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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird
@katestarbird.bsky.social
88K followers 2.9K following 3.8K posts

Researcher of online rumors & disinformation. Former basketball player. Prof at University of Washington, HCDE. Co-founder of the UW Center for an Informed Public. Personal account: Views may not reflect those of my employer. #RageAgainstTheBullshitMachine .. more

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Catherine Evelyn Starbird is an American computer scientist and former women's professional basketball player.

Source: Wikipedia
Communication & Media Studies 30%
Sociology 18%
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · Mar 27
On Feb 24, I gave a lecture at UW explaining what my team's decade-plus research on online rumors during crises reveals about the right wing "bullshit machine." Fittingly, a lightning strike impacted the original audio. Here's a fixed version w/ the full transcript: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjiG...
A Spotlight on Rumors
YouTube video by UW (University of Washington)
www.youtube.com
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 12h
TBH, Taibbi and friends dragged me for jawboning that the first Trump
Administration did (that I had nothing to do with), so perhaps not surprising to see the second Trump administration doing it again?
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 12h
Don’t even have to get hacked. Just connect the AI girlfriend to the sales incentives… she will learn how to withhold and blackmail soon enough!
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 12h
It can’t be more than a few months away…
2

Reposted by Philip N. Cohen

katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 12h
Y’all think romance scams are scary now? Just wait until your AI “girlfriend” starts blackmailing you…
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 12h
Great business model! They have to turn a profit somewhere, right? Get the audience (of lonely and poorly socialized males) addicted on an investor-subsidized product (of personalized porn) and then, slowly but inevitably, turn up the cost.
theverge.com
The Verge @theverge.com · 15h
Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon sext with verified adults
Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon sext with verified adults
ChatGPT is about to get flirty.
buff.ly
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Reposted by Carl T. Bergstrom, Janet Murray, Michael D. McDonald , and 5 more

theverge.com
The Verge @theverge.com · 15h
Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon sext with verified adults
Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon sext with verified adults
ChatGPT is about to get flirty.
buff.ly
220 33 270

katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 1d
Convergence of by out-of-state followers because of the Portland discourse/targeting by Trump, or?
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Reposted by Kate Starbird

emmalbriant.bsky.social
Dr Emma L Briant 🐸🎃 @emmalbriant.bsky.social · 1d
The course I created teaches on cutting edge research in the field, making it accessible for a wide audience. Experts whose research is discussed include @katestarbird.bsky.social and @profsanderlinden.bsky.social Beginners Propaganda and Disinformation course - Udemy: www.udemy.com/course/propa...
Propaganda & Disinformation - Level 1 (Beginners)
Understand how manipulative propaganda and new technologies can be used to influence our world
www.udemy.com
1 10 27

Reposted by Efrén O. Pérez, Shelly Lundberg, Trevon D. Logan , and 1 more

brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 1d
www.instagram.com/p/DPm507ljBJ...
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Reposted by Stephen M. Walt, Norbert Schwarz, Kate Starbird

simsjames.bsky.social
James Sims @simsjames.bsky.social · 1d
“We must be steadfast in opposition to extortion under the guise of dealmaking, and we must create alliances rooted in a common devotion to freedom of inquiry…We have rejected tyranny before, and we can do it again.” — Wesleyan University President @msroth.bsky.social in @thebulwark.com #HigherEd
What’s a College President to Do in the Trump Era?
Not going on bended knee to Washington would be a good start.
open.substack.com
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Reposted by Kate Starbird

eddieperez.bsky.social
Edward Perez @eddieperez.bsky.social · 2d
Absolutely insane that the President of the United States has sent militarized secret police to attack multiple American cities, all at the same time.
13 120 470

Reposted by Robert C. Richards, Kate Starbird, David Darmofal

us.theconversation.com
The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 2d
More Americans are biting their tongues, not because they don’t care, but because they’re afraid to speak.

From DEI to the war in Gaza, people are more afraid to speak their minds now than during the Red Scare, according to a political scientist who has been conducting surveys.

buff.ly/Ls2m7mv
Self-censorship and the ‘spiral of silence’: Why Americans are less likely to publicly voice their opinions on political issues
Nearly half of Americans say they feel less free to speak their minds.
buff.ly
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 2d
Appendix: Several folks have pointed out that it is likely more effective to call out Trump’s BS as dementia (rather than persistent strategy to distort the narrative around events that occurred during his first presidency). I don’t dispute that… for some audiences, that might be the best response.
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 2d
The # of times I’ve seen media repeating assertions of Biden administration collusion w/ platforms to “censor” content during the 2020 election… is wild. Like we can spend all day unpacking the “censorship” claim and showing how it’s misleading (at best), but JC it was 2020, Biden wasn’t Pres yet.
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 2d
Having spent hours unwinding different threads of the “Biden censorship” narrative, w/ little success, I can say it’s frustratingly hard to explain (to believers & those vulnerable to believing) how each of these narratives mislead. You refute one part and it can reinforce the rest of the narrative.
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Reposted by Christian E. Weller

katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 2d
Some of these conspiracy theories are wrong in so many ways that it’s difficult to know where to start the correction. First off, the FBI did not orchestrate or incite the Jan 6 events (as Trump is implying). Also, there was no Biden admin at the time.
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Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Melanie C. Green, Scott A. Imberman

katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 2d
I’ve seen posts claiming this “truth” is evidence of dementia, but IMO that’s not the right frame. This is strategy. Since 2021, the right has been rewriting history, bending timelines, to connect their grievances (Covid) and conspiracy theories (Jan 6, censorship, etc) to the Biden administration.
joycewhitevance.bsky.social
Joyce White Vance @joycewhitevance.bsky.social · 2d
That’s a nice trick, since Biden wasn’t the president on Jan 6.
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Reposted by Laia Balcells, Robert C. Richards, Aaron Sojourner , and 4 more

joycewhitevance.bsky.social
Joyce White Vance @joycewhitevance.bsky.social · 2d
That’s a nice trick, since Biden wasn’t the president on Jan 6.
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Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Michael A. Clemens, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 12 more

walterolson.bsky.social
Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 4d
New from me at Cato: I go through the numerous and massive First Amendment and academic-freedom violations of Trump's proffered "compact" with universities and then talk about the mechanism by which it would be enforced, by way of what I describe as a "retroactive push-button guillotine."
Universities Must Defend Their Independence by Rejecting Trump's "Compact"
The Trump administration has proffered a “compact” to universities that would require them to surrender their independence and academic freedom. How many First Amendment violations can we identify in ...
www.cato.org
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Reposted by Kate Starbird

pbump.com
Philip Bump @pbump.com · 4d
Back when I was at The Post, every Friday at 10pm I'd plug my data/visualizations/jokes newsletter.

Well, it's back. In 12 hours, the all-new How To Read This Chart lands in mailboxes. Sign up for free!
howtoreadthisch.art
How To Read This Chart
37% data. 42% visualizations. 210% jokes.
howtoreadthisch.art
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Reposted by Laurent Pech, Adrian Daub, Kate Starbird , and 2 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4d
Bondi: "We've been living through a horrific cycle of political violence in this country ... night after night antifa wrecks havoc on the streets of our cities. In Minnesota, a gunman murdered a state lawmaker and her husband."
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Reposted by Rebecca Tushnet, Kate Starbird

ericgoldman.bsky.social
Eric Goldman @ericgoldman.bsky.social · 4d
"The message is clear: Texas A&M does not permit teaching LGBT topics. Politicians, not professors, decide what is taught in Texas classrooms. Anyone who crosses this line may be fired on flimsy pretext"

www.chronicle.com/article/why-...
Why I Withdrew From My Dream Job
At Texas A&M, politicians, not professors, decide what is taught in classrooms.
www.chronicle.com
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 4d
Early hype on the internet promoted the idea that information would be “democratized” with everyone having a voice. But the “gatekeepers” haven’t been erased, they’ve been replaced by “influencers” who figured out how to game the systems to build massive audiences.
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 4d
#Rigged
usatoday.com
USA TODAY @usatoday.com · 4d
Trump said he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in resolving various world conflicts.
Donald Trump didn't win the Nobel prize he coveted for role addressing world conflicts
Trump said he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in resolving various world conflicts.
bit.ly
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Reposted by Kate Starbird

usatoday.com
USA TODAY @usatoday.com · 4d
Trump said he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in resolving various world conflicts.
Donald Trump didn't win the Nobel prize he coveted for role addressing world conflicts
Trump said he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in resolving various world conflicts.
bit.ly
23 4 13

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Anna O. Law, Lisa W. Fazio , and 9 more

byjoshmoody.bsky.social
Josh Moody @byjoshmoody.bsky.social · 4d
MIT rejects "compact" proposed by the Trump administration.
MIT prez wrote: it "would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution" and "is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone."
orgchart.mit.edu/letters/rega...
Regarding the Compact | MIT Organization Chart
orgchart.mit.edu
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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Joanna Bryson, Joe R. Feagin , and 44 more

thedailyshow.com
The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 5d
The following is REAL footage from Portland, 2025. Viewer discretion is advised.
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Reposted by Stephen M. Walt, Lisa W. Fazio, Margaret Mitchell , and 25 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d
RFK Jr on Tylenol and autism: "It is not proof. We're doing the studies to make the proof."
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Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Kate Starbird

nocapspacewbb.com
No Cap Space WBB @nocapspacewbb.com · 5d
On October 8th, 2021, A’ja Wilson was blocked by Brittney Griner with a series on the line.

Four years to the day, the Aces superstar elevated over Alyssa Thomas to get Vegas within one win of a title.

A proper payoff for a hero’s journey, @aghaubner.bsky.social writes.
With A WNBA Finals Game Winner In Hand, A'ja Wilson's Ascent Is Now Complete
There's no question about it now. One win away from a third WNBA title in four years and on the heels of a Game Three game winning jumper, A'ja Wilson is officially the undisputed best in the world.
open.substack.com
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 5d
Perhaps not surprising, considering the people at the helm of this particular authoritarian regime came to power by promoting these conspiracy theory cliches (or tropes) within an increasingly online information ecosystem that became “wired” for their spread.
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