@cip.uw.edu postdoctoral scholar @alextheefstra.bsky.social recently spoke with @iowapublicradio.org about media dynamics and polarization. Listen to the Talk of Iowa segment here: www.iowapublicradio.org/podcast/talk...

The media we consume — and how we consume it — can intensify division

Major news networks used to regularly present Americans with the same set of facts. Today, it's easy to stay in echo chambers with competing realities. On this episode, we take a look at how the media...

iowapublicradio.org

Our @cip.uw.edu team is incredibly grateful for @geekwire.com honoring us with a 2026 Geeks Who Give Back Award. Learn more about the award recognition: www.geekwire.com/2026/geeks-g...

Geeks Give Back: AI House and UW’s Center for an Informed Public to be honored at GeekWire Awards

This year's Geeks Give Back honorees are advancing AI innovation and providing education and research in our rapidly evolving media landscape.

geekwire.com

Our new paper, "Information Pathways in Online Science Communication: The Role of Platform Actors and News Media" (w/ Giuseppe Russo & @luceriluc.bsky.social) has just been accepted at ICWSM 2026! Preprint: arxiv.org/pdf/2603.17249 Here are the main takeaways 🧵

@opb.org interviewed @msaveski.bsky.social about his research. "What we found when we surveyed [participants] at the end of the study was that, if polarizing content appeared lower in their feeds, they felt about two degrees warmer towards the other party," he said. www.opb.org/article/2026...

University of Washington collaborates on study using AI to reduce political polarization on social media

A University of Washington scientist explains how AI could be used to reduce political polarization on social media and perhaps give users greater control over their feeds.

opb.org

Recently accepted at ICWSM: arxiv.org/abs/2512.06129 (w/ @kayladuskin.bsky.social, @katestarbird.bsky.social, and @emmaspiro.bsky.social) We look at how algorithmic feeds affect Twitter account visibility. More visible accounts: -Are agitators -Get attention from Elon Musk -Are not legacy verified

Rabble-Rousers in the New King's Court: Algorithmic Effects on Account Visibility in Pre-X Twitter

Algorithmic effects on social media platforms have come under recent scrutiny, with several works reporting that right-leaning accounts tend to receive more exposure. In this paper, we expand upon thi...

arxiv.org

🧵A new tool developed by researchers, including @cip.uw.edu faculty member @msaveski.bsky.social, shows it is possible to reduce partisan rancor in an X feed — without removing political posts and without the direct cooperation of the platform. (1/3) www.washington.edu/news/2025/12...

Social media research tool can reduce polarization — it could also lead to more user control over algorithms

A web-based method was shown to mitigate political polarization on X by nudging antidemocratic and extremely negative partisan posts lower in a user’s feed. The tool, which is independent of the...

washington.edu

My newest paper "On YouTube Search API Use in Research" is now published at dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...! I untangle some of the mechanisms with which the YouTube Search API samples results, and document limitations with some established research strategies in working with the API.

On YouTube Search API Use in Research | Proceedings of the 2025 ACM Internet Measurement Conference

dl.acm.org

Come work with us!

Center for an Informed Public@cip.uw.edu · 9mo ago

Our team at the @cip.uw.edu is currently seeking applications for up to two postdoctoral scholar positions. Applications received prior to January 15, 2026 will be given priority. Learn more about the positions, salary range, qualifications and application process: apply.interfolio.com/177901

⏰ Less than a week to apply to our PhD position on AI-driven Cybersecurity & Cybersafety! Don't miss out—apply now and make the internet safer. 🚀👩‍💻 Job Link 👇

Savvas Zannettou@zsavvas90.bsky.social · 2y ago

🎓 We are looking for a PhD candidate! 🎓 Are you passionate about AI and fascinated by cybersecurity & cybersafety? Ready to explore how AI is reshaping the digital world—while having fun along the way? Apply here by Dec. 15: careers.tudelft.nl/job/Delft-Ph...

Huge news for science communication/metascience research!

Altmetric@altmetric.com · 2y ago

BLUESKY MEGA-THREAD Altmetric is thrilled and also LITERALLY RELIEVED to officially announce: We are now tracking research attention as it happens on Bluesky! We have been picking up posts on the site since late Oct. Our team is on Bluesky all day answering questions. Let's get into it!

We're currently seeking applications for up to two @cip.uw.edu postdoctoral fellows who will be hired as postdoctoral scholars. Learn more: www.cip.uw.edu/2024/12/03/c...

CIP seeks applications for up to 2 postdoctoral fellows

The University of Washington Center for an Informed Public (CIP) invites applications for up to two CIP Postdoctoral Fellows who will be hired as Postdoctoral Scholars.

cip.uw.edu

For anyone who is interested but missed this, the recorded talk is now live at www.oii.ox.ac.uk/news-events/.... Please feel free to ping me if you have any thoughts or questions!

OII | From tribes to tropes: Network polarisation and false consensus around COVID-19 science

In this talk, we cover recent work showing that COVID-19 science was vastly misrepresented on the Twitter platform, owing mostly to a large misinformation cluster that engaged in selective citation of...

oii.ox.ac.uk

Alexandros Efstratiou@alextheefstra.bsky.social · 2y ago

This Friday (Nov 29th), I'll be speaking at the Oxford Internet Institute about our latest paper on how COVID-19 science was misrepresented on Twitter, leading to false consensus effects. The event is remote, and you can register at: www.oii.ox.ac.uk/news-events/...

This Friday (Nov 29th), I'll be speaking at the Oxford Internet Institute about our latest paper on how COVID-19 science was misrepresented on Twitter, leading to false consensus effects. The event is remote, and you can register at: www.oii.ox.ac.uk/news-events/...

OII | From tribes to tropes: Network polarisation and false consensus around COVID-19 science

In this talk, we cover recent work showing that COVID-19 science was vastly misrepresented on the Twitter platform, owing mostly to a large misinformation cluster that engaged in selective citation of...

oii.ox.ac.uk

[Please reshare] I’m recruiting PhD students to work with me at UW! I’m looking for students passionate about developing new *social media algorithms*, both broadly and within the scope of this NSF grant: tinyurl.com/395yfphd More info: faculty.washington.edu/msaveski/ cc @uwischool.bsky.social

In case you missed our panel today on how counter-consensus communities (mis)use science, check out the recording: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIWz... Ft. @alextheefstra.bsky.social @beeeeeers.bsky.social and Rod Abhari SciSky EpiSky MedSky

Misrepresenting Science

Counter-consensus communities will frequently use selective and deceptive citation of the scientific literature as evidence for their views. How can we make ...

youtube.com

Excited to announce that my paper has just been accepted at The Web Conference (WWW) 2024! I analyze how users willing to engage with opposing views differ in terms of language they use and rewards they receive in their home communities. Preprint coming soon!

I’m hitting the job market looking mainly for tenure-track asst. professor positions (2024)!  My core research informs how we should curate content on online platforms — and I’m also interested in how large language models will impact on the Web in the upcoming years.