Laura Kurek
@lkurek.bsky.social
PhD @ UMich School of Information • researching information manipulation online - particularly on wikipedia, rumble, + tiktok • https://laurakurek.github.io/
At #CSCW2025 in Bergen this week 🇳🇴
I’ll be presenting our paper: "Wikipedia in Wartime - Experiences of Wikipedians Maintaining Articles About the Russia-Ukraine War."
📆 Wed, 22 Oct | 2:30 PM, CET: Combating Misinformation in Elections and Around the World
🌐 If you're here, let's connect
I’ll be presenting our paper: "Wikipedia in Wartime - Experiences of Wikipedians Maintaining Articles About the Russia-Ukraine War."
📆 Wed, 22 Oct | 2:30 PM, CET: Combating Misinformation in Elections and Around the World
🌐 If you're here, let's connect
October 20, 2025 at 1:17 PM
At #CSCW2025 in Bergen this week 🇳🇴
I’ll be presenting our paper: "Wikipedia in Wartime - Experiences of Wikipedians Maintaining Articles About the Russia-Ukraine War."
📆 Wed, 22 Oct | 2:30 PM, CET: Combating Misinformation in Elections and Around the World
🌐 If you're here, let's connect
I’ll be presenting our paper: "Wikipedia in Wartime - Experiences of Wikipedians Maintaining Articles About the Russia-Ukraine War."
📆 Wed, 22 Oct | 2:30 PM, CET: Combating Misinformation in Elections and Around the World
🌐 If you're here, let's connect
Reposted by Laura Kurek
More new members to welcome to our #CSCW2025 Starter Pack! Can't wait to see many of you in-person soon in Bergen. 🇳🇴
@cyberlyra.bsky.social
@lkurek.bsky.social
@mara-ulloa.bsky.social
@muitanprasert.bsky.social
🔥 go.bsky.app/SPumuMT 🔥
@cyberlyra.bsky.social
@lkurek.bsky.social
@mara-ulloa.bsky.social
@muitanprasert.bsky.social
🔥 go.bsky.app/SPumuMT 🔥
October 13, 2025 at 10:23 PM
More new members to welcome to our #CSCW2025 Starter Pack! Can't wait to see many of you in-person soon in Bergen. 🇳🇴
@cyberlyra.bsky.social
@lkurek.bsky.social
@mara-ulloa.bsky.social
@muitanprasert.bsky.social
🔥 go.bsky.app/SPumuMT 🔥
@cyberlyra.bsky.social
@lkurek.bsky.social
@mara-ulloa.bsky.social
@muitanprasert.bsky.social
🔥 go.bsky.app/SPumuMT 🔥
Reposted by Laura Kurek
A gentle reminder that Wikipedia is a global treasure and that if you dislike what you see on there the door is open to you to contribute to the community.
Radical transparency and cooperation is how Wikipedia works:
medium.com/freely-shari...
Radical transparency and cooperation is how Wikipedia works:
medium.com/freely-shari...
Keeping information reliable in the digital age: Lessons from Wikipedia
A new series explores how Wikipedia can inspire new standards of knowledge integrity for our times
medium.com
October 3, 2025 at 3:31 PM
A gentle reminder that Wikipedia is a global treasure and that if you dislike what you see on there the door is open to you to contribute to the community.
Radical transparency and cooperation is how Wikipedia works:
medium.com/freely-shari...
Radical transparency and cooperation is how Wikipedia works:
medium.com/freely-shari...
Reposted by Laura Kurek
Does your work explore mis/disinformation, scams, hate speech, or other forms of harmful information online?
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome short submissions, due August 8th.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome short submissions, due August 8th.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
August 2, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Does your work explore mis/disinformation, scams, hate speech, or other forms of harmful information online?
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome short submissions, due August 8th.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome short submissions, due August 8th.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
-- Deadline extended to August 8th! --
Does your work explore mis/disinformation, scams, hate speech, or other forms of harmful information online?
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome 2-6 page submissions, due August 1.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome 2-6 page submissions, due August 1.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
August 5, 2025 at 4:39 PM
-- Deadline extended to August 8th! --
Does your work explore mis/disinformation, scams, hate speech, or other forms of harmful information online?
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome 2-6 page submissions, due August 1.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome 2-6 page submissions, due August 1.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
June 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Does your work explore mis/disinformation, scams, hate speech, or other forms of harmful information online?
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome 2-6 page submissions, due August 1.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome 2-6 page submissions, due August 1.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
Reposted by Laura Kurek
📣 Super excited to organize the first workshop on ✨NLP for Democracy✨ at COLM @colmweb.org!!
Check out our website: sites.google.com/andrew.cmu.e...
Call for submissions (extended abstracts) due June 19, 11:59pm AoE
#COLM2025 #LLMs #NLP #NLProc #ComputationalSocialScience
Check out our website: sites.google.com/andrew.cmu.e...
Call for submissions (extended abstracts) due June 19, 11:59pm AoE
#COLM2025 #LLMs #NLP #NLProc #ComputationalSocialScience
NLP 4 Democracy - COLM 2025
sites.google.com
May 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
📣 Super excited to organize the first workshop on ✨NLP for Democracy✨ at COLM @colmweb.org!!
Check out our website: sites.google.com/andrew.cmu.e...
Call for submissions (extended abstracts) due June 19, 11:59pm AoE
#COLM2025 #LLMs #NLP #NLProc #ComputationalSocialScience
Check out our website: sites.google.com/andrew.cmu.e...
Call for submissions (extended abstracts) due June 19, 11:59pm AoE
#COLM2025 #LLMs #NLP #NLProc #ComputationalSocialScience
Reposted by Laura Kurek
My latest: Generative AI is enabling a brute force attack against the algorithms that control reality. AI slop is taking over every algorithmically controlled social media platform and search platform, and the tech platforms are helping:
www.404media.co/ai-slop-is-a...
www.404media.co/ai-slop-is-a...
AI Slop Is a Brute Force Attack on the Algorithms That Control Reality
Generative AI spammers are brute forcing the internet, and it is working.
www.404media.co
March 17, 2025 at 3:22 PM
My latest: Generative AI is enabling a brute force attack against the algorithms that control reality. AI slop is taking over every algorithmically controlled social media platform and search platform, and the tech platforms are helping:
www.404media.co/ai-slop-is-a...
www.404media.co/ai-slop-is-a...
Reposted by Laura Kurek
President Trump’s new EO claiming complete control over all federal independent agencies undermines over a century of law & the U.S. Constitution. This move subverts the very purpose of independent agencies, which is to operate as experts on specific topics w/o being subject to politics.
With New Executive Order, President Trump Claims Unprecedented, Unconstitutional Power Over Independent Agencies
(WASHINGTON) — Late yesterday, President Trump released a fact sheet on “rein[ing] in independent agencies” and an executive order claiming complete control over nearly all federal independent agencie...
cdt.org
February 19, 2025 at 7:06 PM
President Trump’s new EO claiming complete control over all federal independent agencies undermines over a century of law & the U.S. Constitution. This move subverts the very purpose of independent agencies, which is to operate as experts on specific topics w/o being subject to politics.
Reposted by Laura Kurek
Having been the focus of false allegations used to motivate some of this "censorship" narrative, I'll say this: My colleagues & I will continue to use our free speech to study and report on how social media platforms facilitate the spread of falsehoods & are manipulated for political/financial gain.
Meaningless and (unsurprisingly) cynical. Federal employees are already prohibited from violating the First Amendment. Trump wants the free speech points while preserving his administration's ability to jawbone media, platforms, etc. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Restoring Freedom Of Speech And Ending Federal Censorship – The White House
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and section 301 of title 3, United
www.whitehouse.gov
January 21, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Having been the focus of false allegations used to motivate some of this "censorship" narrative, I'll say this: My colleagues & I will continue to use our free speech to study and report on how social media platforms facilitate the spread of falsehoods & are manipulated for political/financial gain.
Reposted by Laura Kurek
A great breakdown of how Whatsapp + Signal work and why the latter is the way to go for privacy
December 14, 2024 at 9:00 PM
A great breakdown of how Whatsapp + Signal work and why the latter is the way to go for privacy
Reposted by Laura Kurek
A State Department unit aimed at tracking foreign disinfo campaigns and terrorist groups faces shutdown in two weeks amid largely unsubstantiated GOP accusations that it has played a role in censoring conservative views. My newsletter today:
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Analysis | State Dept. disinfo unit faces shutdown amid GOP’s war on censorship
The Global Engagement Center said in a legal filing that Congress probably won’t reauthorize it.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 11, 2024 at 3:11 PM
A State Department unit aimed at tracking foreign disinfo campaigns and terrorist groups faces shutdown in two weeks amid largely unsubstantiated GOP accusations that it has played a role in censoring conservative views. My newsletter today:
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Laura Kurek
I’m super excited to announce I'm part of an amazing team (<3 @williambrady.bsky.social @killianmcloughlin.bsky.social @mjcrockett.bsky.social) that just published a paper in @science.org on the role of outrage in spread of misinformation
Link here:
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Summary in🧵🔽
1/
Link here:
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Summary in🧵🔽
1/
November 29, 2024 at 10:06 AM
I’m super excited to announce I'm part of an amazing team (<3 @williambrady.bsky.social @killianmcloughlin.bsky.social @mjcrockett.bsky.social) that just published a paper in @science.org on the role of outrage in spread of misinformation
Link here:
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Summary in🧵🔽
1/
Link here:
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Summary in🧵🔽
1/
10/10 recommend an internship with @cendemtech.bsky.social. Incredibly smart and caring people trying to make tech better
📢 Intern at DC’s Top Tech Policy organization! The application period for CDT’s Summer 2025 Internship Program is now open. 🌐 Work on cutting-edge issues like AI, privacy & equity OR help amplify our impact through strategic comms & fundraising. cdt.org/careers/
Careers
Do the possibilities presented by an innovative, open, and free internet inspire you? Do you find yourself engaged in passionate discussions about privacy policies? If so, you might be a great fit for our team.
cdt.org
November 26, 2024 at 10:11 PM
10/10 recommend an internship with @cendemtech.bsky.social. Incredibly smart and caring people trying to make tech better
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Claude: I’m not able to provide accurate, real time information on cups. Please visit your local cup authority for up-to-date, nonpartisan guidance.
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Claude: I’m not able to provide accurate, real time information on cups. Please visit your local cup authority for up-to-date, nonpartisan guidance.
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
STS researcher: The cup is an affordance
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
STS researcher: The cup is an affordance
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Cosmologist: The cup is dusty or full of gravitational waves
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Cosmologist: The cup is dusty or full of gravitational waves
November 24, 2024 at 9:13 PM
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Claude: I’m not able to provide accurate, real time information on cups. Please visit your local cup authority for up-to-date, nonpartisan guidance.
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Claude: I’m not able to provide accurate, real time information on cups. Please visit your local cup authority for up-to-date, nonpartisan guidance.
Reposted by Laura Kurek
Wondering how to use Bluesky feeds, blocklists, and filters? Are you worried that Bluesky will inevitably turn evil? Are you wondering what the Alf thing is about, but are too afraid to ask?
I try to answer your questions here:
little-flying-robots.ghost.io/the-great-bl...
I try to answer your questions here:
little-flying-robots.ghost.io/the-great-bl...
The Great Bluesky Migration: I Answer (Some) Of Your Questions
For the last year and a half, us Bluesky users have frequently reminded one another that we are merely posters on a niche microblogging website.
It's intended as a warning about hubris. A protective ...
little-flying-robots.ghost.io
November 21, 2024 at 8:06 PM
Wondering how to use Bluesky feeds, blocklists, and filters? Are you worried that Bluesky will inevitably turn evil? Are you wondering what the Alf thing is about, but are too afraid to ask?
I try to answer your questions here:
little-flying-robots.ghost.io/the-great-bl...
I try to answer your questions here:
little-flying-robots.ghost.io/the-great-bl...
Reposted by Laura Kurek
📣 I am recruiting 1-2 PhD students for Fall 2025 at the University of Maryland College of Information.
Consider applying if you're interested in language, society/politics, and computers!
Deadline Dec 3: ischool.umd.edu/academics/ph...
And pls share with anyone who may be interested!
Consider applying if you're interested in language, society/politics, and computers!
Deadline Dec 3: ischool.umd.edu/academics/ph...
And pls share with anyone who may be interested!
Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies (PhD) - College of Information (INFO)
This doctoral program prepares students to address the hardest social and technical problems of today and tomorrow.
ischool.umd.edu
October 29, 2024 at 5:05 PM
📣 I am recruiting 1-2 PhD students for Fall 2025 at the University of Maryland College of Information.
Consider applying if you're interested in language, society/politics, and computers!
Deadline Dec 3: ischool.umd.edu/academics/ph...
And pls share with anyone who may be interested!
Consider applying if you're interested in language, society/politics, and computers!
Deadline Dec 3: ischool.umd.edu/academics/ph...
And pls share with anyone who may be interested!
Reposted by Laura Kurek
Last year at the Institute for Advanced Study, I had the great pleasure of convening an amazing group of multidisciplinary scholars on the topic of the platform in society. One of our collective efforts was "5 Theses on the Gravity of Platforms" www.ias.edu/stsv-lab/fiv...
November 23, 2024 at 1:16 PM
Last year at the Institute for Advanced Study, I had the great pleasure of convening an amazing group of multidisciplinary scholars on the topic of the platform in society. One of our collective efforts was "5 Theses on the Gravity of Platforms" www.ias.edu/stsv-lab/fiv...
Reposted by Laura Kurek
Our piece focus in perceptions of humanness of social media content. We use pair-wise models to compare platform and AI-generated content. We find:
- humans can in general separate real platform from AI content
- human rely on emotional cues to identify AI vs Human content
- humans can in general separate real platform from AI content
- human rely on emotional cues to identify AI vs Human content
What an amazing collection, and an enormous undertaking to get all of these edited and published just days after the election. Kudos to the editorial team!
November 19, 2024 at 5:15 PM
Our piece focus in perceptions of humanness of social media content. We use pair-wise models to compare platform and AI-generated content. We find:
- humans can in general separate real platform from AI content
- human rely on emotional cues to identify AI vs Human content
- humans can in general separate real platform from AI content
- human rely on emotional cues to identify AI vs Human content
Reposted by Laura Kurek
Last week, we organized a CCC/CRA visioning workshop on "The Future of Research on Social Technologies." It was all discussion, no panels.
CRA paid for a graphic recorder too, (!) who drew meeting topics and highlights in real time on giant pieces of paper, and now I want one all the time.
CRA paid for a graphic recorder too, (!) who drew meeting topics and highlights in real time on giant pieces of paper, and now I want one all the time.
November 8, 2023 at 5:50 PM
Last week, we organized a CCC/CRA visioning workshop on "The Future of Research on Social Technologies." It was all discussion, no panels.
CRA paid for a graphic recorder too, (!) who drew meeting topics and highlights in real time on giant pieces of paper, and now I want one all the time.
CRA paid for a graphic recorder too, (!) who drew meeting topics and highlights in real time on giant pieces of paper, and now I want one all the time.