Maybe a loss of trust can be traced back to growing discrepancies between public debate and one's own information environment. In an increasingly fragmented info- and social space and resulting majority illusion, this poses a fundamental problem as media and institutions can never cover all topics.

Wow! AI is so advanced, it can now generate entire videos for a regime promising made up miracle cures, while slashing funding for medical research and cutting social benefits. Practically zero propaganda skills required.

I don't think it's a good idea to use "left-wing" or "right-wing" as categories to classify terrorism. These terms stem from parliamentary politics & blur more than they reveal. More precise labels should be applied -- which would also lead to more meaningful comparative values.

Hey #PolComm folks! The #ICA26 @icahdq.bsky.social election for the PolComm Division @polcomm.bsky.social is now open. There are fantastic candidates running for Vice Chair, Early Career Rep, & International Liaison. Go read their statements & cast your votes! 🗳️ www.icahdq.org/surveys/?id=...

You wouldn't know this from following mediated debates in Germany, but it turns out there are reasons beyond illdefined anxieties about immigration for where and why the far right wins votes...

Spoke to the Danish Online Magazine @kforum.bsky.social about "Ragebaiting" and how the attention economy can be exploited for political gain. kforum.dk/nyheder/digi...

Our political debates (in Europe and the US) are missing a crucial part of the real story: The quiet consolidations, planned mergers, & vying for Trump’s favor that will decide who becomes America’s Next Top-Mogul.

Most Sinclair & Nexstar stations did not address the Jimmy Kimmel Live issue at all, but a few did. Here's Nexstar station WTEN in Albany:

I truly hate to say it, but I called it. 5 years ago.

A good reminder for Europeans to protect our public media. They are far from perfect, but I'm very sure we wouldn't like the alternative ...

Excellent work here by @mikecowburn.bsky.social and @meredithconroy.bsky.social! Very interesting dynamics potentially driving these gendered trends: Dems worry (too much) about a what an imagined public might want. Reps do what they want, when they feel like they can.

Early New Year's wish for 2026: To review fewer papers on far-right party communication that still refer to it as "populist" simply because it constructs an out-group. There's plenty of work out there on actual far-right comms. No need to use these imprecise euphemisms.

If you make it through to Episode 9 of Chief of War (Apple TV), you're in for one of the most epic battle scenes I've ever seen on TV. The whole cast is perfect. Super cool historical setting, I knew next to nothing about. Worth the watch! 👍

@curdknupfer.bsky.social : "Hier wird natürlich nicht irgendwie gegen unfaire Medien irgendwie reguliert, sondern hier wird ganz konkret gegen politische Gegner Stimmung gemacht auf der politischen und kulturellen Ebene. Und der Markt spielt da mit."

Periodic reminder that the discursive groundwork of some of today's policies has a long trajectory, often rooted in right-wing activism. Here's a small study on the floating signifier of "antifa" from 2020. www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitstr...

Yay!

Every once in a while, it's good to get out there and touch some grass/sand/waves. 🧘‍♂️

🌞DDC RESEARCH RETREAT TIME🌞 Our biannual research retreat in Nyborg by the sea is in full swing. This time, we welcome a number of new faces as well as our various core members and cooperation partners, presenting & engaging with our interdisciplinary work. Talking, walking, developing new ideas 💡

Interview mit dem Schweizer Rundfunk zu Trumps Klage gegen die New York Times: Teil eines Musters und Angriff der Exekutive auf die Horte der Faktenfindung. In🇨🇭/🇩🇪 www.srf.ch/news/interna...

One pitfall of buying into the ‘polarization’ narrative is casting yourself as the polar opposite of someone who’s also just chasing attention -- but is simply better at it than you.

I shared thoughts with El País on internet subcultures & radicalization. Main points: Toxic spaces can shape views, BUT: Radicalization ≠ violence; Media effects tend to be minimal! Mono-causal explanations = bad! Also qtd: @clarajuarezmiro.bsky.social. elpais.com/tecnologia/2...

Whoever’s in charge of coercing me to open Duolingo -- I genuinely resent you and hope you have a terrible day.

Colleagues have backed up the point with data and infographics. The answer is no: political violence in the US is if anything declining, not rising. The far right commits more than the far left, but both are rare, and fewer than 10% of Americans endorse violence for political goals.

Check out our Call for Papers on "Digital #Journalism in the Age of #Technogarchy", guest edited by @curdknupfer.bsky.social, @lenafrescamente.bsky.social, @claesdevreese.bsky.social, & @gehrke.bsky.social. The deadline for abstract submission is fast coming up, on 15 Sep!

I never want shootings on campus to happen and I never want to see them on social media.

As they teach in journalism school*, when someone in power denies obvious wrongdoing, it's always best to go with "no clear answer". *in Soviet Russia

Incredible parallels in this Berinsky & @gabelenz.bsky.social paper. Politicians didn't stand up to Joe McCarthy in large part because they incorrectly inferred McCarthy/ism was extremely popular. Not standing up to McCarthy was a kind of 1950s Popularism gated academic.oup.com/poq/article/...

Important study comparing coverage of various types of climate-related protest movements: #FFF and #LastGeneration Findings show very negative coverage, especially of disruptive protest action but also where values align. Very strong indication of the classic "protest paradigm" at work.

Parliamentary elections in 🇳🇴 are another example of collapse of right-wing conservatives: H performed badly & is replaced by radical right populist FrP as largest party on the right. Center-left Ap is largest party though difference between latter two not so big #Norge #Stortingsvalget 2025

Co-teaching a course on the 90s right now. And yes. This is pretty much as good as it gets.

Here's my hot take on why center-left & -right parties are moving to the right (even though it doesn't work for them electorally!) This is not purely a strategic consideration. They are responding to what they perceive to be important issues, based on the info environments they inhabit. ...

Have I mentioned that I get to work with really cool people?! @hannescools.bsky.social is our guy for AI and journalism, @hannahdecker.bsky.social will work on how social media can be used for good, & Maryam works on the impacts of digital hate. Really excited to have them with us! 🥳

Initially somewhat disappointed to learn this wasn't about the HBO show I've recently been hate-watching. But as it turns out, the actual topic is way more interesting!!

Great points about our shifted info environments in the is thread by @eliothiggins.bsky.social! I would add: not only have the modes of attention & dissemination shifted, existing institutions & elites (which still play important roles) often misinterpret what they perceive.

Important study on the type of targeted haressment that is clearly incentivized by platforms, excludes important perspectives, and skews online discourse. Great work by @malinroiha.bsky.social. The case is Spain but this will surely track globally...

📖NOW OUT IN PRINT📖 Connective Action and the Rise of the Far Right Feat. my chapter with Ulrike Klinger on "In-Groups and Outrage" & how various types of network connectivity are radicalising right-wing parties! The digital version is open access, and available here: academic.oup.com/book/60493

Highly timely study by some of my @ddc-sdu.bsky.social colleagues: European publics (in this case 🇩🇰) are very concerned about big tech- but also don't see this as a problem to be solved by individuals! Let me translate this into policy: solutions need to happen on the macro (🇪🇺) & meso levels!

“We know that the U.S. has historically spied on its allies. But when it comes to the U.S. moving from gathering information to actively trying to affect public opinion with the aim of seizing control of an ally’s territory, I can’t think of a precedent,” I told the @wsj.com @diis.dk

"Right-wing socialism" ...I feel like there's a more accurate German word for that...

New week, new school year, new publication! In this paper, @antoniskalog.bsky.social, @patyrossini.bsky.social, & I develop a scale to measure how audiences feel alienated by the provision of news and what implications this has for inequalities. 🧵 Open access: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

How do beliefs shift? What is the role of various types of perceived threats (health, economic) and how is this impacted by media consumption? Very cool / important study coming from the always excellent comms folks in Vienna! ...out now, in my favorite journal ❤️!

Whether you work in journalism, civil society, or academia: If you have a project pitch that touches on how digitalization is transforming society and want to come work with us for a bit, consider applying to this highly flexible fellowship. Lmk if you have any Qs.

Not to brag... but I get to work with some of THE COOLEST and MOST WONDERFUL people in our field. I am *so excited* that Jo will be joining us here at the @ddc-sdu.bsky.social early next year. YAY!!!👏🇩🇰🥳

✨ New open-access paper ✨ We explored language similarity between Querdenken (Telegram) and German politicians (Twitter). In short: AfD’s communication most similar, but parts of FDP and CDU/CSU also find common ground through discrediting left-wing politics. Full paper: 🔗 doi.org/10.1080/1369...

🌀 Already excited for #APSA25? Let’s kick off the countdown by celebrating this year’s APSA #PolComm Section Awardees! 🏆👇 A thread 🧵 👏 Congratulations to all the winners!

The dynamics between big tech, politics and journalism are changing. Help make sense of these changes and their implications. Submit to our special issue of @digitaljournalism.bsky.social 🚨ONE MONTH UNTIL ABSTRACT DEADLINE SEPT 15, 2025 🚨 Details: drive.google.com/file/d/182p3...

⏳Just over one month left to submit your abstracts for our special issue: DIGITAL JOURNALISM IN THE AGE OF TECHNOGARCHY with @lenafrescamente.bsky.social, @claesdevreese.bsky.social, @gehrke.bsky.social. 🗓️Deadline: Sept. 15th. 💡See more infos in post below⤵️ 🕊️Please help us disseminate the call.

This is such an impressive paper on a highly important tipic. Get your hands on it and read it, if you get a chance!