People with chronic illnesses frequently utilise medical and media technologies to enhance or restore their quality of life. At the international conference “Popular Health & Social Media”, we seek to explore the diverse topics at the intersection of health and technology. Our first focus is on “(Self-)Tracking of Health and Illness”, particularly in chronic conditions such as back pain and diabetes. We are interested in the role of numbers and data, as well as the circumstances surrounding their generation. The second theme, “Medical Lay and Expert Knowledge on Social Media”, will explore examples such as weight loss groups on Facebook and networks for ADHD/ADD, where information and experiences are exchanged via social media. These platforms facilitate peer-patient connections, underscoring the importance of sharing lay and expert knowledge within the digital sphere. A third panel, “Health Activism in the Digital Era”, will examine the visibility and invisibility of disabled and chronically ill individuals on social media. Digital-era activism is prominently visible through hashtag and device activism, particularly on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, where, for example, breast cancer patients share their stories. The conference will serve as a forum to explore how individual communities are reshaping their everyday realities through digital practices and technologies, and to discuss the various roles social media plays in the context of health and illness.

To attend the conference, please send an email to Ann Kristin Augst (kristin.augst[at]tu-dortmund.de) by 5 September 2024.