From research to policy through raising awareness of the state of the art on social media and convergence

The aim of the project is to increase awareness of the latest technological discoveries among key stakeholders in the context of social media and convergence. The dissemination will be based on key areas that impact the convergence of social media. This includes scientific, political, cultural, legal, economic and technical areas, to name but a few. This is particularly essential to provide knowledge support, but also stimulate an appropriate debate among the various stakeholders (the public, the researchers, scientific and other policy makers and regulators) on the desirable future policies and frameworks that are required and lacking in the state of the art concerning media and content convergence. Additionally, the project seeks to provide research on and experience-exchange of policy and regulation strategies. The aim is to support the R&D digital programs by spreading the innovative ideas and also the innovated outcomes in convergence. To achieve this, the project will offer analyses and road maps of related initiatives. In addition, extensive research on policies and regulatory frameworks in media and content will be developed, integrating crucial topics such as: the types of regulation that are possible, sensible, and currently implemented, joined with contextual analysis of the corresponding issues; court case study on the types of cases that are brought before domestic courts and their implications on fundamental rights, the ways in which domestic courts review interference with fundamental rights in the pursuit of public interests, and the impact of court decisions on national laws and policies concerning social media and convergence; and future trends and recommendations in the policies and regulatory frameworks in media and content convergence. All of the EU countries will be included, although the involvement of additional countries is not excluded.