new legal and fiduciary ownership structures, such as trusts. Ownership, ranging from family-owned groups to non-profit foundations have influenced the industry’s ability to maintain editorial independence and economic viability. The third and most recent disruption, beginning in late 2022 with the mass adoption of Generative AI (LLMs), presents an uncertain landscape where media organizations oscillate between litigation and opaque compensatory agreements with Big Tech. The paper concludes that while AI offers opportunities for functional specialization, it also threatens to further fragment the industry and weaken the bargaining power of the journalistic workforce.
Copyright (c) 2026 Javier Díaz-Noci https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Mental health (or, rather, the lack thereof) is one of the issues shaping public debate in recent years. Now, a quarter of the way through the 21st century, it's clear that the problem, far from being resolved, is becoming more entrenched, especially in societies inhabiting large cities. The main objective of this research is to determine the current situation of young people. To this end, a questionnaire was developed and completed by 1,349 people. The age range was set between 18 and 30 years. The initial population was reduced to a sample of 903 people, randomly selected with the help of the efficient AntConc search engine. The results provide sufficient information to categorically state that young people not only suffer greatly as a consequence of poor mental health, but also require appropriate and timely care to prevent their disorders from becoming chronic and more severe, and from degenerating into more complex pathologies. Communication and existing tools can help a large number of people manage the obstacles they face with a greater degree of confidence and resilience.
Copyright (c) 2026 Laura Sanz-Simón, Almudena Barrientos-Báez, David Caldevilla-Domínguez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Local journalism in the mirror: historical evolution and trends
Reporting on local issues is a principle attached to the origins of journalism. In fact, having access to this type of local news is essential for understanding the surrounding environment and for the functioning of democracy itself. However, the evolution of local news is not linear, but rather stems from several technical and social changes, compounded by differences between countries. This essay reviews the professional and academic trajectory of the sector, which is sometimes criticized despite its centrality to social life. Starting from the observation of the solid tradition of local and regional media in many territories, it traces their evolution, paying particular attention to the digital transition, where problems such as news deserts emerge. In a globalized context, there is also a renewed interest in local issues, giving rise to a whole new generation of digital-native local media. Furthermore, these news organizations are more likely to experiment, including with AI. All of this shapes local journalism as a vibrant field of study whose evolution depends not only on technology, but also on how a community understands itself.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rubén Rivas-de-Roca https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Digital communication strategies of the websites of the most visited theme parks in the world
Within the context shaped by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines the digital communication strategies employed by the websites of the world’s most visited theme parks. Drawing on six research variables encompassing 65 thematic categories, the primary aim is to explore the design and communicative features of these websites. Findings reveal that only 17.07% of the analysed websites enable users to share experiences or opinions. The study concludes that communication strategies tend to be highly mediatized, with a recurrent reliance on specific formats and types of content. Particularly noteworthy is the limited incorporation of immersive materials and the scarce use of augmented or mixed reality, among other innovative resources.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tejedor-Calvo Santiago, Laura Cervi, Almudena Barrientos-Báez, Belén Sancho-Ligorred, David Rull-Ribó, Jesús Martínez-Fernández https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Out-of-home advertising in transformation: genealogy, digital mutations and continuity of the medium in the city
Out‑of‑home advertising has undergone a profound transformation that cannot be understood without considering its trajectory as a form of persuasive communication embedded in the urban environment. Focusing on the Spanish case while situating it within a global context marked by similar dynamics of digitalisation, this study interprets the medium’s evolution through a combination of historical insight and contemporary analysis. Drawing on a critical review of academic and industry sources, it examines how the digitalisation of formats, programmatic automation, data integration and the introduction of artificial intelligence intersect with long-standing features inherited from poster culture and the material history of the medium. Findings reveal a shift towards a hybrid ecology in which analogue supports continue to fulfil essential functions, while digital formats introduce new possibilities for flexibility, contextual adaptation and creative experimentation. The analysis also identifies key tensions —measurement, regulation, sustainability and aesthetic differentiation— that shape the current configuration of the medium. Taken together, these perspectives illuminate how the present moment rearticulates historical logics and enables a renewed understanding of out-of-home advertising as a communicative form that adapts to technological change while remaining anchored in its urban and cultural lineage.
Copyright (c) 2026 Marta Pacheco-Rueda https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The role of definition within La cortesía del filósofo
The aphorism “la claridad es la cortesía del filósofo” frames the communicative environment between interlocutors with disparate experiences and knowledge. Ortega subscribes to the Platonic organon, which conceptualizes language as a social convention that transmits information from the learned to the ignorant. Aristotle defined grammar as the equilibrium resulting from the various uses of language. He named rare the word that provides information and definition the clarification of a rare word through common terms that require no definition. Clarity, therefore, consists in adhering to grammar by using both rare and common words in moderation. Ortega's apothegm unravels modern misunderstandings regarding lexical ambiguity within the economy of discourse and clarifies the reasons why rhetoric has endured to the present day.
Copyright (c) 2026 Luis Núñez-Ladevéze https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
EdTech and inclusion: Educational technology at the service of functional diversity
This article analyzes sixteen educational technology (EdTech) platforms, focusing on their potential to enhance the learning experience for individuals with visual, hearing, or motor disabilities. Using an analytical framework that integrates the perspective of inclusive education and international digital accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1, ATAG 2.0), it examines how each tool meets or falls short of the specific needs of these groups. Additionally, it describes the primary use, general advantages, and limitations of each platform, categorized into five areas: massive open online courses (MOOCs), language teaching, early childhood education, professional development, and classroom tools. The article concludes with a comparative analysis of the inclusive maturity of the sector and recommendations for educators, institutions, and developers.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nicoleta-Roxana Dinu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Diversidad y resiliencia. La discapacidad en el cine de ficción climática
For decades, cinema has transmitted stereotypes of abnormality and weakness about people with disabilities, something that does not help to socially integrate this group. This research analyzes the narrative and symbolic role of characters with disabilities in some of the main climate fiction films, a subgenre of science fiction that has recently gained prominence due to the climate crisis. For this purpose, the 22 top-rated films of the subgenre on the audiovisual portal IMDb and the 18 characters with disabilities they include have been studied. The analysis shows the predominance of motor disabilities, followed by visual, language, intellectual and mental disabilities. Meanwhile, hearing or visceral disabilities are residual in these climatic fiction films.
Copyright (c) 2026 Francisco-Javier Rivero-Estévez, Isidro Jiménez-Gómez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Evaluating the computational reliability of ChatGPT in calculating intercoder reliability in content analysis: Evidence from simulated data
The increasing integration of large language models (LLMs) into the research workflow has raised important questions regarding their reliability in performing statistical analyses. While prior studies have explored the use of LLMs in text classification and qualitative coding, little is known about their accuracy in computing core statistical metrics used in content analysis. This study addresses this gap by systematically evaluating the performance of ChatGPT in calculating percentage agreement, contingency tables, and Cohen’s Kappa. Using a series of controlled simulations, we varied key parameters including sample size, number of categories, distribution balance, and levels of coding error. The outputs generated by ChatGPT 5.3 Instant were benchmarked against results obtained by the author using standard statistical procedures (ground truth). Findings indicate that ChatGPT achieves high accuracy only under simple conditions, particularly with small samples, binary variables, and balanced distributions. However, its performance declines as analytical complexity increases. In moderately complex scenarios, the model shows partial accuracy, often reproducing contingency tables correctly but introducing deviations in derived statistics. In more complex settings, especially with unbalanced distributions or multiple categories, ChatGPT produces systematically biased results, typically overestimating agreement. Additionally, in large-scale datasets, the model fails to generate outputs due to operational limitations. Overall, the results reveal a lack of consistent reliability across realistic analytical scenarios. As a bottom line, the use of ChatGPT for computing these statistical metrics is not recommended, except in very simple cases involving small samples, and only under strict supervision and validation using established statistical software.
Copyright (c) 2026 Manuel Goyanes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The presence of disability in Isabel Díaz Ayuso’s Instagram posts
Disability affects nearly one-fifth of the global population. Nevertheless, social exclusion remains a central challenge for people with disabilities in their pursuit of equality and full societal participation. Social media play an important role in promoting the social inclusion of people with disabilities, and political actors can function as influencers who build credibility and authenticity while engaging with this population. This article presents a systematic assessment of the visibility of people with disabilities in the Instagram posts of Spanish politician and President of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso. A mixed-methods approach was employed to analyze textual, visual, and audiovisual content related to disability. The results identified multiple forms of the politician’s engagement such as raising awareness and promoting visibility of people with disabilities, supporting institutions that facilitate their participation, attending public and social events related to disability, and using these interactions for personal promotion and electoral image-building.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dragana Djordjevic https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From hero to villain, and vice versa: media polarization and discursive dynamics in X regarding the #ObjetivoNadal case
On 14 February 2024, Rafael Nadal gave an interview to the Spanish television channel La Sexta on its TV show El Objetivo. During the interview, the tennis player expressed his views on whether men and women should receive equal pay in sport. This study analyses social interactions on the social media platform X across the profiles of generalist and sports newspapers that published content related to the former athlete's statements. A total of 1,516 replies were examined, covering the period from the broadcast date until 30 days thereafter. The research adopts a mixed-methodology approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses in order to determine whether the newspapers' ideological orientation influences the tone of user responses and the degree of discursive polarity. The results reveal the issue, regardless of the ideological stance of the newspapers, with predominantly positive replies in most of the outlets analyzed. The study concludes that social media platforms constitute spaces conducive to confrontation between groups, driven by strong beliefs and where polarization increasingly extends into new domains such as sport.
Copyright (c) 2026 Alberto Álvarez-Álvarez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Communicating climate change: Cli-Fi cinema, documentaries and performing arts for narrative construction
Climate change is an inevitable reality according to scientific reports, and with it comes the possibility of the destruction of all life if we do not radically transform the way we treat nature. Despite this, the causes that shape and provoke the different indicators of this climate change have hardly changed. Faced with scenarios of great uncertainty about our survival, knowing and constructing appropriate narratives becomes essential to visualize possible collective goals and change visions of the future. Cinema has a privileged position in the construction of imaginaries, which is why it is appropriate to analyze the narratives that reach society and construct representations around these issues. To this end, Cli-Fi (or climate fiction) films and documentaries are analyzed. Added to this are stage projects that deploy eco-dramaturgical forms: all of them approach the communication of these issues in different ways. The conclusions reflect on the production of narratives to engage the audience from a more emotional point of view, encouraging changes in social behavior.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ana Sedeño-Valdellós https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Environmental impact of artificial intelligence: a pending debate
The arrival of generative artificial intelligence has sparked important debates within all social spheres, including communication and media education. This research seeks to delve into one of its lesser-known effects: its eco-social impact on the environment. To this end, a documentary review of research seeking to understand this reality has been carried out, analysing more than 40 publications on the subject. The studies focus especially on its energy consumption, with its resulting greenhouse gas emissions, as well as on water consumption. However, other phases of its life cycle, such as the extraction of raw materials or the manufacturing of the equipment that supports artificial intelligence, will not be addressed. We found a lack of studies that take a comprehensive view of the impact of the entire life cycle of artificial intelligence. The results would show a high impact of generative artificial intelligence on the environment, with worse repercussions in the countries of the Global South despite not being its main beneficiaries. Researchers agree on the need to commit to "Green AI" as opposed to the current majority trend of "Red AI", which prioritises performance without taking sustainability into account. This reality should be taken into account when updating media education proposals that seek a more critical and sustainable use of digital tools, as well as when formulating global policy proposals that minimise such impacts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Fernando Tucho, José-María García-de-Madariaga https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Environmental journalism from an academic perspective
The analysis presented here reveals that environmental journalism as a specialized field within journalistic activity is marginalized in the academic offerings of Journalism degree programs at Spanish universities. This secondary status limits not only the dissemination of environmental information, and thus its informative function, but also the educational role inherent to journalistic practice. This research aims not only to identify and quantify the presence of environmental topics in Journalism curricula, but also to understand the academic and methodological perspective of the faculty responsible for teaching this subject area. A dual methodology is employed. On the one hand, an analysis was conducted of course syllabi available on the official websites of Spanish universities. On the other hand, ten semi-structured interviews were carried out with faculty members working in this specialized area of knowledge. The results reveal insufficient specialized training and a lack of standardization, not only in epistemological orientation but also in relation to learning objectives. This situation represents a significant handicap for the professional development of future journalists.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lucía Salamanca-Durán, María-Victoria Nuño-Moral https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Text analysis with Quanteda: an introduction
Quantitative text analysis has become a core methodology within the computational turn in the social sciences and humanities. This paper presents an applied introduction to the Quanteda package for systematic text analysis in the R environment. The aim is to demonstrate, through a tutorial-oriented approach, how to design and implement a basic quantitative text analysis workflow. A set of diary entries by Alexei Navalny is used as a case study to illustrate corpus loading, preprocessing, tokenization, and stopword removal. Results obtained from frequency analysis, word clouds, and topic modeling show Quanteda’s ability to identify relevant lexical and thematic patterns. The paper demonstrates that Quanteda is an accessible and reproducible tool, particularly well suited for teaching contexts and exploratory research in digital humanities.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sergio Castro-Cortacero, Nicolás Robinson-García https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Disinformation networks: the virality of fake news, echo chambers and algorithmic manipulation
Misinformation, exacerbated by social media and the use of algorithms, has become one of the main dangers facing contemporary societies as we know them. It clearly undermines everything that makes us human. In the post-truth era, emotions displace facts and lies are more likely to go viral than the truth. This phenomenon is reinforced in digital echo chambers, where users are exposed only to content that confirms their beliefs, strengthening polarization and reducing their critical thinking skills. Added to this is Artificial Intelligence, which achieves an experience of veracity through hyper-realistic and viral content. In the face of this, the development of critical thinking in the post-truth era is an act of resistance against noise and manipulation. Giving up on it jeopardizes the truth itself and undermines democracy and freedom.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ulises-Jesús Medina-Martín https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Mainstream social media platforms as spaces for science communication (X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, LinkedIn)
The role of generalist social networks (specifically X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky and LinkedIn) as spaces for scientific dissemination is analysed. It starts from the paradox that it has never been easier to access scientific explanations and, at the same time, the context in which this content circulates has never been so fragile. It identifies audiences that trust science that follows affinity-based logic rather than purely informative logic, and algorithms that act as silent editors that prioritise the emotional over the verifiable. This analysis proposes that the evaluation of scientific dissemination on social media should incorporate qualitative evaluation criteria that lead to public debate.