How Black women get their political news matters for this election Nadia E. Brown, Camille Burge, and Christine M. Slaughter - February 29, 2024 A new study investigates the ways Black women use social media, TV news, and other sources to engage with politics.
Since 2018, Republicans have lost confidence in U.S. institutions Sean Kates, Joshua Tucker, and Jonathan Ladd - December 29, 2022 And Amazon is no longer one of America’s most beloved institutions, our research finds.
Musk is wrecking speech moderation on Twitter. There’s an alternative. Henry Farrell - November 12, 2022 Twitter alternative Mastodon moderates speech not through banning, but shunning across a broader ‘Fediverse’ of services.
Latinos who use Spanish-language social media get more misinformation Robert Vidigal, Marianna Garcia, Marisa A. Abrajano, Joshua Tucker, Jonathan Nagler, and Aaron Pope - November 7, 2022 That could affect their votes – and their safety from covid-19.
Why are people in West Africa waving Russian flags? Aoife McCullough - October 28, 2022 Russian propaganda has a wide reach. Here’s what else is boosting pro-Russian sentiment.
As the midterms loom, here’s how election officials can help voters Thessalia (Lia) Merivaki and Mara Suttmann-Lea - October 4, 2022 It’s National Voter Education Week! Do you know what your election officials are doing?
Will misinformation keep Latinos from voting in the midterms? Yamil Ricardo Velez - September 29, 2022 That depends in part on where they get their news. Here’s what my research found.
Republicans are increasingly sharing misinformation, research finds Megan A. Brown and Maggie Macdonald - August 28, 2022 Republican candidates have dramatically increased how much they share from unreliable sources in just two years
Conspiracy theories are spreading wildly. Why now? Margaret Appleby - May 18, 2022 The Buffalo shooting shows how deadly such theories can be.
Democrats are losing White women. Will repealing Roe bring them back? Leah Ruppanner, Kelsy Kretschmer, and Christopher Stout - May 5, 2022 Possibly, if it’s combined with a strong mobilization strategy, research suggests
Putin called fleeing Russians ‘traitors.’ Who’s actually leaving? Laura A. Henry and Elizabeth Plantan - March 30, 2022 Many will be activists in exile, our research suggests
Ukrainians are rallying global support via social media. But don’t call it a TikTok war. Jen Schradie - March 23, 2022 Here’s what my research finds
Protesting for reproductive rights on International Women’s Day? Here are some lessons from the Women’s March. Kaitlin Kelly-Thompson - March 8, 2022 Here’s what my research found
Russian journalists report the facts about Ukraine. Why do Russians ignore them? Anton Shirikov - March 3, 2022 Most Russians still get their news from state propaganda outlets — and that’s not just because of censorship
Thousands of Russians are protesting against the war with Ukraine. Putin’s not likely to listen. Hannah Chapman - March 1, 2022 The Kremlin has many tools to repress opposing voices.
Twitter banned Marjorie Taylor Greene. That may not hurt her much. Megan A. Brown and Maggie Macdonald - January 13, 2022 She’s gaining followers and ‘likes’ on other social media platforms, our research finds
With nearly 800,000 U.S. covid deaths, what’s keeping people from getting vaccinated? Their own social circles. Spencer Kiesel, Sharif Amlani, and Ross Butters - December 14, 2021 When friends and family aren’t vaccinated, people are more reluctant to get the shot.
Alabama 3, ‘Facebook.con’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - October 28, 2021 Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, seen via smartphone, unveils the Meta
Twitter amplifies conservative politicians. Is it because users mock them? Megan Brown, Joshua Tucker, and Jonathan Nagler - October 26, 2021 Our research suggests conservative politicians are ‘ratioed’ more often. That may explain why they’re in your timeline.
Actually, Facebook isn’t making people angrier. Some people are just jerks. Michael Bang Petersen and Alexander Bor - October 26, 2021 People share disinformation to hurt the other side, this research shows.
In a first, the Nobel Peace Prize went to a Filipina. Her government isn’t happy. Enrico Gloria and Andrew Yeo - October 20, 2021 The award emphasizes the importance of freedom of expression and freedom of the press globally in an era of democratic backsliding
Tunisia has its first-ever female prime minister. That’s not as good for democracy as it sounds. Sivan Hirsch-Hoefler, Lihi Ben Shitrit, and Julia Elad-Strenger - October 12, 2021 Around the world, would-be authoritarians have been ‘pinkwashing’ policies that undermine democracy. Our research finds that it works.
How Republican leaders could motivate their voters to get vaccinated against the coronavirus John Kane and Ian G. Anson - October 7, 2021 Our research found an argument that boosts Republicans’ willingness to get vaccinated.
Facebook’s global outage wasn’t the result of a hack, but big political questions lurk behind it Laura DeNardis - October 7, 2021 ‘Public’ Internet relies on private networks and technical protocols that have to work in sync
Facebook has an invisible system that shelters powerful rule-breakers. So do other online platforms. Tarleton Gillespie and Robyn Caplan - September 17, 2021 Is it fair to be unfair, as long as you’re open about it?
The pandemic actually helped bring Americans together – briefly Matthew Gentzkow, Levi Boxell, James N. Druckman, and Jacob Conway - August 23, 2021 Having a common enemy can unite a nation — until something like the Black Lives Matter protests reminds citizens of their profound differences.
The U.S. has been promoting vaccines through fear. Research on political anxiety suggests that’s a mistake. Christopher Ray - August 3, 2021 Many Americans worry more about the vaccines’ side effects than about covid-19. What messaging will reach them?
People are more anti-vaccine if they get their covid news from Facebook than from Fox News, data shows Roy Perlis, Matthew Simonson, Mauricio Santillana, Matthew Baum, Katherine Ognyanova, Jon Green, Jennifer Lin, James Druckman, David Lazer, and Ata Uslu - July 26, 2021 Biden said social media companies are ‘killing people’ by spreading vaccine misinformation
Seven years ago, #BringBackOurGirls was a global campaign. What happened? Laura Seay - July 22, 2021 A compelling book details the story of Nigeria’s kidnapped Chibok girls
The Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol hurt the Republican Party, new research finds Peter Thisted Dinesen, Gregory Eady, and Frederik Hjorth - July 16, 2021 We found a sharp and persistent drop in Twitter users identifying as Republicans.
Why Facebook really, really doesn’t want to discourage extremism Steve Rathje, der Linden, and Van Bavel - July 13, 2021 Our research finds outrage is what goes viral — and that makes money
India has become an ‘electoral autocracy.’ Its covid-19 catastrophe is no surprise. Prerna Singh - July 4, 2021 By restricting freedom of speech and freedom of the press, the BJP government can oversee virus′s spread without fearing accountability at the ballot box
Great powers have always dictated the terms of ‘global’ tax deals. This time may be different. Martin Hearson - June 29, 2021 Lower-income countries now want to have their say in global tax politics.
3 things to know about Nigeria’s Twitter ban Shelby Grossman, Lindsay Hundley, and Hakeem Bishi - June 14, 2021 Governments around the world are using social media’s language on content moderation to crack down on these platforms
Yes, Assad won reelection last week. But Syria’s elections serve another purpose. Elizabeth Tsurkov - May 31, 2021 Elections can be a dictator’s way of saying who’s in charge
Millions of fake commenters asked the FCC to end net neutrality. ‘Astroturfing’ is a business model. Edward Walker - May 13, 2021 The technology used this time may be new, but the practice has been around for decades
Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, ‘No Return’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - May 7, 2021 No return for Donald Trump.
Yes, Facebook’s Oversight Board upheld Trump’s suspension. But here’s the bigger issue. Nathaniel Persily - May 6, 2021 What does the decision tell us about how Facebook’s unique and novel institution will shape online speech?
Facebook’s Oversight Board upheld the ban on Trump, but it didn’t like how Facebook banned him Henry Farrell - May 5, 2021 The board wants Facebook to revisit its decision in six months and create more consistent rules
Huawei is trying to avoid U.S. sanctions. That may change the U.S.-China tech rivalry in Africa. Henry Tugendhat - April 29, 2021 The company’s new mobile phone operating system sets up a battle between U.S. and Chinese tech firms over what Africans can see, hear, read and say.
Bulgaria’s election was all about corruption, not covid-19. Here are 4 takeaways. Yuxiang Lin, Tim Haughton, and Emilia Zankina - April 7, 2021 A fragmented parliament diminishes the prime minister’s chances of forming a government
Why the GOP can’t quit Trump Rachel M. Blum and Christopher Parker - March 1, 2021 Here’s what we learned when we surveyed MAGA supporters
It’s been 10 years since the Arab Spring. Why did people protest then — and not now? Stephanie Dornschneider - February 15, 2021 Egyptians are facing much the same conditions: military rule, harsh repression and economic difficulties. Here’s what makes the difference.
Myanmar’s military has a history of using deceptive tactics against protesters. Now it has social media, too. Van Tran - February 9, 2021 Military agents may be infiltrating online groups to sow distrust.
There’s a long, troubling history behind the Capitol attack Kathleen Klaus and Aditi Malik - January 22, 2021 Although the siege surprised almost everyone, it did not emerge randomly
Putin’s arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny is a sign of weakness, not strength Samuel Greene - January 18, 2021 Don’t expect mass street protests
The assault on the U.S. Capitol opens a new chapter in domestic terrorism Daniel Byman - January 14, 2021 The counterterrorism manual doesn’t cover an insurrection egged on by one party’s leaders.
Was the U.S. Capitol riot really a coup? Here’s why definitions matter. Naunihal Singh - January 8, 2021 Calling this a coup obscures important dynamics.
How Google is hurting local news Yphtach Lelkes, Sean Fischer, and Kokil Jaidka - December 21, 2020 Our audit reveals that Google News sends readers — and advertising dollars — away from local news outlets.
Twitter put warning labels on hundreds of thousands of tweets. Our research examined which worked best. Zeve Sanderson, Richard Bonneau, Megan A. Brown, Joshua Tucker, and Jonathan Nagler - December 8, 2020 Without a hard block, tweets continue to spread — especially tweets by President Trump
Africans are embracing digital media, but they’re wary of the downsides Joseph Koné and Jeffrey Conroy-Krutz - December 3, 2020 Afrobarometer surveys also reveal that there’s still a digital divide
While Armenia and Azerbaijan fought over Nagorno-Karabakh, their citizens battled on social media Katy Pearce - December 3, 2020 Social media rhetoric from politicians, citizens and others helped influence political moves.
When Twitter fact-checks Trump’s tweets, it polarizes Americans even more, our research finds Sarah Kreps, Douglas Kriner, and Dino Christenson - November 24, 2020 Fact-checking this president backfires.
Peru had three presidents in just one week. How could that happen? Ñusta Carranza Ko - November 17, 2020 When legislators impeached a popular reformer, protests toppled his successor
Ethiopia’s cracking down in Tigray. But activists are spreading the news. Claire Wilmot - November 17, 2020 When the government shut down the Internet, new Twitter accounts filled the information void.
AOC isn’t the only politician playing the social media game Brittany Anlar - November 1, 2020 Millennial politicians are figuring out new ways to campaign and engage with constituents.
How foreign influence efforts are targeting journalists Kelly McFarland and Alistair Somerville - October 29, 2020 Disinformation in 2020 has become even more complex.
The Trump administration is investigating Google. Good luck pinning the giant down. Maha Rafi Atal - October 25, 2020 It’s hard to regulate Big Tech
Cabaret Voltaire, ‘Crackdown’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - October 15, 2020 Social media cracks down.
Are influence campaigns trolling your social media feeds? Meysam Alizadeh, Joshua Tucker, Jacob N. Shapiro, and Cody Buntain - October 12, 2020 New research shows how citizens can know in real time.
There’s more to Belarus’s ‘Telegram Revolution’ than a cellphone app Tetyana Lokot, Olga Onuch, Mariëlle Wijermars, and Aliaksandr Herasimenka - September 10, 2020 New surveys show protesters had to be creative to share information.
The long, dangerous history of right-wing calls for violence and civil war Sam Jackson - September 9, 2020 In the 1960s and again today, Americans who describe themselves as patriots accuse other Americans of treason.
Trump’s top intelligence official is curtailing congressional briefings on foreign election interference Henry Farrell - September 1, 2020 Perhaps he’s worried that the intelligence community is doing its job.
Uber wants to limit its drivers’ rights in California. User loyalty is its secret political weapon. Henry Farrell - August 21, 2020 Uber is using “platform power” to sway California voters.
‘Fake news’ methods change faster than Western governments can react. Here’s how to keep up. H. Akin Unver - August 13, 2020 Understanding how Russia, Turkey and the Gulf nations use disinformation could guide better safeguards against foreign interference
The movement against coronavirus lockdowns is still going — and still angry. Rachel Meade - August 6, 2020 This isn’t an astroturf movement. These populists deeply distrust elites for leaving them behind.
Turkey issued new rules for social media. That may mean that media censorship wasn’t working. Max Hoffman, Andrew O’Donohue, and Alan Makovsky - July 29, 2020 More Turks have been getting their news online
This new book highlights women’s roles in Cameroon’s separatist politics Kim Yi Dionne - July 26, 2020 Everyday activities nurture cultural distinctiveness — and support separatism
Europe’s new privacy ruling will help fragment the global economy Daniel S. Hamilton - July 22, 2020 Companies may soon scramble to shift certain kinds of data from the U.S. to the E.U.
Last week’s Twitter hack could have been much, much worse Heather Williams - July 21, 2020 Governments need to prepare for hackers trying to start a war — leading to escalation by tweet
Europe struck down its data deal with the U.S. Facebook, other companies are in trouble. Vlagyiszlav Makszimov, Michael Harsch, and David B. Ramsey - July 17, 2020 Businesses that need to transfer personal data from Europe to the United States are in for a rough time.
How China’s new national security law will hobble Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement Maggie Shum - July 13, 2020 Protesters and candidates face new risks
Our study found little evidence that Twitter is biased against conservative opinion leaders Yphtach Lelkes, Subhayan Mukerjee, and Kokil Jaidka - July 9, 2020 Attention, political junkies: Most Americans aren’t really paying attention to what’s on Twitter
Prosecutors claim that a ‘boogaloo’ killed two cops. What’s a boogaloo? Yonatan Lupu, Rhys Leahy, and Nicolás Velásquez Hernandez - June 16, 2020 The loosely organized far-right movement is associated with a distinctive look and discordant politics
No, Trump probably can’t list antifa as a ‘terrorist group.’ Here’s what he’s really doing. Brian Phillips - June 11, 2020 U.S. security services are getting the message about where to focus
‘Deepfakes’ are here. These deceptive videos erode trust in all news media. Cristian Vaccari and Andrew Chadwick - May 27, 2020 Tricksters and trolls may not persuade people these videos are real. But they do damage nevertheless.
Twitter started fact-checking Trump. Then Trump threatened to close it down. Henry Farrell - May 26, 2020 Trump says he will regulate or close social media platforms rather than allow them to silence conservatives.
More online campaigning in 2020 may invite more foreign interference in the U.S. election Brigitte Hugh and Anna O. Pechenkina - May 13, 2020 New research shows how Russian-sponsored accounts targeted U.S. voters on the right and left
Americans are fighting coronavirus misinformation on social media Leticia Bode and Emily Vraga - May 6, 2020 Our new survey finds ordinary people correcting misinformation, quickly.
The risk of Sweden’s coronavirus strategy? Blind patriotism. Gina Gustavsson - May 3, 2020 Criticism from abroad may trigger a national identity threat for many Swedes
Contact tracing apps can help stop coronavirus. But they can hurt privacy. Toby Shevlane, Ben Garfinkel, and Allan Dafoe - April 28, 2020 Governments now face trust issues and trade-offs
Why ‘constitutionalist sheriffs’ won’t enforce coronavirus restrictions Zoe Nemerever - April 22, 2020 For years, these locally elected officials have been leading rebellions against government authority.
It’s not easy for ordinary citizens to identify fake news Zeve Sanderson, Will Godel, Richard Bonneau, Nathaniel Persily, Kevin Aslett, Joshua Tucker, and Jonathan Nagler - April 7, 2020 And fake coronavirus news is no exception.
The coronavirus is expanding the surveillance state. How will this play out? Ben Power - March 27, 2020 Improvised tech solutions today may be permanent policies tomorrow.
Democrats and Republicans both worry about foreign misinformation campaigns. But Republicans also blame journalists. Kimberly Gross and Danny Hayes - February 28, 2020 Here’s what our new poll found.
If any Iranians supported Soleimani’s killing, it would’ve been dissidents on Twitter. The opposite happened. Steven L. Wilson and Layla M. Hashemi - January 7, 2020 The attack may have united Iranians in outrage against the U.S.
‘The Resistance’ built grass-roots groups across the U.S. Will the Democratic Party put that energy to work in 2020? Leah E. Gose - December 31, 2019 Here’s what these women — and they’re mostly women — are doing in swing states.
Will Boris Johnson get the majority he needs to finish Brexit at last? Tim Haughton and David Cutts - December 11, 2019 These four things could determine this week’s U.K. election.
Russia wants more influence in Africa. It’s using disinformation to get there. Shelby Grossman - December 2, 2019 Facebook says the oligarch behind the Internet Research Agency is involved.
Algerians have been protesting for months. What’s changed? Sharan Grewal - November 12, 2019 Even more people want a complete political overhaul.
Is the clock ticking on daylight saving time? Here’s what it would take to change it. Thomas R. Gray and Jeffery Jenkins - November 3, 2019 We look at the politics behind why Americans love/hate turning back the clock
Worried about an Islamic State comeback? Here’s why that’s unlikely. Daniel Byman - October 28, 2019 Yes, Trump pulled U.S. troops out of northern Syria, but many other factors will probably keep ISIS down.
It’s not easy to spot disinformation on Twitter. Here’s what we learned from 8 political ‘astroturfing’ campaigns. Sebastian Stier, JungHwan Yang, Franziska Keller, and David Schoch - October 27, 2019 Hint: Don’t look for an account that tweets like a bot.
Think celebrities get punished for being political? In fact, they get retweeted. Joshua Tucker, Jonathan Nagler, Jan Zilinsky, and Cristian Vaccari - October 27, 2019 Michael Jordan’s supposed dictum — “Republicans buy sneakers, too” — may be outdated.
These 3 factors explain why the NBA and other companies struggle to push back against Chinese censorship Margaret Roberts and Jennifer Pan - October 16, 2019 But banning the NBA also poses a risk to Beijing.
This inflammatory ad reveals why Republican women of color have a hard time getting elected Catherine Wineinger - October 4, 2019 What we can learn from how former lawmaker Mia Love upheld the GOP’s racial narratives — until she didn’t.
Saudi, UAE Twitter takedowns won’t curb rampant disinformation on Arab Twitter Marc Owen Jones - September 24, 2019 Recent activity by social media networks to rein in bot and troll networks is only a token gesture.
Twitter got somewhat more civil when tweets doubled in length. Here’s how we know. Yphtach Lelkes, Kokil Jaidka, and Alvin Zhou - September 17, 2019 The takeaway: Social media companies can improve public discussion without censorship.
No, Trump isn’t Teflon. Scandals lower his approval among Republicans — if they see the news. Raymond J. Pingree, Mingxiao Sui, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Martina Santia, Kirill Bryanov, Kathleen Searles, Joshua P. Darr, and Brian K. Watson - September 9, 2019 Here’s how we know.
We’re moving toward a world of fortress economies Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman - August 24, 2019 Trump’s order to U.S. firms to get out of China is just one symptom