Unspun

<p>This week's paper, from Sweden, answers an important question: when politicians dogwhistle racism, can it make them MORE popular? </p><p>In this episode, DrSturg breaks down clearly what a dog whistle is and the...

<p>This week is Stephen Colbert’s final on CBS, and it's part of a larger story behind modern media: consolidation. When a few companies own more of the places you get information, it affects how much corruption there...

<p>In this UnSpun Journal Club episode, Dr Sturg looks at a recent paper on what malicious AI swarms could mean for democracy, public debate, and social media itself. They could borrow from the older playbook of...

<p>What happens when a handful of very wealthy control what gets reported and how/</p><p>In this UnSpun rewind, we look at the role of the press in an oligarchy—a system where power is concentrated in the hands of a...

<p>In this episode of UnSpun, learn the hidden manipulation behind the news.</p><p>From TV journalism of the '80s, with “if it bleeds, it leads,” to today’s algorithm-driven outrage, news has evolved into a system...

<p>Do social media algorithms actually change what you believe?</p><p>In this episode of UnSpun, we break down new research from on the political effects of X’s feed algorithm. Using a real-world experiment with X...

<p>In this episode of UnSpun, I look at the growing power of influencers in politics and public life. From streamers and commentators to legacy journalists turned creators, the media landscape has changed fast. Who gets...

<p>Welcome to Journal Club 6, which is about how it's gotten easy and inexpensive to make seemingly limitless disinformation ready to go straight into your feeds. </p><p>Back in Roman times, it took control of the money...

<p>Why do politicians swear—and why does it work?</p><p>In this episode of UnSpun, DrSturg examines how profanity functions as a political tool. From viral moments like Biden’s hot mic comment abotu Peter Doocy to the...

<p>In this episode of UnSpun Journal Club, we break down new research on one of the biggest challenges in today’s information environment: misinformation.</p><p>Most conversations focus on fact-checkers or national...

<p>In this episode of UnSpun, we examine how governments shape wartime narratives and how journalists have challenged them across modern history. From Baghdad Bob’s surreal press conferences during the 2003 invasion of...

<p>Can we stop misinformation before it spreads?</p><p>In this episode of UnSpun Journal Club, I break down a real-world Instagram field study on “prebunking” — a strategy that teaches people to recognize manipulation...

<p>Some scandals flare up, peak, and vanish. Others come back for years.</p><p>In this episode of UnSpun, I trace the difference.</p><p>Why was the Access Hollywood episode a brief burst, while h the Jeffrey Epstein...

<p>Deepfakes don’t just tell you lies. They show you “proof.”</p><p>In this episode of UnSpun Journal Club, I break downresearch from by Hwang, Ryu ad Jeong Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking examining...

<p>Newsrooms are shrinking and experienced reporters are getting pushed onto Substack or into freelance work.</p><p>Does it change the news you receive when journalism moves from institutions to individuals?</p><p>In...