Petter Törnberg
@pettertornberg.com
Assistant Professor in Computational Social Science at University of Amsterdam
Studying the intersection of AI, social media, and politics.
Polarization, misinformation, radicalization, digital platforms, social complexity.
Studying the intersection of AI, social media, and politics.
Polarization, misinformation, radicalization, digital platforms, social complexity.
Meanwhile, climate researchers and activists are portrayed as emotional and irrational:
😢 Crying protesters
⚠️ Angry crowds
🚫 “Ideological fanatics”
The contrast is deliberate:
Climate denial looks calm and factual.
Climate action looks hysterical and extreme.
😢 Crying protesters
⚠️ Angry crowds
🚫 “Ideological fanatics”
The contrast is deliberate:
Climate denial looks calm and factual.
Climate action looks hysterical and extreme.
November 4, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Meanwhile, climate researchers and activists are portrayed as emotional and irrational:
😢 Crying protesters
⚠️ Angry crowds
🚫 “Ideological fanatics”
The contrast is deliberate:
Climate denial looks calm and factual.
Climate action looks hysterical and extreme.
😢 Crying protesters
⚠️ Angry crowds
🚫 “Ideological fanatics”
The contrast is deliberate:
Climate denial looks calm and factual.
Climate action looks hysterical and extreme.
Most people study what misinformation says.
We decided to study how it looks.
Using novel multi-modal AI methods, we study 17,848 posts by top climate denial accounts - and uncovered a new front in the misinformation war.
Here's what it means 🧵
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
We decided to study how it looks.
Using novel multi-modal AI methods, we study 17,848 posts by top climate denial accounts - and uncovered a new front in the misinformation war.
Here's what it means 🧵
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
November 4, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Most people study what misinformation says.
We decided to study how it looks.
Using novel multi-modal AI methods, we study 17,848 posts by top climate denial accounts - and uncovered a new front in the misinformation war.
Here's what it means 🧵
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
We decided to study how it looks.
Using novel multi-modal AI methods, we study 17,848 posts by top climate denial accounts - and uncovered a new front in the misinformation war.
Here's what it means 🧵
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Posting is correlated with affective polarization:
😡 The most partisan users — those who love their party and despise the other — are more likely to post about politics
🥊 The result? A loud angry minority dominates online politics, which itself can drive polarization (see doi.org/10.1073/pnas...)
😡 The most partisan users — those who love their party and despise the other — are more likely to post about politics
🥊 The result? A loud angry minority dominates online politics, which itself can drive polarization (see doi.org/10.1073/pnas...)
October 30, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Posting is correlated with affective polarization:
😡 The most partisan users — those who love their party and despise the other — are more likely to post about politics
🥊 The result? A loud angry minority dominates online politics, which itself can drive polarization (see doi.org/10.1073/pnas...)
😡 The most partisan users — those who love their party and despise the other — are more likely to post about politics
🥊 The result? A loud angry minority dominates online politics, which itself can drive polarization (see doi.org/10.1073/pnas...)
Twitter/X is a story on its own:
🔴 While users have become more Republican
💥 POSTING has completely transformed: it has moved nearly ❗50 percentage points❗ from Democrat-dominated to slightly Republican-leaning.
🔴 While users have become more Republican
💥 POSTING has completely transformed: it has moved nearly ❗50 percentage points❗ from Democrat-dominated to slightly Republican-leaning.
October 30, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Twitter/X is a story on its own:
🔴 While users have become more Republican
💥 POSTING has completely transformed: it has moved nearly ❗50 percentage points❗ from Democrat-dominated to slightly Republican-leaning.
🔴 While users have become more Republican
💥 POSTING has completely transformed: it has moved nearly ❗50 percentage points❗ from Democrat-dominated to slightly Republican-leaning.
Politically, the landscape is shifting too:
🔴 Nearly all platforms have become more Republican
🔵 But they remain Democratic-leaning overall
🏃♂️ Democrats are fleeing to smaller platforms (Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon)
🔴 Nearly all platforms have become more Republican
🔵 But they remain Democratic-leaning overall
🏃♂️ Democrats are fleeing to smaller platforms (Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon)
October 30, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Politically, the landscape is shifting too:
🔴 Nearly all platforms have become more Republican
🔵 But they remain Democratic-leaning overall
🏃♂️ Democrats are fleeing to smaller platforms (Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon)
🔴 Nearly all platforms have become more Republican
🔵 But they remain Democratic-leaning overall
🏃♂️ Democrats are fleeing to smaller platforms (Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon)
Overall social media use is declining.
Between 2020 and 2024, more Americans — especially the youngest (18–24) and oldest (65+) — report using no social media at all.
A small group of heavy users remains, but the middle is thinning out.
Between 2020 and 2024, more Americans — especially the youngest (18–24) and oldest (65+) — report using no social media at all.
A small group of heavy users remains, but the middle is thinning out.
October 30, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Overall social media use is declining.
Between 2020 and 2024, more Americans — especially the youngest (18–24) and oldest (65+) — report using no social media at all.
A small group of heavy users remains, but the middle is thinning out.
Between 2020 and 2024, more Americans — especially the youngest (18–24) and oldest (65+) — report using no social media at all.
A small group of heavy users remains, but the middle is thinning out.
Is social media dying? How much has Twitter changed as it became X? Which party now dominates the conversation?
Using nationally representative ANES data from 2020 & 2024, I map how the U.S. social media landscape has transformed.
Here are the key take-aways 🧵
arxiv.org/abs/2510.25417
Using nationally representative ANES data from 2020 & 2024, I map how the U.S. social media landscape has transformed.
Here are the key take-aways 🧵
arxiv.org/abs/2510.25417
October 30, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Is social media dying? How much has Twitter changed as it became X? Which party now dominates the conversation?
Using nationally representative ANES data from 2020 & 2024, I map how the U.S. social media landscape has transformed.
Here are the key take-aways 🧵
arxiv.org/abs/2510.25417
Using nationally representative ANES data from 2020 & 2024, I map how the U.S. social media landscape has transformed.
Here are the key take-aways 🧵
arxiv.org/abs/2510.25417
Who posts about politics on Facebook?
🔍 More affectively polarized voters post more - making our politics seem more polarized than it is (the infamous 'social media prism' @chrisbail.bsky.social)
📉 By 2024, political posting on Facebook dropped across the board — but especially among Democrats.
🔍 More affectively polarized voters post more - making our politics seem more polarized than it is (the infamous 'social media prism' @chrisbail.bsky.social)
📉 By 2024, political posting on Facebook dropped across the board — but especially among Democrats.
September 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Who posts about politics on Facebook?
🔍 More affectively polarized voters post more - making our politics seem more polarized than it is (the infamous 'social media prism' @chrisbail.bsky.social)
📉 By 2024, political posting on Facebook dropped across the board — but especially among Democrats.
🔍 More affectively polarized voters post more - making our politics seem more polarized than it is (the infamous 'social media prism' @chrisbail.bsky.social)
📉 By 2024, political posting on Facebook dropped across the board — but especially among Democrats.
Looking closer at the frequency of use, Facebook shifted right too.
From 2020 → 2024:
🔵 Strong Democrats use it less
🔴 Strong Republicans use it more
The platform’s core audience is now clearly more Republican.
From 2020 → 2024:
🔵 Strong Democrats use it less
🔴 Strong Republicans use it more
The platform’s core audience is now clearly more Republican.
September 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Looking closer at the frequency of use, Facebook shifted right too.
From 2020 → 2024:
🔵 Strong Democrats use it less
🔴 Strong Republicans use it more
The platform’s core audience is now clearly more Republican.
From 2020 → 2024:
🔵 Strong Democrats use it less
🔴 Strong Republicans use it more
The platform’s core audience is now clearly more Republican.
Overall platform reach, 2020 → 2024 👇
📱 Facebook & YouTube: still near-universal, little change.
📱 Instagram & TikTok: surged, especially among Dems.
📱 Twitter/X: flat or declining, biggest drop among Dems.
📱 Reddit: grew a lot on the left.
The partisan sorting shows up in who sticks around.
📱 Facebook & YouTube: still near-universal, little change.
📱 Instagram & TikTok: surged, especially among Dems.
📱 Twitter/X: flat or declining, biggest drop among Dems.
📱 Reddit: grew a lot on the left.
The partisan sorting shows up in who sticks around.
September 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Overall platform reach, 2020 → 2024 👇
📱 Facebook & YouTube: still near-universal, little change.
📱 Instagram & TikTok: surged, especially among Dems.
📱 Twitter/X: flat or declining, biggest drop among Dems.
📱 Reddit: grew a lot on the left.
The partisan sorting shows up in who sticks around.
📱 Facebook & YouTube: still near-universal, little change.
📱 Instagram & TikTok: surged, especially among Dems.
📱 Twitter/X: flat or declining, biggest drop among Dems.
📱 Reddit: grew a lot on the left.
The partisan sorting shows up in who sticks around.
Here’s the partisan lean of platform audiences, 2020 → 2024.
📊 Instagram, TikTok, Reddit stay solidly Dem.
📊 Facebook & YouTube: modestly rightward.
📊 Twitter/X: sharpest move right.
📊 “Other” (Threads, Bluesky, etc.): flipped hard from red to blue.
The sorting is unmistakable.
📊 Instagram, TikTok, Reddit stay solidly Dem.
📊 Facebook & YouTube: modestly rightward.
📊 Twitter/X: sharpest move right.
📊 “Other” (Threads, Bluesky, etc.): flipped hard from red to blue.
The sorting is unmistakable.
September 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Here’s the partisan lean of platform audiences, 2020 → 2024.
📊 Instagram, TikTok, Reddit stay solidly Dem.
📊 Facebook & YouTube: modestly rightward.
📊 Twitter/X: sharpest move right.
📊 “Other” (Threads, Bluesky, etc.): flipped hard from red to blue.
The sorting is unmistakable.
📊 Instagram, TikTok, Reddit stay solidly Dem.
📊 Facebook & YouTube: modestly rightward.
📊 Twitter/X: sharpest move right.
📊 “Other” (Threads, Bluesky, etc.): flipped hard from red to blue.
The sorting is unmistakable.
Looking at party affiliation, the partisan map hasn’t moved much outside of Twitter/X:
🔵 Instagram, TikTok, Reddit → firmly Democratic
⚪ Facebook, YouTube → still mixed
🔴 Twitter/X → the big flip
The social media ecosystem has become more sorted.
🔵 Instagram, TikTok, Reddit → firmly Democratic
⚪ Facebook, YouTube → still mixed
🔴 Twitter/X → the big flip
The social media ecosystem has become more sorted.
September 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Looking at party affiliation, the partisan map hasn’t moved much outside of Twitter/X:
🔵 Instagram, TikTok, Reddit → firmly Democratic
⚪ Facebook, YouTube → still mixed
🔴 Twitter/X → the big flip
The social media ecosystem has become more sorted.
🔵 Instagram, TikTok, Reddit → firmly Democratic
⚪ Facebook, YouTube → still mixed
🔴 Twitter/X → the big flip
The social media ecosystem has become more sorted.
Posting on Twitter tells the same story.
🔵 In 2020, posting on Twitter was correlated with being polarized Democrat.
🔴 By 2024, that gap reversed — Democrats pulled back, Republicans leaned in.
Political posting on Twitter/X is now correlated with being polarized Republican.
🔵 In 2020, posting on Twitter was correlated with being polarized Democrat.
🔴 By 2024, that gap reversed — Democrats pulled back, Republicans leaned in.
Political posting on Twitter/X is now correlated with being polarized Republican.
September 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Posting on Twitter tells the same story.
🔵 In 2020, posting on Twitter was correlated with being polarized Democrat.
🔴 By 2024, that gap reversed — Democrats pulled back, Republicans leaned in.
Political posting on Twitter/X is now correlated with being polarized Republican.
🔵 In 2020, posting on Twitter was correlated with being polarized Democrat.
🔴 By 2024, that gap reversed — Democrats pulled back, Republicans leaned in.
Political posting on Twitter/X is now correlated with being polarized Republican.
This is where it gets wild 👇
In 2020, Twitter use was highest among people who loved Democrats and disliked Republicans.
By 2024, it completely flipped: the more polarized Republican you are, the more you use Twitter/X.
From blue stronghold → red megaphone. All for just $44 billion.
In 2020, Twitter use was highest among people who loved Democrats and disliked Republicans.
By 2024, it completely flipped: the more polarized Republican you are, the more you use Twitter/X.
From blue stronghold → red megaphone. All for just $44 billion.
September 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
This is where it gets wild 👇
In 2020, Twitter use was highest among people who loved Democrats and disliked Republicans.
By 2024, it completely flipped: the more polarized Republican you are, the more you use Twitter/X.
From blue stronghold → red megaphone. All for just $44 billion.
In 2020, Twitter use was highest among people who loved Democrats and disliked Republicans.
By 2024, it completely flipped: the more polarized Republican you are, the more you use Twitter/X.
From blue stronghold → red megaphone. All for just $44 billion.
How much did Elon's takeover reshape Twitter/X? How did the partisan tilt of social media use change from 2020 to 2024?
The ANES 2024 data is out — and this thread answers all your burning questions! 🔥
The ANES 2024 data is out — and this thread answers all your burning questions! 🔥
September 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
How much did Elon's takeover reshape Twitter/X? How did the partisan tilt of social media use change from 2020 to 2024?
The ANES 2024 data is out — and this thread answers all your burning questions! 🔥
The ANES 2024 data is out — and this thread answers all your burning questions! 🔥
Somehow, Marx is suddenly popular with tech bros talking about AI.
I just wished they would actually read him.
Because Marx did have a lot to say about automation -- and it's eerily relevant to today’s debates. 🧵
I just wished they would actually read him.
Because Marx did have a lot to say about automation -- and it's eerily relevant to today’s debates. 🧵
August 20, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Somehow, Marx is suddenly popular with tech bros talking about AI.
I just wished they would actually read him.
Because Marx did have a lot to say about automation -- and it's eerily relevant to today’s debates. 🧵
I just wished they would actually read him.
Because Marx did have a lot to say about automation -- and it's eerily relevant to today’s debates. 🧵
Read the full preprint here: arxiv.org/abs/2508.03385
To our knowledge, this is one of the first time generative social simulation is used for theory development in the social sciences.
We're looking for feedback as we move toward journal submission.
To our knowledge, this is one of the first time generative social simulation is used for theory development in the social sciences.
We're looking for feedback as we move toward journal submission.
August 6, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Read the full preprint here: arxiv.org/abs/2508.03385
To our knowledge, this is one of the first time generative social simulation is used for theory development in the social sciences.
We're looking for feedback as we move toward journal submission.
To our knowledge, this is one of the first time generative social simulation is used for theory development in the social sciences.
We're looking for feedback as we move toward journal submission.
💥New paper💥
1)LLMs achieve superb accuracy detecting negative campaigning ACROSS languages and countries - enabling a new paradigm of comparative political research
2)We use this to carry out the largest cross-country study to date: 18M tweets from MPs across 19 countries
arxiv.org/abs/2507.17636
1)LLMs achieve superb accuracy detecting negative campaigning ACROSS languages and countries - enabling a new paradigm of comparative political research
2)We use this to carry out the largest cross-country study to date: 18M tweets from MPs across 19 countries
arxiv.org/abs/2507.17636
July 24, 2025 at 8:56 AM
💥New paper💥
1)LLMs achieve superb accuracy detecting negative campaigning ACROSS languages and countries - enabling a new paradigm of comparative political research
2)We use this to carry out the largest cross-country study to date: 18M tweets from MPs across 19 countries
arxiv.org/abs/2507.17636
1)LLMs achieve superb accuracy detecting negative campaigning ACROSS languages and countries - enabling a new paradigm of comparative political research
2)We use this to carry out the largest cross-country study to date: 18M tweets from MPs across 19 countries
arxiv.org/abs/2507.17636
(Chueri & Törnberg 2025b)
So happy to continue coauthoring our life together, @julianachueri.bsky.social ❤️
So happy to continue coauthoring our life together, @julianachueri.bsky.social ❤️
July 22, 2025 at 1:18 PM
(Chueri & Törnberg 2025b)
So happy to continue coauthoring our life together, @julianachueri.bsky.social ❤️
So happy to continue coauthoring our life together, @julianachueri.bsky.social ❤️
From Elon Musk's DOGE to the UK's AI Action Plan, states are rapidly adopting AI as key tool of governance
What happens when states see their populations through AI? Is AI quietly redefining the very nature of the state?
Our new paper sets out a research agenda
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
What happens when states see their populations through AI? Is AI quietly redefining the very nature of the state?
Our new paper sets out a research agenda
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
May 16, 2025 at 8:26 AM
From Elon Musk's DOGE to the UK's AI Action Plan, states are rapidly adopting AI as key tool of governance
What happens when states see their populations through AI? Is AI quietly redefining the very nature of the state?
Our new paper sets out a research agenda
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
What happens when states see their populations through AI? Is AI quietly redefining the very nature of the state?
Our new paper sets out a research agenda
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Seeing Like a Platform has arrived in physical form! 😮
Of everything I've ever written, this is probably the work I'm most proud of.
And it's free to read! www.seeinglikeaplatform.com
Would love to hear your thoughts!
Of everything I've ever written, this is probably the work I'm most proud of.
And it's free to read! www.seeinglikeaplatform.com
Would love to hear your thoughts!
April 29, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Seeing Like a Platform has arrived in physical form! 😮
Of everything I've ever written, this is probably the work I'm most proud of.
And it's free to read! www.seeinglikeaplatform.com
Would love to hear your thoughts!
Of everything I've ever written, this is probably the work I'm most proud of.
And it's free to read! www.seeinglikeaplatform.com
Would love to hear your thoughts!
To test whether toxicity has become more common in international politics, we analyzed 18M tweets from politicians in 17 countries over 5 years.
We found that elite political toxicity rose substantially over the period.
We found that elite political toxicity rose substantially over the period.
March 31, 2025 at 8:06 AM
To test whether toxicity has become more common in international politics, we analyzed 18M tweets from politicians in 17 countries over 5 years.
We found that elite political toxicity rose substantially over the period.
We found that elite political toxicity rose substantially over the period.
Many feel that politics globally has become toxic and hostile over recent years.
But is this actually the case? And if so, who's to blame? What issues are driving toxicity?
We analyze 18M tweets from politicians in 17 countries to find out!
w/
@julianachueri.bsky.social
arxiv.org/pdf/2503.22411
But is this actually the case? And if so, who's to blame? What issues are driving toxicity?
We analyze 18M tweets from politicians in 17 countries to find out!
w/
@julianachueri.bsky.social
arxiv.org/pdf/2503.22411
March 31, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Many feel that politics globally has become toxic and hostile over recent years.
But is this actually the case? And if so, who's to blame? What issues are driving toxicity?
We analyze 18M tweets from politicians in 17 countries to find out!
w/
@julianachueri.bsky.social
arxiv.org/pdf/2503.22411
But is this actually the case? And if so, who's to blame? What issues are driving toxicity?
We analyze 18M tweets from politicians in 17 countries to find out!
w/
@julianachueri.bsky.social
arxiv.org/pdf/2503.22411
We briefly discuss this distinction in the paper
January 15, 2025 at 7:51 AM
We briefly discuss this distinction in the paper