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William J. Brady @williambrady.bsky.social · Sep 29

The computational psych preconference is back @spspnews.bsky.social for a full day! This year's lineup:

👉theory-driven modeling: Hyowon Gweon
👉data-driven discovery: @clemensstachl.bsky.social
👉application: me
👉 panel: @steveread.bsky.social Sandra Matz, @markthornton.bsky.social Wil Cunningham

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Joachim Baumann @joachimbaumann.bsky.social · Sep 12

🚨 New paper alert 🚨 Using LLMs as data annotators, you can produce any scientific result you want. We call this **LLM Hacking**.

Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2509.08825

$We present our new preprint titled "Large Language Model Hacking: Quantifying the Hidden Risks of Using LLMs for Text Annotation". We quantify LLM hacking risk through systematic replication of 37 diverse computational social science annotation tasks. For these tasks, we use a combined set of 2,361 realistic hypotheses that researchers might test using these annotations. Then, we collect 13 million LLM annotations across plausible LLM configurations. These annotations feed into 1.4 million regressions testing the hypotheses. For a hypothesis with no true effect (ground truth $p > 0.05$), different LLM configurations yield conflicting conclusions. Checkmarks indicate correct statistical conclusions matching ground truth; crosses indicate LLM hacking -- incorrect conclusions due to annotation errors. Across all experiments, LLM hacking occurs in 31-50\% of cases even with highly capable models. Since minor configuration changes can flip scientific conclusions, from correct to incorrect, LLM hacking can be exploited to present anything as statistically significant.$

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Aug 12

New Commentary in @misinforeview.bsky.social

We argue that recent technological disruptions provide an opportune moment for self-reflection, bringing together #AI, #science #misinformation, and #social #disparities within one research agenda. 🌎 🤖

misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/disp...

Disparities by design: Toward a research agenda that links science misinformation and socioeconomic marginalization in the age of AI | HKS Misinformation Review

Misinformation research often draws optimistic conclusions, with fact-checking, for example, being established as an effective means of reducing false beliefs. However, it rarely considers the details...

misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu

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Workshop on Online Abuse and Harms @woahworkshop.bsky.social · Aug 1

And that’s a wrap on the day! Our workshop keeps growing, and so do our social events.

Huge thanks to all the authors, speakers, attendees, and of course, our amazing organisers 👏

The drinks were a blast!

#ACL2025NLP

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Workshop on Online Abuse and Harms @woahworkshop.bsky.social · Aug 1

The 9th edition of the Workshop for Online Abuse and Harms is kicking off in Room 2.17 at #ACL2025NLP! We have a full program today, including 3 invited speakers, a panel discussion and a poster session. This year's workshop theme is Harms Beyond Hate Speech.

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Jul 31

Our paper on #ChildObjectification on TikTok is finally out! Check out my poster presentation tomorrow at the #Workshop on #Online #Abuse and #Harms @ #ACL.
⬇️ Read more about our findings in the post below!

aclanthology.org/2025.woah-1....

Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Jul 22

Join my talk on #ChildObjectification on TikTok at #IC2S2 today at 2:30 PM (📍 Social Good & Ethics).
I built classification models to detect objectifying language and found: 10% of comments refer to appearance, 3% are objectifying. Models struggle with this task, with #RoBERTa outperforming GPT-4.

Topic Overview of Comments on Videos with Children

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Sophia Hunger @sophiahunger.bsky.social · Jul 21

What an inspiring first day at the Summer School for Women* in Political Methodology here in Bremen yesterday! We were honored to be welcomed by the president of @unibremen.bsky.social‬, Prof. Jutta Günther, (1)

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Jul 23

The #SocialMedia track is starting at #IC2S2 with a talk on data donations, followed by presentations on polarization, engagement patterns, and community rules! 🌐

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Taha Yasseri @tahayasseri.bsky.social · Jul 7

Join our Centre for Sociology of Humans & Machines (SOHAM) at Trinity College Dublin as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, exploring how AI can enhance collective intelligence. We're looking for someone with strong computational skills & a passion for human-machine systems
my.corehr.com/pls/trrecrui...

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Jul 23

The paper will be out with the ACL proceedings soon, I’ll keep you posted !

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Hendrik Erz, PhD @hendrik-erz.de · Jul 22

I’ve never seen so many people at my institute‘s favorite bar — #ic2s2 is going strong day and night. Amazing people, amazing vibes!

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Jul 22

Join my talk on #ChildObjectification on TikTok at #IC2S2 today at 2:30 PM (📍 Social Good & Ethics).
I built classification models to detect objectifying language and found: 10% of comments refer to appearance, 3% are objectifying. Models struggle with this task, with #RoBERTa outperforming GPT-4.

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Reposted by Miriam Schirmer

Ingmar Weber @ingmarweber.de · Jul 22

If you're @ic2s2.bsky.social #IC2S2 and are looking for a faculty position, get in touch. @uni-saarland.de is hiring.
Right now, there's an open call in Computer Science @saarland-informatics-campus.de: www.uni-saarland.de/fileadmin/up...
Soon, there'll be open calls in the Social Sciences.

www.uni-saarland.de

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Jul 21

We just kicked off our tutorial at #IC2S2 in beautiful Norrköping. @dustinbwright.com is currently presenting our hands-on part on automated fact checking - 📍stop by at Vingen 3-4!

International Conference on Computational Social Science @ic2s2.bsky.social · Jul 21

Morning tutorials are in full swing. Share with us which insights you’re taking away. #ic2s2

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Jul 19

I had a great time at GSO's #LeadershipAcademy in Berlin! Leading other people is not always straightforward, especially in academia.
My takeaway: merging #values around who I want to be as a mentor with a strategy for a lab in #ComputationalViolenceResearch I hope to build.

Guidance, Skills & Opportunities for Researchers @gso-forresearchers.bsky.social · Jul 18

#LSA9 just wrapped up in Berlin! 🟡 A week of reflection, exchange & fresh perspectives. Our fellows explored what leadership means in research today—across roles, disciplines & institutions. From different workshops to tough questions: leading in academia starts with self-awareness.

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Jul 11

Thanks for inviting me and for the mug! ☕️

MilaNLP Lab @milanlp.bsky.social · Jul 11

🎓For today's lab seminar, we had the pleasure to host
@miriamschirmer.bsky.social with her presentation on Measuring and Reducing the Psychological Impact of Online Harm and Tiago Pimentel with How Much Does Tokenisation Impact Language Models?

#NLProc #onlineharms #tokenisation

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · May 22

Being a good researcher goes beyond academic publishing; to me, it also means fostering a research environment grounded in integrity and continuous learning. That’s why I’m excited to be part of this year’s GSO #Leadership Academy. Looking forward to meeting this year’s cohort! #ResponsibleResearch

Guidance, Skills & Opportunities for Researchers @gso-forresearchers.bsky.social · May 22

#Leadership isn’t a buzzword. It’s a #responsibility.
Our GSO Leadership Academy 9 brings together 25 researchers from 10 countries to rethink what leadership in science means - and how it can strengthen institutions, communities, and futures. #LSA9 #GSOLA
1. phase in Berlin - starting in July!

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Jürgen Pfeffer @jurgenpfeffer.bsky.social · Apr 21

Have you ever asked yourself about the overall extent of TikTok? Here some numbers from "Just Another Hour on TikTok" - Great compliment to @bendavidsteel.bsky.social for this data collection effort!
w/ @miriamschirmer.bsky.social & Derek Ruths
arxiv.org/abs/2504.13279

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Mar 28

Join us online for my #TaDa talk on child exposure on TikTok next week on Wednesday! 🤓

Clint Claessen @clint0475.bsky.social · Mar 28

The Text-as-Data Speaker Series is very happy to have
@miriamschirmer.bsky.social from Northwestern University to present her latest research!

🎙 Miriam Schirmer: Sharenting and Child Exposure on TikTok
📅 April 2nd, 2025 | 🕔 17:00 Berlin Time
🔗 Subscribe for details: tada.cool

See you next week!

TADA RG

TADA ✨ Initiative

tada.cool

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Alberto Acerbi @acerbialberto.com · Feb 25

Job offer! 3-year PDRA studying archaeological content on social media from a cultural evolution perspective. Based at Edinburgh, supervised by @chiara-bonacchi.bsky.social and myself -project "Weaponised Pasts: The Evolution Of Heritage-based Hostility On Social Media’. Please share!
bit.ly/3QCXUFS

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at The University of Edinburgh

Looking for a new job opportunity in academia? Check out this job opening for a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow on jobs.ac.uk!

www.jobs.ac.uk

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Mar 14

🤝 Human-AI synergy remains essential: AI speeds up analysis and identifies overarching themes. Humans provide interpretative depth, socio-political and historical awareness, and ideological sensitivity crucial in discourse analysis.

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Mar 14

💡 Our Suggestion: To maximize the potential of LLMs, combine AI’s scalability with human expertise through culturally-informed training and theory-driven prompting.

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Mar 14

❗️ The Problem: AI neutrality often obscures deeper socio-political meanings. The model often misclassifies ideologically charged statements, underplaying their socio-political implications.

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Mar 14

🔍 Key Findings:
GPT-4 efficiently identifies broad themes in large datasets but struggles with ideologically charged and culturally sensitive discourse. The model tends to default to neutral categories, failing to explicitly recognize hate speech or exclusionary narratives.

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Miriam Schirmer @miriamschirmer.bsky.social · Mar 14

🧵New paper out! How effective is GPT-4 for analyzing hate speech on social media? Our research in the Journal of Multicultural Discourses explores this important question. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Large Language Models and the challenge of analyzing discriminatory discourse: human-AI synergy in researching hate speech on social media

This article explores the potential and limitations of Large Language Models (LLMs) in conducting qualitative thematic analysis (TA). By comparing GPT-4’s analysis with human-led analysis of a YouT...

www.tandfonline.com

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