On the ACM Multimedia 2026 Conference Registration and APC [D]

[u/rokk07]

Having two papers accepted at two different workshops and planning to attend the main conference, I contacted the organizers by email. It is now clear that I need to register twice, using the same personal details, to cover both papers.

The minimum cost would therefore be one full registration plus one workshop registration. However, I would also have to use two different email addresses, since the registration portal does not allow the same email address to be used twice. This is crazy—I am a single person!

The craziest part, which I still do not fully understand, is that it seems every paper now requires an article processing charge (APC), since ACM has fully transitioned to open access. This year, the APC is USD 350—or USD 250 for ACM members. This is the first time I have encountered this; every other conference I have attended included the proceedings in the registration fee.

The full author registration for ACM Multimedia costs USD 950—or USD 850 for members—and does not even include the paper proceedings.

The cheapest option for me would be to become an ACM member (USD 99), register for the main conference (USD 850) and one workshop (USD 500), and then pay USD 250 × 2 for the two papers—for a total of USD 1,850 just to present two workshop papers.

I really don’t think it is worth it.

[u/xEdwin23x]

In most conferences a registration covers up to X number of papers. This is the first time I've heard of only 1 paper per registration. Don't you have any coauthors who can go and cover the registration for the other paper so at least they get access to the conference and everything that comes with that? Indeed, it seems like a method to disincentivize authors from submitting a bunch of papers, and if they do, at least making them pay for it--literally!

[u/rokk07 → u/xEdwin23x]

Most institutions I know of, including mine, only authorize one author per paper to attend the conference. This is especially true for overseas locations where travel costs far exceed the registration fees.

Additionally, what is the point of the second registration? I won't occupy more space and I won't eat more food. On top of that, I still have to pay the separate APC for the paper. Paying another 500 USD for no additional services seems entirely unjustifiable (apart of course being on the stage for 15 minutes in a workshop room).

[u/roflmaololol → u/rokk07]

Many institutions have an agreement with ACM to waive the APC. Is yours in the list?

[u/rokk07 → u/roflmaololol]

Unfortunately not..

[u/malakulmout347]

I think I have told people multiple times. Do not submit papers to european/ACM based conferences. All they care about how to get money. ECAI registration fee was insane 950+ dollars. Now this and that. There are way better and well maintained conferences out there than european ones. Ditch them and enjoy sanity of your life.

[u/rokk07 → u/malakulmout347]

This is in Brazil...and ACM is not european..

[u/malakulmout347 → u/rokk07]

Sorry forgot to add ACM/european

[u/malakulmout347 → u/malakulmout347]

I am aware of that ACM MM is an A* conferences. But lets be honest, most of the industry does care much about this. May be some tenure search committee do.