Disinformation
From printing presses to Facebook feeds: What yesterday’s witch hunts have in common with today’s misinformation crisis
From printing presses to Facebook feeds: What yesterday’s witch hunts have in common with today’s misinformation crisis Historical witch hunts in Europe (1400-1780) share parallels with today’s misinformation crisis, including the spread of false information through media and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. The printing press and publications like “Malleus Maleficarum” played a significant role […]
📰 News
Social media can support or undermine democracy – it comes down to how it’s designed
Social media can support or undermine democracy – it comes down to how it’s designed Social media platforms have a significant impact on democracy, either supporting or undermining it, depending on their design choices. The design of social media platforms can shape user behavior, values, and emotional states, often nudging users toward certain actions that […]
🏛️ Politics
Misinformation lends itself to social contagion – here’s how to recognize and combat it
Misinformation lends itself to social contagion – here’s how to recognize and combat it Misinformation on social media can spread quickly, often faster than fact, due to complex contagion, where socially learned behaviors take time to embed. The spreading of misinformation and disinformation can be influenced by social connections, perceptions of common behavior, and lack […]
📰 News
Most Americans believe misinformation is a problem — federal research cuts will only make the problem worse
Most Americans believe misinformation is a problem — federal research cuts will only make the problem worse Research on misinformation and disinformation has been severely impacted by the Trump administration’s restructuring of federal research priorities, including the cancellation of hundreds of grants that supported this research. The overwhelming majority of Americans (95%) believe misinformation’s misleading […]
📰 News
Weaponized storytelling: How AI is helping researchers sniff out disinformation campaigns
Weaponized storytelling: How AI is helping researchers sniff out disinformation campaigns AI-powered tools are being developed to detect disinformation campaigns that use narrative tactics to manipulate public opinion, particularly on social media platforms. The key to effective disinformation detection lies in understanding narrative structures, personas, timelines, and cultural references, which AI can analyze to identify […]
💻 Technology
Social media overuse tied to belief in fake news
Social media overuse tied to belief in fake news A new study found that people who experience excessive social media use are more likely to believe fake news. The study, conducted by Michigan State University researchers, involved 189 participants aged 18-26 and presented them with real and false news stories formatted as social media posts. […]
🏥 Health
People fear AI taking jobs more than AI threatening humanity
People fear AI taking jobs more than AI threatening humanity A new study by the University of Zurich found that people are more concerned about immediate risks posed by AI than theoretical future threats to humanity. Respondents showed a clear distinction between abstract scenarios and specific tangible problems, prioritizing the latter over hypothetical dangers. The […]
📰 News
Covid․gov now points to a ‘lab leak’ conspiracy website
Covid․gov now points to a ‘lab leak’ conspiracy website Covid.gov, the official government website for COVID-19 information, has been redirected to a webpage promoting the lab leak conspiracy theory. The new webpage, which was not present on covid.gov until recently, claims that the virus originated from a Chinese lab due to “inadequate biosafety levels” and […]
📰 News
Covid.gov now points to a ‘lab leak’ conspiracy website
Covid.gov now points to a ‘lab leak’ conspiracy website Covid.gov, a government website providing COVID-19 information, has been redirected to a webpage promoting the lab leak conspiracy theory. The new webpage, which also redirects from Covidtests.gov, claims that the virus originated from a Chinese lab due to “inadequate biosafety levels” and pushes other conspiracy theories. […]
📰 News