Labcom is proud to participate in the first-ever Netnography in System Sciences Research Minitrack at HICSS 57 – The Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, one of the world’s leading academic conferences in system sciences.

Initiated by Prof. Robert Kozinets and Prof. Ulrike Gretzel, this minitrack aims to bring netnography to the forefront of system sciences research, fostering innovative applications and interdisciplinary discussions.

During the conference, Labcom scholars Angela Beccanulli, Silvia Biraghi, and Rossella Gambetti presented their research “Netnography to Uncover the New Aesthetic of the Zoomie”, introducing a novel technocultural phenomenon: the zoomie.

Since the first COVID-19 lockdown, video conferencing platforms like Zoom have reshaped digital experiences, from education to entertainment and even tourism. This shift has given rise to a new self- and place-presentation practices. Focusing on cultural tourism, the Labcom study explores how tourist gaze, aesthetics, and digital self-representation are evolving in virtual contexts.

By leveraging netnography, Labcom scholars shed light on the zoomie as a new technocultural object, redefining how we experience and document virtual spaces.