Stephan Lewandowsky
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lewan.bsky.social
Stephan Lewandowsky
@lewan.bsky.social
20K followers 1.9K following 4.7K posts

Professor of Cognitive Science, University of Bristol. Homepage: https://www.lewan.uk

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Stephan Lewandowsky is an Australian psychologist. He has worked in both the United States and Australia, and is currently based at the University of Bristol, UK, where he is the chair of cognitive psychology at the School of Psychological Science. His research, which originally pertained to computer simulations of people's decision-making processes, recently has focused on the public's understanding of science and why people often embrace beliefs that are sharply at odds with scientific evidence. .. more

Neuroscience 23%
Sociology 19%
Posts Replies Media Videos

lewan.bsky.social
Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · 8h
oh yes, i had assumed that.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, John Horgan

rbreich.bsky.social
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 9h
You may feel helpless — a powerless observer of this hurricane of violence. Please do not succumb to helplessness, despair, or fear. You are needed — desperately. Here are some things you can do. https://robertreich.substack.com/p/mobilizing-america

lewan.bsky.social
Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · 10h
Well, this has now been cancelled, fortunately: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Stephan Lewandowsky, Tim Bale , and 2 more

davidallengreen.bsky.social
dag @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 10h
Keep watching - Trump and his circle almost have their precious goal: invoking the Insurrection Act.

As per said before: a great deal of what is being done is simply Trump and his circle working backwards from this objective.

lewan.bsky.social
Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · 11h
The death is in the details: The Center for Tuskegee experimentation (formerly known as CDC) is doing "research" in Guinea-Bissau
Scoop: The leaked protocol of the CDC-funded Hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau. “This is another Tuskegee.”
The protocol reveals that the trial will withhold the Hepatitis B birth dose from thousands—without placebos, without universal maternal screening, and with endpoints critics call indefensible.
insidemedicine.substack.com

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Stephan Lewandowsky, Brigitte Nerlich , and 3 more

kakape.bsky.social
Kai Kupferschmidt @kakape.bsky.social · 14h
For non-German speakers:

“Dear media, I can’t stand the headline "No agreement between the US and Denmark” any longer. If an armed man storms a bank, you don't run the headline: "Robber and cashier can't reach an agreement on money transfer." Stop framing imperial aggression as normal diplomacy.”
thereallorenzmeyer.bsky.social Lorenz Meyer @thereallorenzmeyer.bsky.social · 15h
Liebe Medien, ich kann die Schlagzeile "Keine Einigung zwischen USA und Dänemark" nicht mehr sehen. Wenn ein Bewaffneter eine Bank stürmt, titelt ihr doch auch nicht: "Räuber und Kassiererin finden keinen Konsens über Geldübergabe." Hört auf, imperiale Aggression als normale Diplomatie zu framen.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Brigitte Nerlich, Peter Schöttler , and 2 more

thereallorenzmeyer.bsky.social
Lorenz Meyer @thereallorenzmeyer.bsky.social · 15h
Liebe Medien, ich kann die Schlagzeile "Keine Einigung zwischen USA und Dänemark" nicht mehr sehen. Wenn ein Bewaffneter eine Bank stürmt, titelt ihr doch auch nicht: "Räuber und Kassiererin finden keinen Konsens über Geldübergabe." Hört auf, imperiale Aggression als normale Diplomatie zu framen.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky

mc00.bsky.social
Max Colbert @mc00.bsky.social · 16h
🔴 NEW: Who funds the Free Speech Union?

Toby Young’s outfit went to court to hide its donors. We can reveal that its funders include US anti-abortion groups, Brexit politicians, and Tufton Street insiders.
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/who-funds-...
Who funds the Free Speech Union?
Toby Young’s outfit went to court to hide its donors. Today we reveal that funders include US anti-abortion groups, Brexit politicians and Tufton Street insiders.
democracyforsale.substack.com

lewan.bsky.social
Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · 19h
The comments 🤣
peterstefanovic.bsky.social Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 1d
BREAKING: The UK is sending a single military officer to Greenland at the request of Denmark to participate in a multi-nation exercise

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky

australia.theguardian.com
Guardian Australia @australia.theguardian.com · 20h
Elon Musk’s Grok made the world less safe – his humiliating backdown gives me hopium | Van Badham
Elon Musk’s Grok made the world less safe – his humiliating backdown gives me hopium | Van Badham
The AI chatbot’s torrent of nonconsensual deepfakes isn’t its first scandal and won’t be its last. Responsible governments should simply ban it * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Billionaire and career Bond-villain cosplayer Elon Musk has been forced by public backlash into a humiliating backdown over use of his AI chatbot, Grok. Watching the world’s richest man eat a shit sandwich on a global stage represents a rare win for sovereign democracy. Because – unlike his company history of labour and safety abuses … his exploding rockets … his government interventions that deny aid to the starving … disabling Starlink internet systems in war zones … sharing “white solidarity” statements … or growing concern about overvaluations of his company’s share price – the nature of Grok’s latest scandal may finally be inspiring governments towards imposing some Musk-limiting red lines. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Nandita Sharma, Richard S.J. Tol , and 11 more

robertscotthorton.bsky.social
Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 22h
After a document leak from DHS outed him, Enrique Tarrio, head of the Proud Boys militia group, acknowledged that he was now an ICE officer. www.telemundo.com/noticias/not...
Enrique Tarrio, exlíder de los Proud Boys, dice que se ha convertido en agente de ICE
Tarrio, quien recibió un indulto de Trump por su participación en el asalto al Capitolio en 2021, fue detenido un mes después de su liberación por un cargo de agresión en Washington D.C.
www.telemundo.com

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Kimberly A. Prather, Stephan Lewandowsky , and 27 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 23h
Walz: "What's happening in MN defies belief. News reports simply don't do justice to the level of chaos & disruption & trauma the federal govt is raining down... This long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. Instead, it's a campaign of organized brutality against the people of MN"

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Stephan Lewandowsky, Steve Peers , and 7 more

peterstefanovic.bsky.social
Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 1d
BREAKING: The UK is sending a single military officer to Greenland at the request of Denmark to participate in a multi-nation exercise

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Élisabeth Vallet

timothysnyder.bsky.social
Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 1d
Here’s an idea. First track the billionaires and their foreign tax shelters.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3d
Bessent: "For individuals who want to wire money out of the country, they're gonna have to tick a box whether they are or are not on public assistance. Then we're going to start pushing over the coming days and weeks that if you're on public assistance, you cannot wire money out of the country."

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky

petergleick.bsky.social
Peter Gleick @petergleick.bsky.social · 1d
First they came for the immigrants, then they came for the LGBTQi, then they came for all POC, then they came for the ...

"Trump administration’s demand for ‘lists of Jews’"

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
UPenn faculty condemn Trump administration’s demand for ‘lists of Jews’
Groups say EEOC demand for names and personal details echoes dark history and threatens safety and civil rights
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Stephan Lewandowsky, Brendan Nyhan , and 10 more

andrew.heiss.phd
Andrew Heiss @andrew.heiss.phd · 1d
Perennial reminder of this excellent paper about how secret police forces are swamped with underachievers

“We don’t want clever people. We want mediocrities.”

(Ungated summary here ajps.org/2019/10/08/w...)
Why Underachievers Dominate Secret Police Organizations: Evidence from Autocratic Argentina Adam Scharpf Christian Gläßel Abstract: Autocrats depend on a capable secret police. Anecdotal evidence, however, often characterizes agents as surprisingly mediocre in skill and intellect. To explain this puzzle, this article focuses on the career incentives underachieving individuals face in the regular security apparatus. Low-performing officials in hierarchical organizations have little chance of being promoted or filling lucrative positions. To salvage their careers, these officials are willing to undertake burdensome secret police work. Using data on all 4,287 officers who served in autocratic Argentina (1975-83), we study biographic differences between secret police agents and the entire recruitment pool. We find that low-achieving officers were stuck within the regime hierarchy, threatened with discharge, and thus more likely to join the secret police for future benefits. The study demonstrates how state bureaucracies breed mundane career concerns that produce willing enforcers and cement violent regimes. This has implications for the understanding of autocratic consolidation and democratic breakdown.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, David R. Miller, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò , and 1 more

brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 1d
"It is exceedingly rare, even in investigations of classified disclosures, for federal agents to search a reporter’s home."

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Will Jennings, Gordon Pennycook , and 7 more

ryanenos.bsky.social
Ryan Enos @ryanenos.bsky.social · 1d
We are so far past the Rubicon that it isn't worth having a discussion anymore as to whether Trump is acting as an authoritarian. The only question is whether we have the strength and courage to get back to the other side.

lewan.bsky.social
Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · 1d
There is a famous paper in philosophy entitled "What is it like to be a bat?" I wonder if someone -- experts in sociopathy? --could write a paper about what it is like to be (a) an ICE thug or (b) a trumpist / faragist who is still cheering this on. I personally find the bat to be more penetrable.

lewan.bsky.social
Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · 1d
*this*
ianhamilton358.bsky.social Ian Hamilton @ianhamilton358.bsky.social · 1d
Animals. The tories and Reform want to bring this to the UK.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky

excinequality.bsky.social
The Politics of Inequality @excinequality.bsky.social · 1d
📽️ Now online: two exciting talks from last year at the #inequality colloquium: @meghancondon.bsky.social discussed her book „The Economic Other: Inequality in the American Political Imagination“ (t1p.de/jx39i); @lewan.bsky.social spoke on „Honest Liars and the Threat to Democracy“ (t1p.de/o0zsr)

Reposted by Philipp Sarasin

lewan.bsky.social
Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · 1d
Precisely, and it is surprising (?) and disappointing that this point is not made 24/7 at 100dB+ by European politicians and media who ostensibly support democracy. In the 1930s, ignorance of what is coming was an excuse. Today they cannot pretend not to know of what the fascists really want.
bencoates1.bsky.social Ben Coates @bencoates1.bsky.social · 1d
I wonder how many Dutch voters fully realize that what ICE is doing in Minnesota is *exactly* what Wilders (and van der Plas, Baudet, Eerdmans etc) would like to see happen here. It’s a free preview of what far right government actually looks like.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky

ianhamilton358.bsky.social
Ian Hamilton @ianhamilton358.bsky.social · 1d
Animals. The tories and Reform want to bring this to the UK.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Gavin A. Schmidt, Steve Peers

the-independent.com
The Independent @the-independent.com · 1d
Woman dragged from car by ICE yells ‘I’m disabled’ in chaotic scene in Minneapolis
Woman dragged from car by ICE yells ‘I’m disabled’ in chaotic scene in Minneapolis
Woman dragged from car by ICE yells ‘I’m disabled’ in chaotic scene in Minneapolis
www.independent.co.uk

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Christopher Wright, Will Lowe

davekeating.substack.com
Dave Keating @davekeating.substack.com · 1d
Meta, Microsoft and Google are all coordinating with the European far right in order to dismantle EU digital laws designed to protect citizens, according to a new report.

The recent 🇺🇸NSS strategy outlined regime change plans to support the European far right.

A public-private partnership.
US tech giants allying with European far-right to strip back EU rules
Amid rising EU-US tensions, a new report has accused Big Tech of courting far-right MEPs to weaken the EU's regulatory power on AI and data.
www.brusselstimes.com

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Robbert Sanderman, John R. Hutchinson , and 1 more

bencoates1.bsky.social
Ben Coates @bencoates1.bsky.social · 1d
I wonder how many Dutch voters fully realize that what ICE is doing in Minnesota is *exactly* what Wilders (and van der Plas, Baudet, Eerdmans etc) would like to see happen here. It’s a free preview of what far right government actually looks like.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky

krassenstein.bsky.social
Krassensteins @krassenstein.bsky.social · 2d
FULL LETTER: Clintons Refuse to Testify Before GOP Congress on Epstein Behind Closed Doors:

krassencast.com/p/full-lette...
FULL LETTER: Clintons Refuse to Testify Before GOP Congress on Epstein Behind Closed Doors
BREAKING: The Clinton's Refuse to Testify before Congress about Epstein.
krassencast.com

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Gerald Friedman

stevenbeschloss.bsky.social
Steven Beschloss @stevenbeschloss.bsky.social · 2d
May the death of Renee Nicole Good be a turning point, an awakening to the scale of danger America faces with this deadly abusive regime and the need to speak out and fight back. May her death not be in vain.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Lise Rakner

lavidagata.bsky.social
Kat O’Brien @lavidagata.bsky.social · 2d
Chilling.
“For MAGA America, ICE is an instrument for cleansing violence.” And “Failure to heed the MAGA campaign to redistribute respect is insolence punishable by death.”
For MAGA America, ICE is an instrument for cleansing violence. Visit ICE social-media accounts and you'll see, again and again, videos of armed force against unarmed individuals, against a soundtrack of pumping music. There's a montage of aggressive arrests in Minnesota of unarmed, nonwhite men, many of them thrown to the ground and cuffed, set to the 1977 hit "Cold as Ice": "Someday you'll pay the price." A dozen heavily armed and armored agents round up a single unarmed woman in a T-shirt and two similarly defenseless men in California. In Indiana, armored agents throw handcuffs and ankle chains on a big haul of men and shove them in a cell, where they can be seen pacing, weeping, or with their heads plunged in their hands. Rarely do these videos present a situation that couldn't be managed with a couple of plainclothes officers bearing holstered sidearms. The point is to prove that the fearsome power of the American state is being wielded by righteous MAGA hands against despised MAGA targets. This is how we arrive at a moment when the country's highest-ranking officials are endorsing a lethal shooting on the basis of claims refuted by the evidence. Failure to heed the MAGA campaign to redistribute respect is insolence punishable by death.

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Mark D. White, Eric Goldman , and 3 more

qasimrashid.com
Qasim Rashid, Esq. @qasimrashid.com · 2d
MAGAs: The left is escalating the rhetoric by calling us Nazis

Also MAGAs: Look at our new podium, featuring a Nazi slogan about the time Nazis wiped out an entire village in Czechoslovakia and killed up to 5000 innocent people in retaliation for one Nazi being killed.

"One of ours, all of yours."