VISTAS School of Law invites original research papers for a two-day hybrid international conference on media literacy and misinformation.
About Vels Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced Studies
Vels Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced Studies (VISTAS) is a Deemed to be University established under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. Located in Pallavaram, Chennai, the University focuses on education, research and innovation across multiple disciplines, while promoting intellectual curiosity, ethical values, social responsibility and international academic collaborations.
The School of Law, VISTAS focuses on legal education, interdisciplinary learning, practical skills and research. It regularly organises conferences, seminars and workshops addressing contemporary legal issues and provides a platform for interaction among students, academicians, practitioners, policymakers and international experts.
About the Opportunity
The School of Law, VISTAS is organising a Two-Day International Conference on “Media Literacy, Misinformation and the Law: Challenges for Democracy in the Digital Age” on October 29 and 30, 2026.
The conference is being organised in observance of Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2026 and will examine the legal, constitutional, regulatory and policy challenges arising from misinformation, disinformation, deepfakes and other forms of digitally generated information.
The conference will bring together academicians, research scholars, legal practitioners, media professionals, policymakers, civil society representatives and students to discuss contemporary issues relating to media literacy, digital rights, information integrity, free speech and democratic governance.
Duration
The conference will be conducted over two days, on October 29 and 30, 2026.
Mode
The conference will be conducted in hybrid mode, allowing both physical and virtual participation.
Location
The physical conference will be held at the School of Law, VISTAS, Pallavaram, Chennai, India.
Practice Areas
Constitutional Dimensions of Free Speech and Democratic Discourse
Papers may examine Article 19(1)(a), reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2), media literacy as a constitutional value, judicial approaches to free speech and comparative constitutional jurisprudence concerning information integrity.
Misinformation, Disinformation and Electoral Democracy
Topics include legal responses to election-related misinformation, political deepfakes, paid news, electoral propaganda, the Representation of the People Act, and the role of the Election Commission and social media platforms.
Intermediary Liability and Platform Accountability
This theme covers Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the evolving safe harbour doctrine, the IT Rules, intermediary due diligence obligations, content takedown orders, government advisories and global approaches to platform regulation.
Trials by Media and Fair Trial Rights
Papers may examine trials by media, sensationalism, the presumption of innocence, contempt of court, prejudicial publicity and the balance between open justice, press freedom and the right to a fair trial.
Media and Information Literacy
This theme covers media literacy education, privacy literacy, data awareness, UNESCO frameworks, the role of educational institutions and regulators, and the integration of media and information literacy into formal education and lifelong learning.
Regulation of Digital Misinformation
Participants may explore self-regulation, co-regulation and statutory intervention, content classification, age-gating, parental controls, the role of the Press Council of India and proposals for digital content regulation.
Comparative and International Perspectives
Papers may examine misinformation laws across democratic jurisdictions, international human rights standards, the European Union’s Digital Services Act, cross-border platform regulation and global approaches to media and information literacy.
Eligibility Criteria
- Academicians, research scholars and faculty members from law and allied disciplines may submit papers.
- Legal practitioners, judges and policymakers may participate.
- Media professionals, journalists and communication experts may submit papers.
- Undergraduate and postgraduate students of law and related disciplines are eligible.
- Representatives of civil society organisations and international bodies working on media literacy, digital rights, information integrity and the Sustainable Development Goals may submit papers.
- Papers must be original and unpublished.
- Co-authorship is permitted for a maximum of two authors.
- Each author must register separately.
- Faculty members, research scholars and postgraduate students of the School of Law are required to submit and present papers individually.
Roles & Responsibilities
Abstract Submission
Participants must submit an abstract of 250–300 words accompanied by 4–5 keywords.
Full Paper Submission
Selected authors will be invited to submit a full paper between 3,000 and 5,000 words, including footnotes.
Formatting
The full paper must be submitted in Microsoft Word format. The main text must use Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1.5 line spacing. Footnotes must use 10-point font with single spacing. One-inch margins must be maintained on all sides.
Citation
The Bluebook, 21st edition, must be followed uniformly. In-text citations are not permitted.
Originality
Papers must be original and unpublished. The similarity index must not exceed 15%, excluding footnotes and bibliography.
Presentation
Selected authors will be required to present their research during the conference. Presentations may be made physically or virtually.
Publication
All selected abstracts will be published in the Conference Proceedings. Selected papers may also be considered for publication in an edited book or journal special issue with ISBN/ISSN, subject to further peer review and editorial decision.
Best Paper Recognition
The three best papers selected across the conference sub-themes will receive a cash prize, memento and Certificate of Appreciation.
Registration Fees
For Indian participants, the physical and virtual registration fees are as follows:
- UG/PG students: Rs. 1,500 for physical participation and Rs. 1,000 for virtual participation.
- Research scholars/Ph.D. scholars: Rs. 1,500 for physical participation and Rs. 1,000 for virtual participation.
- Faculty/academicians: Rs. 1,500 for physical participation and Rs. 1,000 for virtual participation.
- Professionals/advocates/others: Rs. 2,000 for physical participation and Rs. 1,500 for virtual participation.
- International participants: USD 50 for physical participation and USD 30 for virtual participation.
- In-house UG/PG students: Rs. 500 for physical participation.
- In-house faculty/research scholars: Rs. 750 for physical participation.
The registration fee for physical participants includes the conference kit, certificate and refreshments. The fee is non-refundable. Co-authors must register separately.
Deadline
The last date for submission of abstracts is September 20, 2026.
The intimation of acceptance of abstracts will be provided by September 30, 2026.
The last date for submission of the full paper and registration is October 15, 2026.
The conference will be conducted on October 29 and 30, 2026.
Contact
Ajay Krishna S P
Assistant Professor, School of Law, VISTAS
Phone: +91 6238979239
Akhil Sajeev
Assistant Professor, School of Law, VISTAS
Phone: +91 77363 11316
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Application Procedure
Interested participants may submit their abstracts and full papers through email.
Email your abstract and subsequent full paper to: imcvistas2026@gmail.com
The abstract should be 250–300 words and accompanied by 4–5 keywords. Selected authors will be invited to submit their full papers and present them at the conference.
The abstract submission deadline is September 20, 2026. Selected authors must complete full paper submission and registration by October 15, 2026.
