Researcher explores how communication technology transforms society

July 10, 2026 - 03:44

Adriana de Souza e Silva, a professor at Northeastern University, has been recognized as one of 12 global fellows by the International Communication Association. Her research focuses on the ways mobile and location-based technologies are fundamentally altering how people interact, build communities, and navigate public spaces.

De Souza e Silva argues that smartphones and similar devices do not simply connect us to information. Instead, they reshape our understanding of physical space and social relationships. For example, she studies how apps that share location data can create new forms of surveillance, but also foster unexpected connections between strangers in a city. Her work examines the blurring line between the digital and physical worlds, a shift she calls "hybrid space."

The fellowship acknowledges her contributions to understanding these rapid changes. De Souza e Silva noted that as technology becomes more embedded in daily life, questions of privacy, access, and equity become critical. She plans to use the recognition to continue exploring how different communities, especially marginalized groups, experience these transformations differently. Her research serves as a reminder that communication tools are never neutral; they carry the values and biases of their creators and users, ultimately shaping the fabric of modern society in profound ways.