Emily Vraga
@ekvraga.bsky.social
Professor in the J-school at the University of Minnesota, studying health and political misinformation
Experiencing Kathy Cramer's fantastic book "Talking about Politics" firsthand in the local Caribou, with a group of older gentlemen discussing current events passionately and loudly as I answer emails.
March 6, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Experiencing Kathy Cramer's fantastic book "Talking about Politics" firsthand in the local Caribou, with a group of older gentlemen discussing current events passionately and loudly as I answer emails.
Reposted by Emily Vraga
Happy to report that APA wrote this letter, gathered a coalition across science, and will now pay for ads for it to be disseminated in Science and Chronicle of Higher Ed to spread the word!! unitedsciencealliance.org
February 13, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Happy to report that APA wrote this letter, gathered a coalition across science, and will now pay for ads for it to be disseminated in Science and Chronicle of Higher Ed to spread the word!! unitedsciencealliance.org
Reposted by Emily Vraga
BBC just released damning research on AI assistants' news accuracy.
Results: 51% of AI responses had significant issues. 19% introduced errors when citing BBC. 13% misquoted or made up BBC content entirely. 🤐🤐
www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/... via @ezraeeman.bsky.social
Results: 51% of AI responses had significant issues. 19% introduced errors when citing BBC. 13% misquoted or made up BBC content entirely. 🤐🤐
www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/... via @ezraeeman.bsky.social
February 11, 2025 at 7:22 AM
BBC just released damning research on AI assistants' news accuracy.
Results: 51% of AI responses had significant issues. 19% introduced errors when citing BBC. 13% misquoted or made up BBC content entirely. 🤐🤐
www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/... via @ezraeeman.bsky.social
Results: 51% of AI responses had significant issues. 19% introduced errors when citing BBC. 13% misquoted or made up BBC content entirely. 🤐🤐
www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/... via @ezraeeman.bsky.social
Reposted by Emily Vraga
The National Science Foundation has canceled all grant review panels this week. It's unclear how long the pause could last.
National Science Foundation freezes grant review in response to Trump executive orders
The National Science Foundation has canceled all grant review panels this week. It's unclear how long the pause could last.
www.npr.org
January 28, 2025 at 1:32 PM
The National Science Foundation has canceled all grant review panels this week. It's unclear how long the pause could last.
Reposted by Emily Vraga
EU medicines agency quits X & moves to Bluesky
"EMA will no longer post updates and content on X. We believe the X platform no longer suits our communication needs” the agency said in a statement
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
"EMA will no longer post updates and content on X. We believe the X platform no longer suits our communication needs” the agency said in a statement
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
EU medicines agency quits X, moves to Bluesky
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Monday it would no longer post on X and would use rival Bluesky instead, becoming the latest organisation to quit a social media platform that some have criticised for its content.
www.reuters.com
January 27, 2025 at 6:36 PM
EU medicines agency quits X & moves to Bluesky
"EMA will no longer post updates and content on X. We believe the X platform no longer suits our communication needs” the agency said in a statement
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
"EMA will no longer post updates and content on X. We believe the X platform no longer suits our communication needs” the agency said in a statement
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
Reposted by Emily Vraga
Now publicly available: the #TISP dataset. It contains 71,922 survey responses on public perceptions of science, science communication, and climate change attitudes in 68 countries. Published in @natureportfolio.bsky.social’s #ScientificData: www.nature.com/articles/s41... 📊
January 22, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Now publicly available: the #TISP dataset. It contains 71,922 survey responses on public perceptions of science, science communication, and climate change attitudes in 68 countries. Published in @natureportfolio.bsky.social’s #ScientificData: www.nature.com/articles/s41... 📊
Reposted by Emily Vraga
Just published on APSR First View: "Curation Bubbles" by Jon Green, Stefan McCabe, Sarah Shugars, Hanyu Chwe, Luke Horgan, Shuyang Cao, David Lazer. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/curation-bubbles/EBEBDE88633A86DFC821FE86B7708BB3
January 22, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Just published on APSR First View: "Curation Bubbles" by Jon Green, Stefan McCabe, Sarah Shugars, Hanyu Chwe, Luke Horgan, Shuyang Cao, David Lazer. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/curation-bubbles/EBEBDE88633A86DFC821FE86B7708BB3
Reposted by Emily Vraga
New! Oxford researchers @oiioxford.bsky.social outline recommendations for studying the impact of artificial intelligence on young people’s mental health: bit.ly/3WRtpzV. #artificialintelligence #screentime #children #mentalhealth
OII | Oxford researchers outline recommendations for studying the impact of artificial intelligence on young people’s mental health
With the rapid adoption of AI by children and adolescents using digital devices to access the internet and social media, OII experts call for a clear framework for AI research considering the impact o...
bit.ly
January 22, 2025 at 10:23 AM
New! Oxford researchers @oiioxford.bsky.social outline recommendations for studying the impact of artificial intelligence on young people’s mental health: bit.ly/3WRtpzV. #artificialintelligence #screentime #children #mentalhealth
Reposted by Emily Vraga
Remember this? A problem we didn't have in automated speech recognition tools until OpenAI decided they were going to do away with alignment (not the kind that so-called "AI safety" people do)? And they're giving us "artificial general intelligence" any day now right?
apnews.com/article/ai-a...
apnews.com/article/ai-a...
Researchers say an AI-powered transcription tool used in hospitals invents things no one ever said
Whisper is a popular transcription tool powered by artificial intelligence, but it has a major flaw. It makes things up that were never said.
apnews.com
January 14, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Remember this? A problem we didn't have in automated speech recognition tools until OpenAI decided they were going to do away with alignment (not the kind that so-called "AI safety" people do)? And they're giving us "artificial general intelligence" any day now right?
apnews.com/article/ai-a...
apnews.com/article/ai-a...
Reposted by Emily Vraga
Important question: when and which political parties lie?
This new publication is pretty clear in its findings: radical-right populism is the strongest determinant for the propensity to spread misinformation.
Based on an analysis of 32 million tweets in 26 countries.
doi.org/10.1177/1940...
This new publication is pretty clear in its findings: radical-right populism is the strongest determinant for the propensity to spread misinformation.
Based on an analysis of 32 million tweets in 26 countries.
doi.org/10.1177/1940...
When Do Parties Lie? Misinformation and Radical-Right Populism Across 26 Countries - Petter Törnberg, Juliana Chueri, 2025
The spread of misinformation has emerged as a global concern. Academic attention has recently shifted to emphasize the role of political elites as drivers of mi...
doi.org
January 14, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Important question: when and which political parties lie?
This new publication is pretty clear in its findings: radical-right populism is the strongest determinant for the propensity to spread misinformation.
Based on an analysis of 32 million tweets in 26 countries.
doi.org/10.1177/1940...
This new publication is pretty clear in its findings: radical-right populism is the strongest determinant for the propensity to spread misinformation.
Based on an analysis of 32 million tweets in 26 countries.
doi.org/10.1177/1940...
Reposted by Emily Vraga
🚨In Nature🚨
Meta is dropping fact-checking to avoid anti-conservative bias- but is there actually evidence of bias?
We this test empirically & find that conservatives
* ARE suspended more
* BUT share more misinfo
So suspension isn't necessarily evidence of bias www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Meta is dropping fact-checking to avoid anti-conservative bias- but is there actually evidence of bias?
We this test empirically & find that conservatives
* ARE suspended more
* BUT share more misinfo
So suspension isn't necessarily evidence of bias www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Differences in misinformation sharing can lead to politically asymmetric sanctions - Nature
We find that conservatives tend to share more low-quality news through social media than liberals, and so even if technology companies enact politically neutral anti-misinformation policies, political...
www.nature.com
January 7, 2025 at 2:11 PM
🚨In Nature🚨
Meta is dropping fact-checking to avoid anti-conservative bias- but is there actually evidence of bias?
We this test empirically & find that conservatives
* ARE suspended more
* BUT share more misinfo
So suspension isn't necessarily evidence of bias www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Meta is dropping fact-checking to avoid anti-conservative bias- but is there actually evidence of bias?
We this test empirically & find that conservatives
* ARE suspended more
* BUT share more misinfo
So suspension isn't necessarily evidence of bias www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Emily Vraga
New publication: Our analysis suggests in health journalists’ COVID-19 tweets, first-person pronouns, moral appeals, and negative emotions increase engagement, while politicized language reduces it.
Huge thanks to my amazing advisor @ekvraga.bsky.social and my fantastic collaborator Yuming Fang.
Huge thanks to my amazing advisor @ekvraga.bsky.social and my fantastic collaborator Yuming Fang.
My first tweet of 2025:
🚨 Publication alert 🚨 led by my awesome graduate student @ritatang.bsky.social! We examine how health journalists tweeted about COVID-19, exploring which tweets get the most engagement. HINT: not politicized language!
Free link here:
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/SCCK2...
🚨 Publication alert 🚨 led by my awesome graduate student @ritatang.bsky.social! We examine how health journalists tweeted about COVID-19, exploring which tweets get the most engagement. HINT: not politicized language!
Free link here:
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/SCCK2...
Strategic Subjectivity Shapes User Engagement: A Case Study on Health Journalists’ COVID-19 Tweets
Despite their important role in spreading accurate health information, particularly during crises, health journalists have to compete for audience engagement with a variety of content, especially p...
www.tandfonline.com
January 6, 2025 at 5:07 PM
New publication: Our analysis suggests in health journalists’ COVID-19 tweets, first-person pronouns, moral appeals, and negative emotions increase engagement, while politicized language reduces it.
Huge thanks to my amazing advisor @ekvraga.bsky.social and my fantastic collaborator Yuming Fang.
Huge thanks to my amazing advisor @ekvraga.bsky.social and my fantastic collaborator Yuming Fang.
Reposted by Emily Vraga
Community Notes don't work by themselves. So many things don't get labeled because people don't reach "consensus" on them, which is really what Community Notes optimize for, not factuality
What an utter failure. So disappointing
What an utter failure. So disappointing
"We're going to get rid of fact-checkers and replace them with community notes, similar to X, starting in the U.S," Mark Zuckerberg announces
He asserts that "the fact-checkers have just been too politically biased, and have destroyed more trust than they've created, especially in the U.S."
He asserts that "the fact-checkers have just been too politically biased, and have destroyed more trust than they've created, especially in the U.S."
January 7, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Community Notes don't work by themselves. So many things don't get labeled because people don't reach "consensus" on them, which is really what Community Notes optimize for, not factuality
What an utter failure. So disappointing
What an utter failure. So disappointing
My first tweet of 2025:
🚨 Publication alert 🚨 led by my awesome graduate student @ritatang.bsky.social! We examine how health journalists tweeted about COVID-19, exploring which tweets get the most engagement. HINT: not politicized language!
Free link here:
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/SCCK2...
🚨 Publication alert 🚨 led by my awesome graduate student @ritatang.bsky.social! We examine how health journalists tweeted about COVID-19, exploring which tweets get the most engagement. HINT: not politicized language!
Free link here:
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/SCCK2...
Strategic Subjectivity Shapes User Engagement: A Case Study on Health Journalists’ COVID-19 Tweets
Despite their important role in spreading accurate health information, particularly during crises, health journalists have to compete for audience engagement with a variety of content, especially p...
www.tandfonline.com
January 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
My first tweet of 2025:
🚨 Publication alert 🚨 led by my awesome graduate student @ritatang.bsky.social! We examine how health journalists tweeted about COVID-19, exploring which tweets get the most engagement. HINT: not politicized language!
Free link here:
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/SCCK2...
🚨 Publication alert 🚨 led by my awesome graduate student @ritatang.bsky.social! We examine how health journalists tweeted about COVID-19, exploring which tweets get the most engagement. HINT: not politicized language!
Free link here:
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/SCCK2...
"Every health department staff member, former staff member, public health official and vaccine expert contacted by NPR repeated the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe, effective, and essential for preventing illness, hospitalizations, and deaths."
www.npr.org/sections/sho...
www.npr.org/sections/sho...
Louisiana forbids public health workers from promoting COVID, flu and mpox shots
An NPR investigation found Louisiana health officials told staff to stop promoting vaccines for COVID, flu and mpox, holding flu shot events or otherwise encouraging the public to get those vaccines.
www.npr.org
December 20, 2024 at 3:04 PM
"Every health department staff member, former staff member, public health official and vaccine expert contacted by NPR repeated the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe, effective, and essential for preventing illness, hospitalizations, and deaths."
www.npr.org/sections/sho...
www.npr.org/sections/sho...
Reposted by Emily Vraga
Out now - National Academies consensus report on Understanding and Addressing Misinformation About Science 🧪
It was a privilege to serve as one of the 15 committee members from a wide range of scientific disciplines who put this report together. Quick 🧵1/
www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/und...
It was a privilege to serve as one of the 15 committee members from a wide range of scientific disciplines who put this report together. Quick 🧵1/
www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/und...
December 19, 2024 at 6:20 PM
Out now - National Academies consensus report on Understanding and Addressing Misinformation About Science 🧪
It was a privilege to serve as one of the 15 committee members from a wide range of scientific disciplines who put this report together. Quick 🧵1/
www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/und...
It was a privilege to serve as one of the 15 committee members from a wide range of scientific disciplines who put this report together. Quick 🧵1/
www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/und...
Reposted by Emily Vraga
Avian flu virus has been found in raw milk − a reminder of how pasteurization protects health
Avian flu virus has been found in raw milk − a reminder of how pasteurization protects health
Raw milk can carry many dangerous germs − now including the H5N1 virus that causes avian flu.
buff.ly
December 19, 2024 at 4:20 PM
Avian flu virus has been found in raw milk − a reminder of how pasteurization protects health
A charming example of how politics can work, and a reminder for anyone who thinks their vote doesn't count.
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/u...
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/u...
In a Small California Town, an Election Tie Is Broken by Drawing Straws
In an era of invective and distrust, two California candidates turned a tie over to chance.
www.nytimes.com
December 19, 2024 at 12:52 AM
A charming example of how politics can work, and a reminder for anyone who thinks their vote doesn't count.
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/u...
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/u...
Reposted by Emily Vraga
#Publichealth data shows #vaccines have saved 154 million+ lives worldwide over the past 50 yrs. A biochemist breaks down how claims by RFK Jr. about vaccine safety & effectiveness are inaccurate: https://buff.ly/3ZE7Kvn
(Mark R. O'Brian, University at Buffalo) 🩺🧪#episky #measles #mumps #polio
(Mark R. O'Brian, University at Buffalo) 🩺🧪#episky #measles #mumps #polio
Vaccine misinformation distorts science – a biochemist explains how RFK Jr. and his lawyer’s claims threaten public health
Many claims about the dangers of vaccines come from misrepresenting scientific research papers.
buff.ly
December 18, 2024 at 12:02 AM
#Publichealth data shows #vaccines have saved 154 million+ lives worldwide over the past 50 yrs. A biochemist breaks down how claims by RFK Jr. about vaccine safety & effectiveness are inaccurate: https://buff.ly/3ZE7Kvn
(Mark R. O'Brian, University at Buffalo) 🩺🧪#episky #measles #mumps #polio
(Mark R. O'Brian, University at Buffalo) 🩺🧪#episky #measles #mumps #polio
Reposted by Emily Vraga
In this new article in American Psychologist we respond to critics in detail and clarify two key points for the field;
(1) The prevalence of misinformation in society is substantial when properly defined.
(2) Misinformation causally impacts attitudes and behaviors.
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
(1) The prevalence of misinformation in society is substantial when properly defined.
(2) Misinformation causally impacts attitudes and behaviors.
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
December 16, 2024 at 11:16 AM
In this new article in American Psychologist we respond to critics in detail and clarify two key points for the field;
(1) The prevalence of misinformation in society is substantial when properly defined.
(2) Misinformation causally impacts attitudes and behaviors.
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
(1) The prevalence of misinformation in society is substantial when properly defined.
(2) Misinformation causally impacts attitudes and behaviors.
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
I have no words to express my sorrow and horror.... This happened in my hometown, as it has in way too many others.
www.npr.org/2024/12/16/g...
www.npr.org/2024/12/16/g...
Four people are dead and several more are hospitalized in Wisconsin school shooting
Four victims and the suspected shooter are dead after a shooting at a Wisconsin grade school.
www.npr.org
December 16, 2024 at 8:23 PM
I have no words to express my sorrow and horror.... This happened in my hometown, as it has in way too many others.
www.npr.org/2024/12/16/g...
www.npr.org/2024/12/16/g...
Reposted by Emily Vraga
Private company buys a public good. A few years go by and the company decides the public good is no longer worthwhile; the public suffers as a result.
This story arc is way too common in modern society.
deadline.com/2024/12/max-...
This story arc is way too common in modern society.
deadline.com/2024/12/max-...
December 16, 2024 at 3:09 AM
Private company buys a public good. A few years go by and the company decides the public good is no longer worthwhile; the public suffers as a result.
This story arc is way too common in modern society.
deadline.com/2024/12/max-...
This story arc is way too common in modern society.
deadline.com/2024/12/max-...
Reposted by Emily Vraga
Can we reduce polarization with empathy? Just published a new (replication) study with @mrooduijn.bsky.social and Matthijs Gillissen showing that different components of empathy have quite different effects [1/5] www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Empathic Concern and Perspective-Taking Have Opposite Effects on Affective Polarization | Journal of Experimental Political Science | Cambridge Core
Empathic Concern and Perspective-Taking Have Opposite Effects on Affective Polarization
www.cambridge.org
December 16, 2024 at 12:45 PM
Can we reduce polarization with empathy? Just published a new (replication) study with @mrooduijn.bsky.social and Matthijs Gillissen showing that different components of empathy have quite different effects [1/5] www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Reposted by Emily Vraga
New publication (4+ years in the making): “The Diffusion and Reach of (Mis)Information on Facebook”. shorturl.at/VE2fU
We analyze the propagation of 1B+ posts across content moderation regimes, with @davidlazer.bsky.social @jatucker.bsky.social @taliastroud.bsky.social @annenbergpenn.bsky.social
We analyze the propagation of 1B+ posts across content moderation regimes, with @davidlazer.bsky.social @jatucker.bsky.social @taliastroud.bsky.social @annenbergpenn.bsky.social
December 11, 2024 at 5:23 PM
New publication (4+ years in the making): “The Diffusion and Reach of (Mis)Information on Facebook”. shorturl.at/VE2fU
We analyze the propagation of 1B+ posts across content moderation regimes, with @davidlazer.bsky.social @jatucker.bsky.social @taliastroud.bsky.social @annenbergpenn.bsky.social
We analyze the propagation of 1B+ posts across content moderation regimes, with @davidlazer.bsky.social @jatucker.bsky.social @taliastroud.bsky.social @annenbergpenn.bsky.social
Some good news for Minnesotans: we're already at the earliest sunsets of the year, and the sun will start setting later in the next week. As the article says, "there’s more light at the end of the wintry tunnel each day"
www.mprnews.org/story/2024/1...
www.mprnews.org/story/2024/1...
Later sunsets begin this week in Minnesota
The earliest sunsets occur this week in Minnesota.
www.mprnews.org
December 11, 2024 at 3:34 AM
Some good news for Minnesotans: we're already at the earliest sunsets of the year, and the sun will start setting later in the next week. As the article says, "there’s more light at the end of the wintry tunnel each day"
www.mprnews.org/story/2024/1...
www.mprnews.org/story/2024/1...