This nicely reinforces findings from our recent @pnas.org piece in which we argue “that industry players like Meta make significant investments into long-term research streams … to absolve their platforms of responsibility for adverse effects on society or individuals.”

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

In @pnas.org, we outline current challenges #scicomm research faces, incl. social media having all the power over data and issues that come with that. @dietram.bsky.social

Press release: attheu.utah.edu/science-tech...
Paper: doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
@uofuhumanities.bsky.social

ONLINE FIRST & OPEN ACCESS! How did perceptions of elite manipulation influence resistance to COVID-19 reporting and the spread of misinformation? This study by Stubenvoll, @freiling.bsky.social and Matthes examines how audiences in Austria resisted news evidence.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

I'm still in need of reviewers. If you can, please sign up :)

Please consider helping the Comm Theory and Methodology division by signing up as a reviewer for #AEJMC25! We need you :) To sign up, please
(1) fill out this survey: tinyurl.com/aejmc25-ctm and
(2) create an account on AllAcademic: convention2.allacademic.com/one/aejmc/ae...

This week, University of Utah Assistant Professor @freiling.bsky.social will be presenting on "Generative AI, Social Media Algorithms, & Misinformation" at LSC's #scicomm Colloquium.

Join us in person or follow along on X at #UWLSC700

Learn more at: lsc.wisc.edu/2025/01/17/l...

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events tied to SCI and its One-U Responsible AI Initiative! Visit rai.utah.edu/events for details.

@parasharmanish.bsky.social @katakeith.bsky.social @anamarasovic.bsky.social @freiling.bsky.social

💯 -- we discuss issues this creates for #scicomm in our forthcoming PNAS piece. Pre-publication version is accessible here: osf.io/preprints/so...
@dietram.bsky.social

My department at the University of Utah is hiring a teaching position (3/3 load; no research expectations) in strategic communication. Great department and SLC is an underrated place to live. I'm on the search committee and am happy to answer questions. Info here: careers.icahdq.org/jobs/view/as...

Socioeconomic status positively predicted factual science knowledge among White, Black, and Hispanic Americans, "but was only positively associated with perceived knowledge among White respondents." (🧵) #scicomm
doi.org/10.1080/1520...

"Settling for circumstances in which researchers are unable to provide the scientific community and its institutions a reliable evidence base to drive effective science communication strategies in modern information environments is simply not an option."

"[W]e need [good faith collaboration] across industry and academia, if we hope to resolve issues of data control, COIs, and transparency that currently hinder the emergence of transparent research and robust scientific consensus."

Our inability to reliably study algorithmic info ecosystems, and why it matters for #scicomm. Pre-publication version of our forthcoming PNAS piece led by Nicky Krause and Isabelle Freiling : osf.io/preprints/so... (a 🧵)

"[Any approach] that dismisses rather than speaks to the concerns that have driven so many Americans away from the expert establishment and toward a figure such as Mr. Kennedy will surely fail."

#scicomm #scipol

Thinking about going to #gradschool and interested in science communication and #AI? I am looking to fund a grad student to work with me on that next year. Apply to our program here (DL: Dec 1): communication.utah.edu/graduate/ind...
#scicomm

Social media users are significantly more likely than non-users to say that social media has benefitted democracy in their country. In every country surveyed, there is a difference of at least 10 points between users and non-users on this question. pewrsr.ch/3wmCmqe

"Assuming passions are immutable and essential—rather than something to cultivate and build—can cause people to be less open to different topics ... and less creative when problem-solving."

Probably one of the best pieces of advice for new grad students ...