David Lazer
LightNews LightNews
David Lazer
@davidlazer.bsky.social
6.4K followers 1.4K following 290 posts

computational social scientist

Videos

David Lazer is a distinguished professor of political science and computer and information science at Northeastern University, as well as the co-director of the NULab of Texts, Maps, and Networks. .. more

Political science 23%
Communication & Media Studies 18%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by David Lazer

techpolicypress.bsky.social
Tech Policy Press @techpolicypress.bsky.social · 4h
The end of the year is an opportunity to catch up on reading or to purchase books as gifts. In 2025, a number of authors joined the Tech Policy Press podcast, providing fresh insights into how technology interacts with people, politics, and power. Check out the list: buff.ly/oGnVbOt

Reposted by David Lazer, Robert C. Richards

klonick.bsky.social
Kate Klonick @klonick.bsky.social · 3d
The internet is revolutionary to free speech because it empowers individuals and citizens to route around censorship in all its forms—even a captured “free” press.

This is why private platform governance; law on internet access or online content, and anonymity online will always matter.

Reposted by Luca Rossi, Taha Yasseri

David Lazer @davidlazer.bsky.social · 4d
Excited to see this out! congrats to @tahayasseri.bsky.social & all contributors!
tahayasseri.bsky.social Taha Yasseri @tahayasseri.bsky.social · 7d
Thrilled to announce the Handbook of Computational Social Science is officially out! 956 pages, 118 authors, and truly global, interdisciplinary perspectives. Deep thanks to the contributors and anonymous reviewers who shaped this over 4 years. Buy your copy now!
@elgarpublishing.bsky.social

Reposted by David Lazer, Scott Clifford

kwcollins.bsky.social
Kevin Collins @kwcollins.bsky.social · 4d
Perhaps others have seen it already, but I found this pre-print (first posted in September) deeply troubling, raising concerns about how LLMs used for classification tasks in research open new researcher-degrees-of-freedom, which they call "LLM-hacking" (akin to p-hacking)

arxiv.org/pdf/2509.08825
arxiv.org

Reposted by David Lazer

hollylynchez.bsky.social
Holly Fernandez Lynch @hollylynchez.bsky.social · 6d
This is a must-read visionary (and pragmatic) piece from @alondra.bsky.social on how to promote ethical AI development and use by building on, learning from, and improving the ELSI genetics model, which I missed when it came out back in September:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
An ELSI for AI: Learning from genetics to govern algorithms
In the United States, the summer of 2025 will be remembered as artificial intelligence’s (AI’s) cruel summer—a season when the unheeded risks and dangers of AI became undeniably clear. Recent months h...
www.science.org

Reposted by David Lazer, Johannes Breuer

tahayasseri.bsky.social
Taha Yasseri @tahayasseri.bsky.social · 7d
Thrilled to announce the Handbook of Computational Social Science is officially out! 956 pages, 118 authors, and truly global, interdisciplinary perspectives. Deep thanks to the contributors and anonymous reviewers who shaped this over 4 years. Buy your copy now!
@elgarpublishing.bsky.social

Reposted by David Lazer

networkspapers.bsky.social
New papers in Network Science @networkspapers.bsky.social · 7d
PNAS: Perception of own centrality in social networks
https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2420334122?af=R

Reposted by David Lazer, Alan Richardson

natematias.bsky.social
J. Nathan Matias @natematias.bsky.social · 8d
So what's the alternative to grantwashing you ask? We offer several ideas, including one by Alondra Nelson that borrows from the structure of the Human Genome project to dedicate 3-5% of R&D funding from emerging technologies to safety and ethics research.

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
An ELSI for AI: Learning from genetics to govern algorithms
In the United States, the summer of 2025 will be remembered as artificial intelligence’s (AI’s) cruel summer—a season when the unheeded risks and dangers of AI became undeniably clear. Recent months h...
www.science.org

Reposted by Jan W. Mueller, David Lazer, Brian Keegan , and 2 more

natematias.bsky.social
J. Nathan Matias @natematias.bsky.social · 8d
Should scientists apply to OpenAI's fund for research on AI & mental health? Should policymakers consider it a credible safety effort?

Avriel Epps & I see it as "grantwashing," and it's an insult to anyone whose loved one's death involved chatbots. We explain:

www.techpolicy.press/beware-of-op...
Beware of OpenAI's 'Grantwashing' on AI Harms | TechPolicy.Press
J. Nathan Matias and Avriel Epps say OpenAI's announced research funding is the perfect corporate action to make sure we don't find answers for years.
www.techpolicy.press

Reposted by David Lazer, Rebecca Sear

carlbergstrom.com
Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 8d
Surely the people who file hundreds of demands that libraries they've never been to remove books that they've never read — surely those people wouldn't abuse an open syllabus law to harass professors teaching topics they don't like the sound of.

Important reporting from @stephaniemlee.bsky.social
When Everyone Can See Your Syllabus
More states are requiring public colleges to make class syllabi available to the masses. Proponents say these measures boost higher ed’s credibility, while faculty fear being targeted.
www.chronicle.com

Reposted by Suresh Venkatasubramanian, Nandita Sharma, David Lazer , and 9 more

donmoyn.bsky.social
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 9d
What this will mean, in practice, that if you are deemed an enemy of the administration, they will pore through your citizenship application paperwork looking for some reason to retroactively disqualify you.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/u...
Trump Administration Aims to Strip More Foreign-Born Americans of Citizenship
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Dorothy Bishop, David Lazer , and 5 more

Reposted by David Lazer

jonathanmladd.com
Jonathan Ladd @jonathanmladd.com · 11d
Thinking of this photo of Carl & Rob Reiner at dinner that went viral a few years ago. May their memory be a blessing. ❤️❤️❤️

Reposted by David Lazer, Melanie C. Green, Shelley Boulianne

ddc-sdu.bsky.social
Digital Democracy Centre @ddc-sdu.bsky.social · 11d
FULL PROFESSOR OF DIGITAL SOCIETY AND DEMOCRACY
...at the DDC and DIAS, here at the University of Southern Denmark 🇩🇰

...open to various disciplines, including law, economics, political science, communication, journalism, or AI.

More info:
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

Reposted by David Lazer, Stuart Soroka, Hugo Mercier , and 3 more

claesdevreese.bsky.social
Claes de Vreese @claesdevreese.bsky.social · 11d
Excellent job opportunity: Full professorship in Digital Society and Democracy @ddc-sdu.bsky.social and @d-ias.bsky.social.

Top conditions, environment & colleagues.

Candidates welcome across places and disciplines.

🗓️ DL: March 15, 2026

fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
DIAS Professorship in Digital Society and Democracy
Application deadline: March 15, 2026, 11.59 PM/23.59 CET/CEST.
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com

Reposted by Paul Glasziou, David Lazer, Scott L. Greer , and 5 more

adambonica.bsky.social
Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 11d
For the second year in a row, the wealth gains for the 100 richest Americans exceeded what ALL American households spent on groceries combined.

~$995B for billionaires vs ~$775B in total grocery spending.

We have an oligarchy and inequality problem masquerading as an affordability crisis.
Infographic titled “2025 Billionaire Gains vs. Grocery Spending.” On the left, a large gold square shows that the top 100 richest Americans gained $995 billion in wealth in 2025, about $7,595 per U.S. household, representing wealth gains for just 100 individuals. On the right, a slightly smaller green square shows total U.S. grocery spending of $775 billion, about $5,916 per household, covering roughly 131 million households. A callout at the bottom reads “The Scale of Inequality,” noting that billionaire wealth gains exceeded national grocery spending by $220 billion. Sources listed: Bloomberg Billionaire Index and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, David Lazer

dannagal.bsky.social
Dannagal Goldthwaite Young @dannagal.bsky.social · 15d
So much gerrymandering!
We know gerrymandering is bad for democratic representation, but new research suggests candidates campaigning in non-competitive districts campaign differently; using more moral & emotional language in tweets during primaries than those in more competitive districts 🧵

Reposted by David Lazer, Nathan P. Kalmoe

perrybaconjr.bsky.social
Perry Bacon @perrybaconjr.bsky.social · 16d
"With only 18% coming from megadonors, Dems have a fundraising advantage among grassroots supporters that enabled them to outraise Republicans in 2024. Yet the party courts billionaires while campaigning against oligarchy," writes @adambonica.bsky.social. data4democracy.substack.com/p/money-does...
Money Doesn't Buy Elections. It Does Something Worse.
Campaign ads barely move the needle. The real influence is hiding in plain sight.
data4democracy.substack.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, David Lazer, Will Jennings , and 12 more

donmoyn.bsky.social
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 16d
The decline of democracy in the US means you can’t visit the US if you commented on the decline of democracy in the US
clarajeffery.bsky.social Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 16d
This is INSANE www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/t...

and these are our closest allies!
Travelers visiting the United States from countries like Britain, France, Germany and South Korea could soon have to undergo a review of up to five years of their social media history, according to a proposal filed on Tuesday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The change would affect visitors eligible for the visa waiver program, which allows people from 42 countries to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa as long as they first obtain electronic travel authorization. In a document filed on Tuesday in the Federal Register, C.B.P. said it plans to ask applicants for a long list of personal data including social media, email addresses from the last decade, and the names, birth dates, places of residence and birthplaces of parents, spouses, siblings and children. Under the current system, applicants from visa waiver countries must enroll in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization program. They pay $40 and submit an email address, home address, phone number and emergency contact information. The authorization is good for two years.

Reposted by Michael E. Mann, Joanna Bryson, David Lazer , and 34 more

clarajeffery.bsky.social
Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 16d
This is INSANE www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/t...

and these are our closest allies!
Travelers visiting the United States from countries like Britain, France, Germany and South Korea could soon have to undergo a review of up to five years of their social media history, according to a proposal filed on Tuesday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The change would affect visitors eligible for the visa waiver program, which allows people from 42 countries to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa as long as they first obtain electronic travel authorization. In a document filed on Tuesday in the Federal Register, C.B.P. said it plans to ask applicants for a long list of personal data including social media, email addresses from the last decade, and the names, birth dates, places of residence and birthplaces of parents, spouses, siblings and children. Under the current system, applicants from visa waiver countries must enroll in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization program. They pay $40 and submit an email address, home address, phone number and emergency contact information. The authorization is good for two years.

Reposted by David Lazer

nunetsi.bsky.social
Network Science Institute @nunetsi.bsky.social · 17d
David Lazer on the gaps in Americans’ trust in science—and how to address them—in this Northeastern Global News piece, based on a new Nature Human Behaviour paper (tinyurl.com/4tm8769p).

@davidlazer.bsky.social
news.northeastern.edu/2025/12/09/s...
Trust in science is low among minorities for a reason, research finds
Researchers at Northeastern trace distrust of scientists among certain groups to massive gaps in representation within science itself.
news.northeastern.edu

David Lazer @davidlazer.bsky.social · 17d
More emphasis on first gen recruitment into sciences would help. Re divide, I think this is partially because of growing correlation between religiosity and class/rurality/partisanship. Something did change in aughts. For partial answer, check out: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Continuity and Change in Trust in Scientists in the United States: Demographic Stability and Partisan Polarization
<span>Americans’ trust in scientists has been stable and high, relative to other political and social institutions, for the last half century (Krause et al. 201
papers.ssrn.com

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Kim L. Scheppele, David Lazer , and 3 more

kateshaw.bsky.social
Kate Shaw @kateshaw.bsky.social · 17d
I don’t write the headlines but I do like this one (post-Slaughter argument roundtable for @nytimes.com with @stevevladeck.bsky.social & @williambaude.bsky.social)

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/o...
Opinion | Looks Like the Supreme Court Will Continue to Overturn the 20th Century
www.nytimes.com

David Lazer @davidlazer.bsky.social · 17d
It is a free lunch of sorts; you get improved trust among the underrepresented, and not lower trust among the overrepresented.

Methodological caveats as always, esp re external validity; with great cast of authors, led by the inimitable Jamie Druckman.

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, David G. Rand, Robert Böhm , and 4 more

David Lazer @davidlazer.bsky.social · 17d
Paper out today in @nathumbehav.nature.com:

1) those groups (women, African Americans, lower SES, rural) that are underrepresented in science have been less trusting of science.

2) If you improve representation in science, you improve trust among those groups.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Representation in science and trust in scientists in the USA - Nature Human Behaviour
Druckman et al. document gaps in trust in scientists in the USA. People from groups less represented among scientists (for example, women and those with lower economic status) are less trusting. Incre...
www.nature.com

Reposted by David G. Rand, David Lazer, Brendan Nyhan , and 8 more

jbenmenachem.com
jon ben-menachem @jbenmenachem.com · 18d
Our new study provides rare causal evidence about NYC’s speed camera program. We find large reductions in collisions (30%) and injuries (16%) near intersections with cameras. www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1... @astagoff.bsky.social ky.social @brendenbeck.bsky.social nbeck.bsky.social 🧪
Can speed cameras make streets safer? Quasi-experimental evidence from New York City | PNAS
Each year, approximately 40,000 people die in vehicle collisions in the United States, generating $340 billion in economic costs. To make roads saf...
www.pnas.org

Reposted by David Lazer, Jon Green

nunetsi.bsky.social
Network Science Institute @nunetsi.bsky.social · 18d
New research from the #NetSI team + colleagues shows: groups with historically lower trust—women, Black people, rural and lower-income residents—trust scientists more when they share their identity. Greater representation across communities can boost trust in science.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Representation in science and trust in scientists in the USA - Nature Human Behaviour
Druckman et al. document gaps in trust in scientists in the USA. People from groups less represented among scientists (for example, women and those with lower economic status) are less trusting. Incre...
tinyurl.com

Reposted by David Lazer

ic2s2.bsky.social
International Conference on Computational Social Science @ic2s2.bsky.social · 18d
Keynote Announcement!

We're thrilled to have Kate Starbird from the University of Washington's Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering speak at IC2S2 2026.

Registration is open with submissions opening on 12/15: ic2s2-2026.org
IC2S2 2026 Speaker announcement displaying the image of Kate Starbird from the University of Washington with a background showing Lake Champlain in Vermont

Reposted by David Lazer, David Darmofal

kwcollins.bsky.social
Kevin Collins @kwcollins.bsky.social · 18d
New strategies to catch LLM powered bots in panel surveys www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
LLM-driven bot infiltration: protecting web surveys through prompt injections
Cost- and time-efficient web surveys potentially help covering the increasing survey data demand. However, since web surveys face low response rates, researchers consider social media platforms for...
www.tandfonline.com

Reposted by David Lazer, Peter K. Enns

davmicrot.bsky.social
David Rothschild @davmicrot.bsky.social · 18d
Summer 2026 MSR-NYC-CSS internship opportunity for current PhD candidates! Purely academic position with possible projects around agentic markets, mapping public opinion, market for news, etc. Apply by January 9 for full consideration: apply.careers.microsoft.com/careers/job/...