Assam scholar Abhishek Kabra presents his research on children in New Zealand

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 7, 2024

Abhishek Kabra, a Research Scholar from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Tezpur University, presented his research on Vulnerability to Deepfakes on children at the prestigious International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) conference Held on June 30, at Te Pae Convention Centre, Christchurch.

The conference was organised in collaboration with the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, to bring together leading scholars of communications from around the world.

On the second day of the conference, Assam’s Abhishek Kabra presented his paper, titled “Safeguarding Children in Assam, India: Understanding and Addressing Deepfake Vulnerabilities.”

His research addresses the critical issue of deepfakes and proposes effective solutions to combat this growing menace, particularly focusing on its impact on children.

The presentation was met with widespread appreciation and sparked significant discussion among attendees.

Dr Omar Al-Ghazzi, Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics, reflected on all the five papers presented in the Emerging Scholars’ Section and said, “These were five fantastic papers, theoretically and empirically rich, Reflecting on different dimensions of digital spaces.”

He said on Abhishek’s Presentation that the research is rich in Data and has both Theoretical and Practical Dimensions. It has various Policy Implications, dealing with schools and inter-sections of different demographic factors pertaining to Vulnerability.

Over the five-day conference, the 67th IAMCR conference saw a confluence of some of the best scholars in the field, discussing their research and gathering valuable suggestions to further their work.

Reflecting on the experience, Abhishek said, “We have talked to hundreds of students across Assam and are in continuous process of doing the same. When it comes to Indian Children, we cannot just form one campaign and expect everyone to be aware through it. We need to formulate tailored campaigns for someone who rarely gets to see a phone and also, someone who wakes up watching an apple, not knowing what to do of the other half. I expect and have been told by different scholars that upon completion, our work on Cybercrimes will be of significant policy implications.”

Also, reflecting on his New Zealand journey, Abhishek added, “Growing up listening to Bhupen Hazarika, the vastness of Prashanta Mahasagar (the Pacific Ocean) was not new. But to see it with naked eyes, made me feel why the bard mentioned it. I thank everyone and to name them, my parents, my family,my supervisor and co-scholars, and undoubtedly my partner in academics and beyond, Madhusmita Bordoloi for her constant encouragement and ensuring that the experience go seamless.”

The IAMCR conference, known for its focus on critical issues in media and communication, provided a valuable platform for Abhishek to showcase his research and engage with the global academic community. His work continues to underscore the importance of addressing cybercrimes and protecting vulnerable populations, particularly children.