David Lazer
@davidlazer.bsky.social
computational social scientist
A few quick thoughts from CHIP50 surveys during the NJ and VA gubernatorial elections. TLDR, Republicans lost A LOT of support among less affluent 2024 Trump voters, via demobilization and conversion.
www.chip50.org/blog/big-shi...
www.chip50.org/blog/big-shi...
Big shifts among less affluent Trump voters away from Republicans in 2025 gubernatorial elections
www.chip50.org
November 11, 2025 at 1:11 PM
A few quick thoughts from CHIP50 surveys during the NJ and VA gubernatorial elections. TLDR, Republicans lost A LOT of support among less affluent 2024 Trump voters, via demobilization and conversion.
www.chip50.org/blog/big-shi...
www.chip50.org/blog/big-shi...
Reposted by David Lazer
*Women receive substantially lower "potential" ratings despite receiving higher performance ratings
*Differences in potential ratings account for half of the gender promotion gap
*Women’s lower potential ratings do not reflect future performance: women subsequently outperform male colleagues
*Differences in potential ratings account for half of the gender promotion gap
*Women’s lower potential ratings do not reflect future performance: women subsequently outperform male colleagues
Forthcoming in the AER: "“Potential” and the Gender Promotion Gap" by Alan Benson, Danielle Li, and Kelly Shue. www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
“Potential” and the Gender Promotion Gap
(Forthcoming Article) - We show that subjective assessments of employee “potential” contribute to gender gaps
in promotion and pay. Using data on 29,809 management-track employees from a
large retail ...
www.aeaweb.org
November 10, 2025 at 2:54 PM
*Women receive substantially lower "potential" ratings despite receiving higher performance ratings
*Differences in potential ratings account for half of the gender promotion gap
*Women’s lower potential ratings do not reflect future performance: women subsequently outperform male colleagues
*Differences in potential ratings account for half of the gender promotion gap
*Women’s lower potential ratings do not reflect future performance: women subsequently outperform male colleagues
Reposted by David Lazer
Last week’s elections show how central social media has become to campaigns with politicians on nearly every platform. But as Josephine Lukito and Kaitlyn Dowling explain, we know less and less about them, because access to this data is shrinking.
There is More Online Election Discourse than Ever, But Researchers See Less | TechPolicy.Press
Josephine Lukito and Kaitlyn Dowling explore why public social media data is vital for transparent elections and accountability in the digital campaign era.
www.techpolicy.press
November 9, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Last week’s elections show how central social media has become to campaigns with politicians on nearly every platform. But as Josephine Lukito and Kaitlyn Dowling explain, we know less and less about them, because access to this data is shrinking.
Reposted by David Lazer
LAST CALL! #Sociology Professorships in Copenhagen, Denmark!
We're hiring 2+ open-rank profs (Asst/Assoc/Full). Any area.
Deadline: this Saturday, Nov 15!
Join a leading European sociology department. Please repost!
jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabeli...
We're hiring 2+ open-rank profs (Asst/Assoc/Full). Any area.
Deadline: this Saturday, Nov 15!
Join a leading European sociology department. Please repost!
jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabeli...
Call for two or more open-rank academic positions in Sociology
jobportal.ku.dk
November 9, 2025 at 8:08 AM
LAST CALL! #Sociology Professorships in Copenhagen, Denmark!
We're hiring 2+ open-rank profs (Asst/Assoc/Full). Any area.
Deadline: this Saturday, Nov 15!
Join a leading European sociology department. Please repost!
jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabeli...
We're hiring 2+ open-rank profs (Asst/Assoc/Full). Any area.
Deadline: this Saturday, Nov 15!
Join a leading European sociology department. Please repost!
jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabeli...
Reposted by David Lazer
🧵 Important work from @epic.org examining a critical governance gap after DOGE. The 2007 Data Mining Reporting Act was meant to ensure oversight of surveillance tech. But agencies treat it as optional, undermining the institutional checks needed to constrain govt power. epic.org/data-mining-...
Closing the Data Mines: Repairing Oversight, Preserving Rights
epic.org
November 8, 2025 at 6:38 PM
🧵 Important work from @epic.org examining a critical governance gap after DOGE. The 2007 Data Mining Reporting Act was meant to ensure oversight of surveillance tech. But agencies treat it as optional, undermining the institutional checks needed to constrain govt power. epic.org/data-mining-...
Reposted by David Lazer
8 high level positions at NIH posted including 6 institute director positions (NIMH, NIGMS, NICHD, NIDCR, NHGRI, NLM).
Only open for 2 weeks (applications due November 21).
Application materials include a) CV b) vision statement c) a photocopy of doctoral degree.
hr.nih.gov/careers/open...
Only open for 2 weeks (applications due November 21).
Application materials include a) CV b) vision statement c) a photocopy of doctoral degree.
hr.nih.gov/careers/open...
hr.nih.gov
November 7, 2025 at 10:20 PM
8 high level positions at NIH posted including 6 institute director positions (NIMH, NIGMS, NICHD, NIDCR, NHGRI, NLM).
Only open for 2 weeks (applications due November 21).
Application materials include a) CV b) vision statement c) a photocopy of doctoral degree.
hr.nih.gov/careers/open...
Only open for 2 weeks (applications due November 21).
Application materials include a) CV b) vision statement c) a photocopy of doctoral degree.
hr.nih.gov/careers/open...
Reposted by David Lazer
Something deeply fucked up when you can blindly break basic state functions and condemn millions to death and then people make you the richest man in the world instead of a pariah
November 7, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Something deeply fucked up when you can blindly break basic state functions and condemn millions to death and then people make you the richest man in the world instead of a pariah
Reposted by David Lazer
Now Open! APSA invites proposals for the #APSA2026 Annual Meeting & Exhibition, September 3–6, exploring the conference theme, “Democracy Under Threat: How to Understand, Protect & Rebuild.”
Deadline: January 14, 2026
Submit now! buff.ly/PRvg2Wq
Deadline: January 14, 2026
Submit now! buff.ly/PRvg2Wq
APSA Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2026
September 3-6, 2026 | Boston, MA
buff.ly
October 27, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Now Open! APSA invites proposals for the #APSA2026 Annual Meeting & Exhibition, September 3–6, exploring the conference theme, “Democracy Under Threat: How to Understand, Protect & Rebuild.”
Deadline: January 14, 2026
Submit now! buff.ly/PRvg2Wq
Deadline: January 14, 2026
Submit now! buff.ly/PRvg2Wq
Reposted by David Lazer
Important piece by @leedrutman.bsky.social on Jared Golden's decision not to run again and how it signals the need for systemic reforms to address the two party "doom loop."
November 7, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Important piece by @leedrutman.bsky.social on Jared Golden's decision not to run again and how it signals the need for systemic reforms to address the two party "doom loop."
Reposted by David Lazer
If you only read one thing today - a Q&A with Patricia Kingori, a remarkable scholar who uncovered a remarkable story about a huge ‘fake essay industry’.
🧪 #academicSky
@nature.com @ox.ac.uk
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
🧪 #academicSky
@nature.com @ox.ac.uk
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Shadow scholars: inside Kenya’s multibillion-dollar fake-essay industry
Sociologist Patricia Kingori is helping to expose contract cheating by scholars in high-income countries.
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:37 AM
If you only read one thing today - a Q&A with Patricia Kingori, a remarkable scholar who uncovered a remarkable story about a huge ‘fake essay industry’.
🧪 #academicSky
@nature.com @ox.ac.uk
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
🧪 #academicSky
@nature.com @ox.ac.uk
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by David Lazer
Reposted by David Lazer
Computation+Journalism 2025 is a month away (December 11-12); we're finishing the last details of the symposium: cplusj2025.com Here's the full agenda: cplusj2025.com/agenda/ Join us! You can register here ($150 for professionals, $30 for students): events.miami.edu/event/cplusj...
November 6, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Computation+Journalism 2025 is a month away (December 11-12); we're finishing the last details of the symposium: cplusj2025.com Here's the full agenda: cplusj2025.com/agenda/ Join us! You can register here ($150 for professionals, $30 for students): events.miami.edu/event/cplusj...
Reposted by David Lazer
Should local officials in a democracy be allowed to sign NDAs?
How NDAs keep AI data center details hidden from Americans:
Big Tech companies use secrecy agreements with local governments to keep communities from knowing who is building in their backyards.
www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...
Big Tech companies use secrecy agreements with local governments to keep communities from knowing who is building in their backyards.
www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...
How Big Tech uses NDAs to hide AI data center details from Americans
Big Tech companies use secrecy agreements with local governments to keep communities from knowing who is building in their backyards.
www.nbcnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Should local officials in a democracy be allowed to sign NDAs?
Reposted by David Lazer
Ok, just wow. If the content of this article is right, this is depressing. We're slowly reaching the point where ~100% of what I was taught in Social Psych was either innocently wrong or plainly frauded
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Debunking “When Prophecy Fails”
In 1954, Dorothy Martin predicted an apocalyptic flood and promised her followers rescue by flying saucers. When neither arrived, she recanted, her group dissolved, and efforts to proselytize ceased....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Ok, just wow. If the content of this article is right, this is depressing. We're slowly reaching the point where ~100% of what I was taught in Social Psych was either innocently wrong or plainly frauded
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by David Lazer
NJ's bluest counties saw biggest turnout increases, propelling landslide
Three densest counties saw largest jumps from '21:
Hudson (Jersey City), Essex (Newark), Union
>30% increase in total vote
>30-pt Democratic margin
High-profile local races helped, e.g., Jersey City mayoral w/ former gov
1/2
Three densest counties saw largest jumps from '21:
Hudson (Jersey City), Essex (Newark), Union
>30% increase in total vote
>30-pt Democratic margin
High-profile local races helped, e.g., Jersey City mayoral w/ former gov
1/2
November 6, 2025 at 1:06 AM
NJ's bluest counties saw biggest turnout increases, propelling landslide
Three densest counties saw largest jumps from '21:
Hudson (Jersey City), Essex (Newark), Union
>30% increase in total vote
>30-pt Democratic margin
High-profile local races helped, e.g., Jersey City mayoral w/ former gov
1/2
Three densest counties saw largest jumps from '21:
Hudson (Jersey City), Essex (Newark), Union
>30% increase in total vote
>30-pt Democratic margin
High-profile local races helped, e.g., Jersey City mayoral w/ former gov
1/2
Reposted by David Lazer
A new paper analyzes the “production-consumption gap” on social media, where a small subset of users produce most of the content, and considers its implications for the study of phenomena such as political polarization, and for the design of policy interventions. Prithvi Iyer considers the results:
What a New Study Reveals About the Production-Consumption Gap on Social Media | TechPolicy.Press
Prithvi Iyer considers new research on how online content reveals the tip of the iceberg, leading to incorrect inferences about online public opinion.
www.techpolicy.press
November 5, 2025 at 3:08 PM
A new paper analyzes the “production-consumption gap” on social media, where a small subset of users produce most of the content, and considers its implications for the study of phenomena such as political polarization, and for the design of policy interventions. Prithvi Iyer considers the results:
Reposted by David Lazer
hot off the (virtual) press in @transstudies.bsky.social: a collaboration with @pranavgoel.bsky.social, @crazybrokeasian.bsky.social, and @diesagar.bsky.social on information flows in US local & national news about transgender people (spoiler alert: it’s complicated)
doi.org/10.57814/557...
doi.org/10.57814/557...
Locating the Asymmetry in Information Flow between Local and National Media on Transgender Discourses - Bulletin of Applied Transgender Studies
Mainstream news outlets set the agenda and terms of discussion for
public discourse. As transgender people experience increasingly
vitriolic attacks on their fundamental rights in the US, understandin...
doi.org
November 4, 2025 at 8:05 PM
hot off the (virtual) press in @transstudies.bsky.social: a collaboration with @pranavgoel.bsky.social, @crazybrokeasian.bsky.social, and @diesagar.bsky.social on information flows in US local & national news about transgender people (spoiler alert: it’s complicated)
doi.org/10.57814/557...
doi.org/10.57814/557...
Reposted by David Lazer
Finally, we move beyond social media research and discuss potential consequences of the production-consumption gap, which results in a remarkable visibility gap, for public opinion more broadly.
October 30, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Finally, we move beyond social media research and discuss potential consequences of the production-consumption gap, which results in a remarkable visibility gap, for public opinion more broadly.
Reposted by David Lazer
We then discuss methodological challenges this production-consumption gap poses for us, social media researchers, and derive implications for sampling, study design and inference.
October 30, 2025 at 10:53 AM
We then discuss methodological challenges this production-consumption gap poses for us, social media researchers, and derive implications for sampling, study design and inference.
Reposted by David Lazer
One phenomenon that is remarkably consistent across platforms, time and contexts: most people lurk, read along, and never really post while a small minority is very active, and very visible — a.k.a. the production-consumption gap.
October 30, 2025 at 10:53 AM
One phenomenon that is remarkably consistent across platforms, time and contexts: most people lurk, read along, and never really post while a small minority is very active, and very visible — a.k.a. the production-consumption gap.
Reposted by David Lazer
Who people spend time with in physical space is more predictive of voting behavior than who they connect with online, according to a study. The study uses real-world colocation data derived from the Facebook app’s location services feature. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/PBTe50XhFcC
October 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Who people spend time with in physical space is more predictive of voting behavior than who they connect with online, according to a study. The study uses real-world colocation data derived from the Facebook app’s location services feature. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/PBTe50XhFcC
Reposted by David Lazer
Trump approval at low point with:
'24 non-voters (33%)
Independents (30%)
People of color (26%)
Economic outlook remains negative, with few expecting prices to decrease any time soon, and many saying Trump's policies making them worse off
More from latest poll: www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-new...
2/2
'24 non-voters (33%)
Independents (30%)
People of color (26%)
Economic outlook remains negative, with few expecting prices to decrease any time soon, and many saying Trump's policies making them worse off
More from latest poll: www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-new...
2/2
www.cbsnews.com
November 2, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Trump approval at low point with:
'24 non-voters (33%)
Independents (30%)
People of color (26%)
Economic outlook remains negative, with few expecting prices to decrease any time soon, and many saying Trump's policies making them worse off
More from latest poll: www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-new...
2/2
'24 non-voters (33%)
Independents (30%)
People of color (26%)
Economic outlook remains negative, with few expecting prices to decrease any time soon, and many saying Trump's policies making them worse off
More from latest poll: www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-new...
2/2
Reposted by David Lazer
The effort to end gerrymandering on a state-by-state basis has clearly failed, and it needs to be taken on by some future Congress, preferably by creating multi-member districts with list PR
November 1, 2025 at 1:36 PM
The effort to end gerrymandering on a state-by-state basis has clearly failed, and it needs to be taken on by some future Congress, preferably by creating multi-member districts with list PR
Reposted by David Lazer
Did you know that we allow child marriage in the US? We do, in 34 states, and four or five children are being married every day on average. I once met a Floridian married at 11 to her rapist. And California has no minimum age at all for marriage: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/o...
Opinion | Why Do We Allow Child Marriage in America?
www.nytimes.com
November 1, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Did you know that we allow child marriage in the US? We do, in 34 states, and four or five children are being married every day on average. I once met a Floridian married at 11 to her rapist. And California has no minimum age at all for marriage: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/o...
Reposted by David Lazer
Starting in 3 minutes - join us! ucla.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
October 30, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Starting in 3 minutes - join us! ucla.zoom.us/webinar/regi...