Johan Farkas
@jfarkas.bsky.social
Assistant Professor. Author of 'Post-Truth, Fake News and Democracy' (https://t.ly/1JHye), University of Copenhagen, Firstgen 🎓. he/him. Free access to my work: http://www.johanfarkas.com/research
Reposted by Johan Farkas
These so-called "patriotic" 🇬🇧newspapers who brought you Brexit were never really patriotic at all.
They are driven by a disdain for Britain's European neighbours, and a fawning obsession with America.
They do not really want 🇬🇧 to be sovereign. They're content being a 🇺🇸vassal.
They are driven by a disdain for Britain's European neighbours, and a fawning obsession with America.
They do not really want 🇬🇧 to be sovereign. They're content being a 🇺🇸vassal.
January 18, 2026 at 7:59 AM
These so-called "patriotic" 🇬🇧newspapers who brought you Brexit were never really patriotic at all.
They are driven by a disdain for Britain's European neighbours, and a fawning obsession with America.
They do not really want 🇬🇧 to be sovereign. They're content being a 🇺🇸vassal.
They are driven by a disdain for Britain's European neighbours, and a fawning obsession with America.
They do not really want 🇬🇧 to be sovereign. They're content being a 🇺🇸vassal.
Reposted by Johan Farkas
Important and well researched piece on the extensive (!) lobbying access of big tech platforms and AI companies.
“A government of a sovereign state has a duty to its own citizens, not to the tech bros”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“A government of a sovereign state has a duty to its own citizens, not to the tech bros”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Tech companies’ access to UK ministers dwarfs that of child safety groups
Exclusive: Amazon, Meta and X among firms holding hundreds of meetings with people at heart of government, data shows
www.theguardian.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:11 AM
Important and well researched piece on the extensive (!) lobbying access of big tech platforms and AI companies.
“A government of a sovereign state has a duty to its own citizens, not to the tech bros”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“A government of a sovereign state has a duty to its own citizens, not to the tech bros”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Johan Farkas
If there's one empirical insight I'd want everyone to understand about American politics, it's this:
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
January 12, 2026 at 9:36 PM
If there's one empirical insight I'd want everyone to understand about American politics, it's this:
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
Reposted by Johan Farkas
Google traffic to publishers dropped by ONE THIRD in 2025 pressgazette.co.uk/media-audien...
Global publisher Google traffic dropped by a third in 2025
Google search traffic was down globally by a third in the year to November, according to new Chartbeat data.
pressgazette.co.uk
January 16, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Google traffic to publishers dropped by ONE THIRD in 2025 pressgazette.co.uk/media-audien...
Wish I could join 😊. Happy to share!
January 14, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Wish I could join 😊. Happy to share!
Reposted by Johan Farkas
I'm co-chairing the Society for Social Studies of Science @4sweb.bsky.social Conference in Toronto, Oct 2026. #STS #scipol #innovation
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
About the Conference
www.4sonline.org
January 14, 2026 at 4:12 PM
I'm co-chairing the Society for Social Studies of Science @4sweb.bsky.social Conference in Toronto, Oct 2026. #STS #scipol #innovation
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
Reposted by Johan Farkas
U.S. technology companies are seeking support from far-right parties in Europe for their legislative agenda.
According to lobbyists trackers, Corporate Europe Observatory and Lobby Control, EU tech deregulation push mirrors big tech's agenda. The watchdog groups also suggest tech companies are looking to the far-right in Europe for help to reduce EU's AI privacy rules. www.euractiv.com/news/eu-tech...
EU tech simplification push mirrors big tech's agenda, lobby trackers warn | Euractiv
Corporate Europe Observatory and Lobby Control also suggest tech companies are looking to the far-right for backing
www.euractiv.com
January 14, 2026 at 12:33 PM
U.S. technology companies are seeking support from far-right parties in Europe for their legislative agenda.
Notice how the heading and subheading make no mention of Greenlandic people nor of what they want.
January 14, 2026 at 7:23 AM
Notice how the heading and subheading make no mention of Greenlandic people nor of what they want.
We need to look into what Greenland is wearing.
January 14, 2026 at 6:22 AM
We need to look into what Greenland is wearing.
The NYT hits us with good old victim blaming: Greenland is a temptress.
January 14, 2026 at 6:11 AM
The NYT hits us with good old victim blaming: Greenland is a temptress.
Thanks Michal - looking forward to reading!
January 14, 2026 at 5:59 AM
Thanks Michal - looking forward to reading!
A quiet joy of academic work: opening your inbox to abstracts from scholars you deeply admire, for an edited volume you can’t wait to read.
January 12, 2026 at 9:46 AM
A quiet joy of academic work: opening your inbox to abstracts from scholars you deeply admire, for an edited volume you can’t wait to read.
Winter run - without slipping 😊
January 11, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Winter run - without slipping 😊
My books are currently on sale from Routledge.
Post-Truth, Fake News and Democracy (2nd ed., 2023)
www.routledge.com/Post-Truth-F...
Digital Media Metaphors (2024)
www.routledge.com/Digital-Medi...
Post-Truth, Fake News and Democracy (2nd ed., 2023)
www.routledge.com/Post-Truth-F...
Digital Media Metaphors (2024)
www.routledge.com/Digital-Medi...
January 7, 2026 at 7:13 PM
My books are currently on sale from Routledge.
Post-Truth, Fake News and Democracy (2nd ed., 2023)
www.routledge.com/Post-Truth-F...
Digital Media Metaphors (2024)
www.routledge.com/Digital-Medi...
Post-Truth, Fake News and Democracy (2nd ed., 2023)
www.routledge.com/Post-Truth-F...
Digital Media Metaphors (2024)
www.routledge.com/Digital-Medi...
What journalistic failure looks like
January 4, 2026 at 7:55 AM
What journalistic failure looks like
Reposted by Johan Farkas
Our major media orgs--even during the best of times when they're merely profit-driven outlets and not ideological mouthpieces and playthings of right-wing oligarchs--primarily serve the role of status quo managers. They rationalize & normalize elite actions & interests. They rarely defend democracy.
absolutely bizarre to see a violent, rogue american regime, which is threatening military attacks on a bunch of major trading partners and close allies, and openly fantasizing about hitler-style wars of territorial conquest, covered in the tone of horse-race political commentary
January 4, 2026 at 3:38 AM
Our major media orgs--even during the best of times when they're merely profit-driven outlets and not ideological mouthpieces and playthings of right-wing oligarchs--primarily serve the role of status quo managers. They rationalize & normalize elite actions & interests. They rarely defend democracy.
Reposted by Johan Farkas
Blows my mind that some of the same journalists who see Trump as a want-to-be dictator at home are earnestly discussing the "challenges" for this same man to "bring democracy" to a country it just illegal invaded. Please grow up.
January 3, 2026 at 6:16 PM
Blows my mind that some of the same journalists who see Trump as a want-to-be dictator at home are earnestly discussing the "challenges" for this same man to "bring democracy" to a country it just illegal invaded. Please grow up.
This needs to be the news headline.
Trump: "We're going to have our very large United States oil companies go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country. And we are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so."
January 3, 2026 at 5:10 PM
This needs to be the news headline.
Records:
1) Remember My Song by Labi Siffre (1975)
2) Odyssey by Nubya Garcia (2024)
3) Dub Landing by Scientist (1981)
4) You Go to The Middle of Nothing by Duval Timothy (2025)
5) Lady of the Lake by Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman (2024)
1) Remember My Song by Labi Siffre (1975)
2) Odyssey by Nubya Garcia (2024)
3) Dub Landing by Scientist (1981)
4) You Go to The Middle of Nothing by Duval Timothy (2025)
5) Lady of the Lake by Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman (2024)
December 27, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Records:
1) Remember My Song by Labi Siffre (1975)
2) Odyssey by Nubya Garcia (2024)
3) Dub Landing by Scientist (1981)
4) You Go to The Middle of Nothing by Duval Timothy (2025)
5) Lady of the Lake by Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman (2024)
1) Remember My Song by Labi Siffre (1975)
2) Odyssey by Nubya Garcia (2024)
3) Dub Landing by Scientist (1981)
4) You Go to The Middle of Nothing by Duval Timothy (2025)
5) Lady of the Lake by Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman (2024)
Five books and five records that inspired me in 2025:
Books:
1) American Technological Sublime by David E. Nye (1994)
2) The Great Transformation
by Karl Polanyi (1944)
3) Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (2025)
4) Essential Essays by Stuart Hall (2019)
5) The Code by Margaret O'Mara (2019)
Books:
1) American Technological Sublime by David E. Nye (1994)
2) The Great Transformation
by Karl Polanyi (1944)
3) Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (2025)
4) Essential Essays by Stuart Hall (2019)
5) The Code by Margaret O'Mara (2019)
December 27, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Five books and five records that inspired me in 2025:
Books:
1) American Technological Sublime by David E. Nye (1994)
2) The Great Transformation
by Karl Polanyi (1944)
3) Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (2025)
4) Essential Essays by Stuart Hall (2019)
5) The Code by Margaret O'Mara (2019)
Books:
1) American Technological Sublime by David E. Nye (1994)
2) The Great Transformation
by Karl Polanyi (1944)
3) Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (2025)
4) Essential Essays by Stuart Hall (2019)
5) The Code by Margaret O'Mara (2019)
Reposted by Johan Farkas
New essay out that draws from my current book project (might be paywalled – I will post a gift link soon). academic.oup.com/ccc/article-...
Eroding the market’s hidden hand: toward a Post-Capitalist media system
Abstract. Media-related problems facing democratic societies around the world today often stem from various kinds of market failures and structural limitat
academic.oup.com
December 26, 2025 at 6:19 PM
New essay out that draws from my current book project (might be paywalled – I will post a gift link soon). academic.oup.com/ccc/article-...
Reposted by Johan Farkas
In the news business, we call this a “puff piece.” It’s about the Ellisons, an “intriguing partnership,” according to the NY Times, which seems more impressed by people’s bank accounts than anything else. The Ellisons are buying up media to prop up a dictator. That’s the news. 1/4 🧵
A Father, a Son and Their $108 Billion Push for Media Moguldom
www.nytimes.com
December 24, 2025 at 1:27 PM
In the news business, we call this a “puff piece.” It’s about the Ellisons, an “intriguing partnership,” according to the NY Times, which seems more impressed by people’s bank accounts than anything else. The Ellisons are buying up media to prop up a dictator. That’s the news. 1/4 🧵
Here is the article:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
A Father, a Son and Their $108 Billion Push for Media Moguldom
www.nytimes.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Here is the article:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
NYT describing a state-backed authoritarian-aligned media takeover, which could soon "range from CNN to Warner Bros. to TikTok" as an "intriguing partnership" 😶
December 26, 2025 at 4:29 PM
NYT describing a state-backed authoritarian-aligned media takeover, which could soon "range from CNN to Warner Bros. to TikTok" as an "intriguing partnership" 😶
Stuart Hall on teaching 💛
“Let me put it this way: you have to be sure about a position in order to teach a class, but you have to be open-ended enough to know that you are going to change your mind by the time you teach it next week” (Hall, Essential Essays vol. 1, p. 245)
“Let me put it this way: you have to be sure about a position in order to teach a class, but you have to be open-ended enough to know that you are going to change your mind by the time you teach it next week” (Hall, Essential Essays vol. 1, p. 245)
December 15, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Stuart Hall on teaching 💛
“Let me put it this way: you have to be sure about a position in order to teach a class, but you have to be open-ended enough to know that you are going to change your mind by the time you teach it next week” (Hall, Essential Essays vol. 1, p. 245)
“Let me put it this way: you have to be sure about a position in order to teach a class, but you have to be open-ended enough to know that you are going to change your mind by the time you teach it next week” (Hall, Essential Essays vol. 1, p. 245)