Sander van der Linden

@profsanderlinden.bsky.social

33K followers 1K following 350 posts

Professor of Social Psychology in Society at the University of Cambridge and Author of FOOLPROOF: Why We Fall for Misinformation and How to Build Immunity (2023) + The Psychology of Misinformation (2024). Bad News Game.

www.sandervanderlinden.com .. more

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Sander L. van der Linden is a Dutch social psychologist and author who is Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Cambridge. He studies the psychology of social influence, risk, human judgment, and decision-making. He is known for his research on the psychology of social issues, such as fake news, COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and climate change denial. .. more

Sociology 26%

Political science 26%

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Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · Apr 8

Who is susceptible to misinformation? We looked at >60,000 people from 24 countries who took our MIST test. Key results: Gen Z are more susceptible & those on the extreme right (but they don't know it).

Led by the brill @yarakyrychenko.bsky.social & Fritz Götz

authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 6h

You can follow @counterhate.com here

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 19h

See full thread here bsky.app/profile/norm...

Norm Eisen @normeisen.bsky.social · 20h

And… TRO granted!

A sweet Christmas present for @imranahmed.bsky.social, @counterhate.com--& for their mission of fighting antisemitism & protecting kids online. Also nice for our all-star legal team.

A lump of coal in the stockings of authoritarians & the merchants of disinformation

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Nandita Sharma, Brigitte Nerlich , and 1 more Kim L. Scheppele, Nandita Sharma, Brigitte Nerlich, Rosemary A. Joyce

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 19h

Legend Imran Ahmed (CEO of CCDH) just sued the U.S. Government for the wildly inappropriate visa sanctions. The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York just granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against this inappropriate government action.

What a Christmas gift!

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 19h

Research says otherwise though.

Reposted by Nina Jankowicz, Stephan Lewandowsky, Sander van der Linden

Imran Ahmed @imranahmed.bsky.social · 19h

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

A bit of real cheer for us all!

🎅🎄🤶🌲

Reposted by Sander van der Linden, Rosemary A. Joyce, Aaron Sojourner

Norm Eisen @normeisen.bsky.social · 20h

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 1d

"It is essential people know what malign information's influence is and what the techniques behind it are, as knowledge goes up, our chances of being influenced goes down, and that builds up societal resilience".

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 1d

"If you think of information manipulation as a virus, instead of treating an infection once it has taken hold (i.e. debunking), it is much better to vaccinate so that the body is inoculated. Prebunking is the same approach." Original video below 👇

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on prebunking misinformation! 100% 👏 🔥 👇 "If you think of information manipulation as a virus, instead of treating an infection once it has… |...

www.linkedin.com

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 1d

For Christmas, I wish this account develops proper hearing or reading skills. EU President von der Leyen describes MISINFORMATION as the virus and FREE SPEECH as the vaccine in the form of prebunking falsehoods as prevention is better than cure when it comes to the integrity of our democracies.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Sander van der Linden

Reposted by Sander van der Linden

Dave Keating @davekeating.substack.com · 1d

The 🇪🇺Commission "strongly condemns the 🇺🇸decision".

The EU has "the sovereign right to regulate economic activity in line with our democratic values and international commitments."

"If needed, we will respond swiftly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures."

Statement by the European Commission on the U.S. decision to impose travel restrictions on certain EU individuals

The European Commission strongly condemns the U.S. decision to impose travel restrictions on five European individuals, including former European Commissioner Thierry Breton.\nFreedom of expression is

ec.europa.eu

Reposted by Michael E. Mann, Axel Bruns, Sander van der Linden , and 1 more Michael E. Mann, Axel Bruns, Sander van der Linden, Beatriz Gallardo Paúls

Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf @rahmstorf.bsky.social · 2d

So the US administration considers hate speech and disinformation “American viewpoints“? 🙄
HateAid is an organization that also helps climate scientists to defend themselves against online abuse and threats.
Its founder was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany 🇩🇪 this year.

Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 2d

“Imran Ahmed, chief executive of Centre for Countering Digital Hate; Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, leaders of HateAid, a German organization; former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, who was responsible for digital affairs; and Clare Melford, who runs the Global Disinformation Index.”

US bars five Europeans it says pressured tech firms to censor American viewpoints online

The State Department is barring five Europeans it accuses of leading efforts to pressure U.S. tech firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints.

apnews.com

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 2d

Thanks for linking!

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 2d

As a Jew studying propaganda, I've been saddened by the rise of hate. I'm supporting the IRC's efforts in Gaza-a highly rated charity inspired by Einstein (check them out).

Despite all the darkness, as we lit the last candle yesterday, I can only wish peace and light for all🕯🕎 ☮️

Happy holidays!

Reposted by Nina Jankowicz, Lisa W. Fazio, Stephan Lewandowsky , and 3 more Nina Jankowicz, Lisa W. Fazio, Stephan Lewandowsky, Sander van der Linden, David H. Kaye, Peter Jacobs

Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 2d

The US State Department is now going to be deporting people and/or revoking visas over Benz, Taibbi, and Shellenberger’s “censorship industrial complex” hoax.

Let that sink in. This is what the Twitter Files pretext was actually about. Water boys for authoritarians.

www.state.gov/releases/off...

Announcement of Actions to Combat the Global Censorship-Industrial Complex - United States Department of State

The State Department is taking decisive action against five individuals who have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose....

www.state.gov

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 5d

What a mensch!

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 5d

It was such a joy to celebrate Hanukkah with Mandy, Kathryn and their son, Gideon. As Jewish New Yorkers across our city prepare to light candles and mark the seventh night today, I wish you and your families a Hanukkah full of light and love.

youtu.be/KIxAKyioXng

Happy Hanukkah

YouTube video by Zohran Mamdani for NYC

youtu.be

Reposted by Sander van der Linden, Alessandro Nai

Matthew Facciani @matthewfacciani.bsky.social · 5d

@profsanderlinden.bsky.social describes the importance of having a multi-layered defense against misinformation, and why such education should be found in all schools.

Reposted by Sander van der Linden, David Feldman, Evelyne de Leeuw , and 5 more Sander van der Linden, David Feldman, Evelyne de Leeuw, Anders Nilsson, W. Andy Knight, Suzanne Conklin Akbari, Prakash Kashwan, Peter Bergman

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 5d

Happy Hanukkah

YouTube video by Zohran Mamdani for NYC

youtu.be

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 7d

Not in this article but I certainly have been speaking to regulators about this!

Reposted by Efrén O. Pérez

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 7d

"The US is in a particularly difficult situation because a lot of the misinformation is coming from official authorities,” said Sander van der Linden, a University of Cambridge psychologist who studies misinformation.

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/12/17/m...

‘A dangerous road’: Misinformation is spreading about the Brown University shooter - The Boston Globe

In the absence of a clear narrative, misinformation about the shooter and any possible motives has run rampant.

www.bostonglobe.com

Reposted by Sander van der Linden

Matthew Facciani @matthewfacciani.bsky.social · 7d

🎙️ New episode of Misguided: The Podcast🎙️
I’m joined by psychologist @profsanderlinden.bsky.social to discuss how people can build resistance to manipulation, the economics of fake social media accounts, and the future of combating disinformation.
matthewfacciani.substack.com/p/foolproof-...

Foolproof: How to Build Resistance to Misinformation

Sander van der Linden joins me to discuss how people can build resistance to manipulation, the economics of fake social media accounts, and the future of combating disinformation.

matthewfacciani.substack.com

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 13d

If you’re in the business of facts and accuracy, you can forget entry into the United States. Apparently they want none of that. Makes sense for an emerging autocracy www.poynter.org/news-release...

Reposted by Sander van der Linden

University of Cambridge @cam.ac.uk · 14d

How cheap is it to build a bot army? 🤖

Find out using the first global index to track real-time prices for verifying fake accounts on 500 platforms, from TikTok to Amazon 👇
https://bit.ly/44s9QSu

Illustration promoting new Cambridge research on the cost of building a bot army, featuring a figure in a hood facing a large computer screen against a dark network-like background.

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 14d

Press release www.cam.ac.uk/stories/pric...

Price of a 'bot army' revealed across hundreds of online platforms worldwide

The first global index tracking real-time prices for buying fake account verifications on 500+ online platforms in every country has been launched by a team at the University of Cambridge.

www.cam.ac.uk

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 14d

WhatsApp responded to the findings of our new Cambridge Trust and Safety index:

"WhatsApp said in a statement that it welcomed the research into an industry it said was "aiming to mislead internet services."

Unsurprisingly, X did not return messages seeking comment

www.reuters.com/business/med...

Key barrier to online fraud can be bypassed for pennies, say researchers

A central barrier to the creation of bogus social media accounts can be bypassed for as little as a few cents at a time, researchers at the University of Cambridge determined, a sign of just how low t...

www.reuters.com

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 14d

Russia, US and UK emerge as lowest-cost hubs for fake online accounts, some of our findings in the @financialtimes.com

www.ft.com/content/1210...

Russia, US and UK emerge as lowest-cost hubs for fake online accounts

Analysis reveals how cheap text message verification fuels global influence and manipulation campaigns

www.ft.com

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 14d

Brilliant work from Anton Dek, Jon Roozenbeek, @yarakyrychenko.bsky.social @jbs.cam.ac.uk @cam.ac.uk

Reposted by David G. Rand, Nicholas A. Christakis, Hugo Mercier , and 1 more David G. Rand, Nicholas A. Christakis, Hugo Mercier, Greg Linden

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 14d

New paper out in @science.org! We unveil the online manipulation market with the Cambridge Online Trust & Safety Index (COTSI). We show in real time the cost of purchasing fake accounts across every social platform around the world - so they can be held accountable

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...