Kiah Hawker

Kiah Hawker is a Teaching Associate in Communication at the School of Communication and Arts, University of Queensland. Her work focuses on digital media studies, social media impact, and advertising dynamics. She contributes to the Digital Futures Lab and explores youth culture, platform algorithms, and alcohol advertising’s societal implications. Her research emphasizes the interplay between technology, user behavior, and cultural practices.

Key research areas include the sociological impact of social media platforms, algorithmic curation, and the ethical dimensions of digital advertising. Recent studies address alcohol marketing’s link to rapid delivery services and the role of Instagram’s algorithms in shaping user experiences.

Hawker’s publications span peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and research reports. They highlight innovative methods like co-analysis and critical simulation to decode platform operations. Her work bridges academic inquiry with real-world policy concerns, particularly in public health and digital governance.

She collaborates with institutions like the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, producing actionable insights on advertising transparency and platform accountability. Her contributions reflect a commitment to understanding digital ecosystems’ evolving cultural and societal roles.