Professor Nicholas Carah
Professor

Nicholas Carah

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+61 7 336 53145

Background

Nicholas Carah is Director of the Centre for Digital Cultures & Societies in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and Professor in the School of Communication and Arts. He is an Associate Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, and a Chief Investigator on ARC Discovery and Linkage projects. In 2023, they were Deputy Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. Nicholas' research examines the algorithmic and participatory advertising model of digital media platforms, with a sustained focus on digital alcohol marketing. Nicholas is the author of Media and Society: Power, Platforms & Participation (2021), Brand Machines, Sensory Media and Calculative Culture (2016), Media and Society: production, content and participation (2015), Pop Brands: branding, popular music and young people (2010). And, co-editor of Digital Intimate Publics and Social Media (2018) and Conflict in My Outlook (2022). Nicholas is a Director and Deputy Chair of the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.

Availability

Professor Nicholas Carah is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Communication and media studies

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Search Professor Nicholas Carah’s works on UQ eSpace

106 works between 2004 and 2025
All (106) Book (6) Journal Article (55) Other Outputs (18) Conference Publication (14) Book Chapter (13)

21 - 40 of 106 works

2025

Journal Article

Reporting on the “Next Generation of Nicotine Addicts”: a mixed-methods analysis of how the Australian media has covered and constructed youth vaping (2018–2023)

Brookfield, Samuel, Chye, Nathan A., Carah, Nicholas and Gartner, Coral (2025). Reporting on the “Next Generation of Nicotine Addicts”: a mixed-methods analysis of how the Australian media has covered and constructed youth vaping (2018–2023). Health Communication, 40 (12), 2431-2444. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2025.2458648

Reporting on the “Next Generation of Nicotine Addicts”: a mixed-methods analysis of how the Australian media has covered and constructed youth vaping (2018–2023)

2025

Conference Publication

Screenshot Methodologies To Collect And Analyse Social Media Platform Advertising

Hayden, Lauren, Carah, Nicholas, Robards, Brady and Dobson, Amy (2025). Screenshot Methodologies To Collect And Analyse Social Media Platform Advertising. 25th Annual Conference of the Association of Internet Researchers, Sheffield, United Kingdom, 30 October - 2 November 2024. Champaign, IL United States: University of Illinois Libraries. doi: 10.5210/spir.v2024i0.13958

Screenshot Methodologies To Collect And Analyse Social Media Platform Advertising

2025

Conference Publication

Algorithmic Gossip In Young People’s Accounts Of ‘Unhealthy’ Advertising On Social Media

Robards, Brady, Carah, Nicholas, Hayden, Lauren and Dobson, Amy (2025). Algorithmic Gossip In Young People’s Accounts Of ‘Unhealthy’ Advertising On Social Media. 25th Annual Conference of the Association of Internet Researchers, Sheffield, United Kingdom, 30 October - 2 November 2024. Champaign, IL United States: University of Illinois Libraries. doi: 10.5210/spir.v2024i0.14047

Algorithmic Gossip In Young People’s Accounts Of ‘Unhealthy’ Advertising On Social Media

2025

Journal Article

Beyond banning: Our digital world must be made safer for young people

Carah, Nicholas, Demaio, Sandro, Holly, Louise, Kickbusch, Ilona and Williams, Carmel (2025). Beyond banning: Our digital world must be made safer for young people. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 36 (1) e938, e938. doi: 10.1002/hpja.938

Beyond banning: Our digital world must be made safer for young people

2025

Journal Article

Alcohol marketing on social media: young people’s exposure, engagement and alcohol-related behaviors

McCreanor, Timothy, Moewaka Barnes, Angela, Goodwin, Ian, Carah, Nicholas, Young, Jessica, Spicer, John and Lyons, Antonia C. (2025). Alcohol marketing on social media: young people’s exposure, engagement and alcohol-related behaviors. Addiction Research and Theory, 33 (3), 161-171. doi: 10.1080/16066359.2024.2373145

Alcohol marketing on social media: young people’s exposure, engagement and alcohol-related behaviors

2024

Journal Article

On the sensations of direct-to-consumer DNA testing: realisations, resemblance and relationships

Newton, Giselle, Kirby, Emma, Carah, Nicholas and Wilson Gray, Romy (2024). On the sensations of direct-to-consumer DNA testing: realisations, resemblance and relationships. Emotions and Society, 1-18. doi: 10.1332/26316897y2024d000000045

On the sensations of direct-to-consumer DNA testing: realisations, resemblance and relationships

2024

Other Outputs

How alcohol and gambling companies target people most at risk with marketing for addictive products on Facebook

Hayden, Lauren, Newton, Giselle, Carah, Nicholas, Tran, Dang Khuong, Brownbill, Aimee, Obeid, Abdul and Irving, Rohann (2024). How alcohol and gambling companies target people most at risk with marketing for addictive products on Facebook. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.

How alcohol and gambling companies target people most at risk with marketing for addictive products on Facebook

2024

Journal Article

Computational methods for improving the observability of platform-based advertising

Angus, Daniel, Hayden, Lauren, Obeid, Abdul Karim, Tan, Xue Ying, Carah, Nicholas, Burgess, Jean, Parker, Christine, Andrejevic, Mark, Fordyce, Robbie, Cellard, Loup and Bagnara, Julian (2024). Computational methods for improving the observability of platform-based advertising. Journal of Advertising, 53 (5), 661-680. doi: 10.1080/00913367.2024.2394156

Computational methods for improving the observability of platform-based advertising

2024

Journal Article

Why Am I Seeing This Ad? The affordances and limits of automated user-level explanation in Meta’s advertising system

Burgess, Jean, Carah, Nicholas, Angus, Daniel, Obeid, Abdul and Andrejevic, Mark (2024). Why Am I Seeing This Ad? The affordances and limits of automated user-level explanation in Meta’s advertising system. New Media and Society, 26 (9), 5130-5149. doi: 10.1177/14614448241251796

Why Am I Seeing This Ad? The affordances and limits of automated user-level explanation in Meta’s advertising system

2024

Other Outputs

Buy now: the link between alcohol advertising, online sales and rapid delivery

Hayden, Lauren, Brownbill, Aimee, Angus, Daniel, Carah, Nicholas, Tan, Xue Ying, Hawker, Kiah, Dobson, Amy and Robards, Brady (2024). Buy now: the link between alcohol advertising, online sales and rapid delivery. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.

Buy now: the link between alcohol advertising, online sales and rapid delivery

2024

Journal Article

Normative value of 'best buys' and the case of bans on alcohol marketing

Casswell, Sally, Babor, Thomas F, Carah, Nicholas, Jernigan, David H and Petticrew, Mark (2024). Normative value of 'best buys' and the case of bans on alcohol marketing. BMJ Global Health, 9 (8) e015708, 1-3. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-015708

Normative value of 'best buys' and the case of bans on alcohol marketing

2024

Journal Article

Finding the future in digitally mediated ruin: #nostalgiacores and the algorithmic culture of digital platforms

Brown, Maria Gemma, Carah, Nicholas, Tan, Xue Ying (Jane), Angus, Daniel and Burgess, Jean (2024). Finding the future in digitally mediated ruin: #nostalgiacores and the algorithmic culture of digital platforms. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 30 (5), 1710-1731. doi: 10.1177/13548565241270669

Finding the future in digitally mediated ruin: #nostalgiacores and the algorithmic culture of digital platforms

2024

Journal Article

Enabling online advertising transparency through data donation methods

Angus, Daniel, Obeid, Abdul Karim, Burgess, Jean, Parker, Christine, Andrejevic, Mark, Carah, Nicholas and Tan, Xue Ying (2024). Enabling online advertising transparency through data donation methods. Computational Communication Research, 6 (2), 1-25. doi: 10.5117/CCR2024.2.6.ANGU

Enabling online advertising transparency through data donation methods

2024

Journal Article

"I've lost my children to vaping": A frame analysis of the Australian media's construction of the "Youth vaping crisis"

Brookfield, Samuel, Chye, Nathan A., Carah, Nicholas and Gartner, Coral (2024). "I've lost my children to vaping": A frame analysis of the Australian media's construction of the "Youth vaping crisis". International Journal of Drug Policy, 130 104513, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104513

"I've lost my children to vaping": A frame analysis of the Australian media's construction of the "Youth vaping crisis"

2024

Journal Article

Observing “tuned” advertising on digital platforms

Carah, Nicholas, Hayden, Lauren, Brown, Maria-Gemma, Angus, Daniel, Brownbill, Aimee, Hawker, Kiah, Tan, Xue Ying, Dobson, Amy and Robards, Brady (2024). Observing “tuned” advertising on digital platforms. Internet Policy Review, 13 (2) 1779. doi: 10.14763/2024.2.1779

Observing “tuned” advertising on digital platforms

2024

Journal Article

‘It’s pretty sad if I’m just betting by myself … ’: navigating shame and stigma in everyday sports betting

Irving, Rohann, Olive, Rebecca, Phillips, Murray G. and Carah, Nicholas (2024). ‘It’s pretty sad if I’m just betting by myself … ’: navigating shame and stigma in everyday sports betting. Leisure Studies, 1. doi: 10.1080/02614367.2024.2364788

‘It’s pretty sad if I’m just betting by myself … ’: navigating shame and stigma in everyday sports betting

2024

Journal Article

Exposure to digital vape marketing among young people in Aotearoa New Zealand

Lyons, Antonia, Barnes, Angela Moewaka, Goodwin, Ian, Carah, Nicholas, Young, Jessica, Spicer, John and McCreanor, Timothy (2024). Exposure to digital vape marketing among young people in Aotearoa New Zealand. The New Zealand Medical Journal, 137 (1589), 20-38. doi: 10.26635/6965.6317

Exposure to digital vape marketing among young people in Aotearoa New Zealand

2024

Journal Article

Ethical and legal issues in conducting tobacco and nicotine research using social media data

Morphett, Kylie, Carah, Nicholas and Gartner, Coral (2024). Ethical and legal issues in conducting tobacco and nicotine research using social media data. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 26 (Supplement_1), S57-S59. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntad194

Ethical and legal issues in conducting tobacco and nicotine research using social media data

2024

Journal Article

Addressing the accountability gap: gambling advertising and social media platform responsibilities

Parker, Christine, Albarrán-Torres, César, Briggs, Casey, Burgess, Jean, Carah, Nicholas, Andrejevic, Mark, Angus, Daniel and Obeid, Abdul (2024). Addressing the accountability gap: gambling advertising and social media platform responsibilities. Addiction Research and Theory, 32 (4), 312-318. doi: 10.1080/16066359.2023.2269852

Addressing the accountability gap: gambling advertising and social media platform responsibilities

2024

Other Outputs

The Australian Ad Observatory: technical and data report

Angus, Daniel, Obeid, Abdul Karim, Burgess, Jean, Parker, Christine, Andrejevic, Mark, Bagnara, Julian, Carah, Nicholas, Fordyce, Robbie, Hayden, Lauren, Lewis, Kelly, O'Neill, Christopher, Albarrán-Torres, César and Cellard, Loup (2024). The Australian Ad Observatory: technical and data report. ADM+S Working Paper. 9. ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society. doi: 10.60836/bzfz-fk08

The Australian Ad Observatory: technical and data report

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2028
    The Australian experience of automated advertising on digital platforms
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2028
    Australian Internet Observatory (administered by RMIT)
    Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Young Australians and the promotion of alcohol on social media
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024
    How alcohol and gambling companies target people most at risk with marketing for addictive products on social media
    Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education Limited
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2021
    Engaging young Victorians as citizen scientists to track the marketing of unhealthy products on digital media (VicHealth grant led by Monash Uni.)
    Monash University
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Using machine vision to explore Instagram's everyday promotional cultures (ARC Discovery Project administered by Queensland University of Technology)
    Queensland University of Technology
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Evaluation of the Queensland Government's Tackling Alcohol-fuelled Violence Policy (DPC-15-2016)
    Deakin University
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Report on the extent, nature, and/or consequences of children and young people's exposure to alcohol advertising and sponsorship
    Monash University
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    Hello Sunday Morning: designing an evaluation method
    Hello Sunday Morning
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Alcohol and the social web: Facebook, branding, and culture
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Alcohol brands on Facebook in Australia
    Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education Limited
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2013
    Leveraging Social Media
    Australian Drug Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2011
    Hello Sunday Morning: Communication effectiveness of alcohol abstinence support blog
    Hello Sunday Morning
    Open grant
  • 2009
    Exploring the media city: citizens, consumers and interactive media.
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Nicholas Carah is:
Available for supervision

Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Mothers and the consumption and promotion of alcohol on social media

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Affective digital labour and FemTech

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Elizabeth Stephens

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Algorithmic Realities: Platform Data Processing Perceptions of Productivity Content Creators, and Their Influence

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Leah Henrickson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Rural women's online self-representation and identity construction on Chinese short-video sharing apps Douyin and Kuaishou

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Pradip Thomas

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Vibes, Flows, Feelings: Investigating the algorithmic techniques of affective capitalism

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Elizabeth Stephens

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Influences of social media-based communication on ecotourism: a case study in India

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Leah Henrickson, Associate Professor Elske van de Fliert

  • Doctor Philosophy

    In what ways has creativity, play and social exchange manifested itself in the amateur radio community in Australia

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Lisa Bode

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Vaccinating the future: Australian GLAM industry approaches to collecting COVID 19.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Caroline Wilson-Barnao

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Rumour in Social Media: A study on Bangladesh Cases

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Pradip Thomas

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Research on the effects of the digital media visual context on artistic representation and art creation of professional artists across the Asia-Pacific region.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Sungyong Ahn, Dr Caroline Wilson-Barnao

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Platformisation of Film and Television Aesthetics

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Ted Nannicelli

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Nicholas Carah directly for media enquiries about:

  • advertising
  • alcohol
  • alcohol advertising
  • digital advertising
  • digital media
  • digital platforms
  • gambling
  • Social media
  • social media algorithms
  • Social networking sites

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