Ashwin Nagappa

Dr. Ashwin Nagappa is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), affiliated with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S) and the Digital Media Research Centre (DMRC). He holds a PhD from QUT and is a recipient of the 2024 AXA Post-Doctoral Fellowship. His research focuses on decentralized social media platforms, online harm mitigation, and blockchain-based technologies like DTube. He also examines fringe platforms (e.g., Gab) and the role of search engines in shaping data practices.

Education: PhD (Queensland University of Technology). His interdisciplinary background combines media/cultural studies with computational analysis. Key research themes include polycentric governance in digital systems, misinformation dynamics, and the interplay between technology and community dynamics.

Research Interests:

• Decentralized social media platforms and their governance
• Online harm mitigation strategies
• Blockchain applications in digital media
• Political discourse analysis on fringe platforms
• Search engine impact on knowledge sharing

Scientific Contributions: His work bridges technological innovation with sociocultural analysis, emphasizing community-driven experimentation. Recent publications explore platform biographies (e.g., DTube), digital policy submissions to Australian parliamentary committees, and narratives of blockchain experiments.

Labs/Teams: Active in the QUT Digital Media Research Centre (DMRC) and the ADM+S Centre, focusing on automated decision-making systems and societal impacts.