Fabio Votta📊🐧
@favstats.eu
Computational Communication Scientist #rstats | Postdoc Researcher | University of Amsterdam | @ascor.bsky.social | @algosoc.org | Blog: favstats.eu | Running on plant-based fuel 🌱 | he/him
Pinned
Fabio Votta📊🐧
@favstats.eu
· Dec 23
⏰Xmas came early this year!🎄 My final dissertation paper officially out in @polcommjournal.bsky.social!
We test the role of algorithms in shaping the cost of reaching voters. We find: who sees political ads & at what price depends NOT just on targeting choices.🧵
tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
We test the role of algorithms in shaping the cost of reaching voters. We find: who sees political ads & at what price depends NOT just on targeting choices.🧵
tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Any takes on why the Epstein files are triggering such a strong political backlash against Trump, when the vast majority of other scandals didn’t?
November 18, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Any takes on why the Epstein files are triggering such a strong political backlash against Trump, when the vast majority of other scandals didn’t?
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
After many months work, we launched a major new version of our Trends political ad tracking platform this morning.
Take a look (and let us know your feedback - we'd love to hear from you):
trends.whotargets.me/reports
Take a look (and let us know your feedback - we'd love to hear from you):
trends.whotargets.me/reports
November 10, 2025 at 10:45 AM
After many months work, we launched a major new version of our Trends political ad tracking platform this morning.
Take a look (and let us know your feedback - we'd love to hear from you):
trends.whotargets.me/reports
Take a look (and let us know your feedback - we'd love to hear from you):
trends.whotargets.me/reports
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
Fabulous online seminar organized by @algosoc.org
Algorithmic Effects on #Elections: Using Social Media Data Donations to Study Elections
🗓️ Fri 12 Dec, 14:00–15:30 CET
@ernesto-deleon.com @favstats.eu @antmandan.bsky.social @simonchauchard.bsky.social
Registration ⬇️
algosoc.org/events/algos...
Algorithmic Effects on #Elections: Using Social Media Data Donations to Study Elections
🗓️ Fri 12 Dec, 14:00–15:30 CET
@ernesto-deleon.com @favstats.eu @antmandan.bsky.social @simonchauchard.bsky.social
Registration ⬇️
algosoc.org/events/algos...
AlgoSoc Seminar Series: Algorithmic Effects on Elections: Using Social Media Data Donations to Study Elections | AlgoSoc
algosoc.org
November 7, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Fabulous online seminar organized by @algosoc.org
Algorithmic Effects on #Elections: Using Social Media Data Donations to Study Elections
🗓️ Fri 12 Dec, 14:00–15:30 CET
@ernesto-deleon.com @favstats.eu @antmandan.bsky.social @simonchauchard.bsky.social
Registration ⬇️
algosoc.org/events/algos...
Algorithmic Effects on #Elections: Using Social Media Data Donations to Study Elections
🗓️ Fri 12 Dec, 14:00–15:30 CET
@ernesto-deleon.com @favstats.eu @antmandan.bsky.social @simonchauchard.bsky.social
Registration ⬇️
algosoc.org/events/algos...
"No" Ned said with sadness in his voice. "Now it ends.'
November 5, 2025 at 6:40 AM
"No" Ned said with sadness in his voice. "Now it ends.'
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
🎯 @favstats.eu about Meta / Google's EU political advertising ban:
"the self-imposed political ad ban is a complete failure of platform responsibility that will make our elections less transparent, less fair, and more vulnerable to the whims of algorithms"
www.techpolicy.press/what-data-re...
"the self-imposed political ad ban is a complete failure of platform responsibility that will make our elections less transparent, less fair, and more vulnerable to the whims of algorithms"
www.techpolicy.press/what-data-re...
What Data Reveals About Meta and Google’s Political Ad Ban in the EU | TechPolicy.Press
The ad ban is a complete failure of platform responsibility that will make elections less transparent and more vulnerable to algorithms, writes Fabio Votta.
www.techpolicy.press
November 3, 2025 at 2:30 PM
🎯 @favstats.eu about Meta / Google's EU political advertising ban:
"the self-imposed political ad ban is a complete failure of platform responsibility that will make our elections less transparent, less fair, and more vulnerable to the whims of algorithms"
www.techpolicy.press/what-data-re...
"the self-imposed political ad ban is a complete failure of platform responsibility that will make our elections less transparent, less fair, and more vulnerable to the whims of algorithms"
www.techpolicy.press/what-data-re...
Thank you @techpolicypress.bsky.social and @ramshajahangir.bsky.social for giving me the space to rant about the “end” of political advertising on social media in the EU!
Meta and Google’s decision to ban political ads in the EU isn’t just a regulatory adjustment, it’s a setback for accountability and election integrity, writes Fabio Votta. Drawing on 5 years of tracking political ads, he explores the ban's impact on transparency.
buff.ly/BRbLgUw
buff.ly/BRbLgUw
What Data Reveals About Meta and Google’s Political Ad Ban in the EU | TechPolicy.Press
The ad ban is a complete failure of platform responsibility that will make elections less transparent and more vulnerable to algorithms, writes Fabio Votta.
www.techpolicy.press
November 3, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Thank you @techpolicypress.bsky.social and @ramshajahangir.bsky.social for giving me the space to rant about the “end” of political advertising on social media in the EU!
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
I took an Uber with another furry from the con to the airport and I exited there, while he stayed for another stop.
The driver made him pay additional 150€ to the 70€ Uber trip to exit the car and Uber is not understanding the issue here.
The driver made him pay additional 150€ to the 70€ Uber trip to exit the car and Uber is not understanding the issue here.
November 3, 2025 at 9:55 AM
I took an Uber with another furry from the con to the airport and I exited there, while he stayed for another stop.
The driver made him pay additional 150€ to the 70€ Uber trip to exit the car and Uber is not understanding the issue here.
The driver made him pay additional 150€ to the 70€ Uber trip to exit the car and Uber is not understanding the issue here.
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
"The week that AI hit Europe’s elections"
With insights from @claesdevreese.bsky.social, @favstats.eu & yours truly!
Thanks to @pieterhaeck.bsky.social & @evahartog.bsky.social.
With insights from @claesdevreese.bsky.social, @favstats.eu & yours truly!
Thanks to @pieterhaeck.bsky.social & @evahartog.bsky.social.
This was the week that AI hit two European electoral campaigns in a major way and exposed significant gaps in ongoing efforts to curb undue influence on voters.
The week that AI deepfakes hit Europe’s elections
Dutch and Irish elections show voters now have to worry if the political content they consume is real.
www.politico.eu
October 31, 2025 at 2:16 PM
"The week that AI hit Europe’s elections"
With insights from @claesdevreese.bsky.social, @favstats.eu & yours truly!
Thanks to @pieterhaeck.bsky.social & @evahartog.bsky.social.
With insights from @claesdevreese.bsky.social, @favstats.eu & yours truly!
Thanks to @pieterhaeck.bsky.social & @evahartog.bsky.social.
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
“In a study of some 20,000 election-related posts in the Netherlands, researchers [..] found that over 400 posts were AI-generated. The party of far-right leader Geert Wilders, the Party for Freedom (PVV), came out on top in its use of AI.” www.politico.eu/article/elec...
The week that AI deepfakes hit Europe’s elections – POLITICO
Dutch and Irish elections show voters now have to worry if the political content they consume is real.
www.politico.eu
October 31, 2025 at 7:35 AM
“In a study of some 20,000 election-related posts in the Netherlands, researchers [..] found that over 400 posts were AI-generated. The party of far-right leader Geert Wilders, the Party for Freedom (PVV), came out on top in its use of AI.” www.politico.eu/article/elec...
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
From far-right AI imagery to AI chatbots offering vote advice.
Weighing in in @politico.eu on the role of AI in the Dutch elections with great colleagues @favstats.eu and @hannescools.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/elec...
Weighing in in @politico.eu on the role of AI in the Dutch elections with great colleagues @favstats.eu and @hannescools.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/elec...
The week that AI deepfakes hit Europe’s elections
Dutch and Irish elections show voters now have to worry if the political content they consume is real.
www.politico.eu
October 31, 2025 at 6:50 AM
From far-right AI imagery to AI chatbots offering vote advice.
Weighing in in @politico.eu on the role of AI in the Dutch elections with great colleagues @favstats.eu and @hannescools.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/elec...
Weighing in in @politico.eu on the role of AI in the Dutch elections with great colleagues @favstats.eu and @hannescools.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/elec...
Thanks for having us, it was the perfect way to spend the election night!
Excitement, tension, bingo and great insights from my fellow PolComm colleagues - think that describes our election event in CREA quite well. Great way to count down to the exitpolls! @markboukes.bsky.social @favstats.eu @ulrikeklinger.bsky.social @lindabomm.bsky.social @corinnaoschatz.bsky.social
October 30, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Thanks for having us, it was the perfect way to spend the election night!
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
Excitement, tension, bingo and great insights from my fellow PolComm colleagues - think that describes our election event in CREA quite well. Great way to count down to the exitpolls! @markboukes.bsky.social @favstats.eu @ulrikeklinger.bsky.social @lindabomm.bsky.social @corinnaoschatz.bsky.social
October 30, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Excitement, tension, bingo and great insights from my fellow PolComm colleagues - think that describes our election event in CREA quite well. Great way to count down to the exitpolls! @markboukes.bsky.social @favstats.eu @ulrikeklinger.bsky.social @lindabomm.bsky.social @corinnaoschatz.bsky.social
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
Today is the day 🎁
The #dsa regime for researchers to get access to platform data to study societal impact and risks starts TODAY.
This has been a loooooong time coming. And the proof of the pudding will be in the eating …
#dataaccess #commsky
digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/new-...
The #dsa regime for researchers to get access to platform data to study societal impact and risks starts TODAY.
This has been a loooooong time coming. And the proof of the pudding will be in the eating …
#dataaccess #commsky
digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/new-...
New measures unlock access to data from largest online platforms to support research
As of today, new rules under the Digital Services Act (DSA) will allow researchers to gain unprecedented access to very large online platforms' data to study the societal impact stemming from the plat...
digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu
October 29, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Today is the day 🎁
The #dsa regime for researchers to get access to platform data to study societal impact and risks starts TODAY.
This has been a loooooong time coming. And the proof of the pudding will be in the eating …
#dataaccess #commsky
digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/new-...
The #dsa regime for researchers to get access to platform data to study societal impact and risks starts TODAY.
This has been a loooooong time coming. And the proof of the pudding will be in the eating …
#dataaccess #commsky
digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/new-...
I have always exaggerated with dashboards, but this 🇳🇱 Dutch election campaign I did not make 1, I did not make 2, but I made 3 dashboards 😅
1. tracking the use of AI (campaigntracker.nl/en)
2. tracking campaign spending (lnkd.in/eUKgeV9V)
3. tracking targeting on Meta (lnkd.in/eXrp454E)
#tk2025
1. tracking the use of AI (campaigntracker.nl/en)
2. tracking campaign spending (lnkd.in/eUKgeV9V)
3. tracking targeting on Meta (lnkd.in/eXrp454E)
#tk2025
October 29, 2025 at 12:08 PM
I have always exaggerated with dashboards, but this 🇳🇱 Dutch election campaign I did not make 1, I did not make 2, but I made 3 dashboards 😅
1. tracking the use of AI (campaigntracker.nl/en)
2. tracking campaign spending (lnkd.in/eUKgeV9V)
3. tracking targeting on Meta (lnkd.in/eXrp454E)
#tk2025
1. tracking the use of AI (campaigntracker.nl/en)
2. tracking campaign spending (lnkd.in/eUKgeV9V)
3. tracking targeting on Meta (lnkd.in/eXrp454E)
#tk2025
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
584 AI posts tijdens de Nederlandse verkiezingscampagne, met 60% van verrechts, en met name op Facebook.
🚨 CampAIgn Tracker Update: we now identify 584 AI posts found in our campaign monitoring. 60% from far-right accounts, mainly PVV MPs' "Geen Aangifte" page (now, ironically, facing charges). We find: AI was more succesful on Facebook but flopped elsewhere. #tk2025
🇬🇧: campaigntracker.nl/en
🇬🇧: campaigntracker.nl/en
October 29, 2025 at 9:59 AM
584 AI posts tijdens de Nederlandse verkiezingscampagne, met 60% van verrechts, en met name op Facebook.
🚨 CampAIgn Tracker Update: we now identify 584 AI posts found in our campaign monitoring. 60% from far-right accounts, mainly PVV MPs' "Geen Aangifte" page (now, ironically, facing charges). We find: AI was more succesful on Facebook but flopped elsewhere. #tk2025
🇬🇧: campaigntracker.nl/en
🇬🇧: campaigntracker.nl/en
October 29, 2025 at 9:50 AM
🚨 CampAIgn Tracker Update: we now identify 584 AI posts found in our campaign monitoring. 60% from far-right accounts, mainly PVV MPs' "Geen Aangifte" page (now, ironically, facing charges). We find: AI was more succesful on Facebook but flopped elsewhere. #tk2025
🇬🇧: campaigntracker.nl/en
🇬🇧: campaigntracker.nl/en
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
Check out Campaign Tracker NL, looking at the use of AI in the Dutch election campaign (and here are some particularly egregious examples from Geert Wilders' PVV and aligned pages)
www.campaigntracker.nl/explore/
www.campaigntracker.nl/explore/
October 16, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Check out Campaign Tracker NL, looking at the use of AI in the Dutch election campaign (and here are some particularly egregious examples from Geert Wilders' PVV and aligned pages)
www.campaigntracker.nl/explore/
www.campaigntracker.nl/explore/
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
As a scholar I rarely offer electoral guidance. But today I do:
DO NOT USE AI CHATBOTS AS YOUR VOTE ADVICE APPLICATION AHEAD OF (THE DUTCH) ELECTIONS
Full of errors, bias and lack of transparency.
@ernesto-deleon.com @favstats.eu @theoaraujo.bsky.social and🙋unpack why
algosoc.org/results/1-in...
DO NOT USE AI CHATBOTS AS YOUR VOTE ADVICE APPLICATION AHEAD OF (THE DUTCH) ELECTIONS
Full of errors, bias and lack of transparency.
@ernesto-deleon.com @favstats.eu @theoaraujo.bsky.social and🙋unpack why
algosoc.org/results/1-in...
1 in 10 Dutch citizens are likely to ask AI for election advice. This is why they shouldn't | AlgoSoc
algosoc.org
October 29, 2025 at 7:24 AM
As a scholar I rarely offer electoral guidance. But today I do:
DO NOT USE AI CHATBOTS AS YOUR VOTE ADVICE APPLICATION AHEAD OF (THE DUTCH) ELECTIONS
Full of errors, bias and lack of transparency.
@ernesto-deleon.com @favstats.eu @theoaraujo.bsky.social and🙋unpack why
algosoc.org/results/1-in...
DO NOT USE AI CHATBOTS AS YOUR VOTE ADVICE APPLICATION AHEAD OF (THE DUTCH) ELECTIONS
Full of errors, bias and lack of transparency.
@ernesto-deleon.com @favstats.eu @theoaraujo.bsky.social and🙋unpack why
algosoc.org/results/1-in...
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
🤖 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐀𝐈𝐠𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫 🇳🇱
Less than one week before the Dutch elections, @meinungsfuehrer.bsky.social & I looked at over 20k posts to reveal patterns in the usage of AI-generated visuals across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X. #tk2025
🧵Thread
Less than one week before the Dutch elections, @meinungsfuehrer.bsky.social & I looked at over 20k posts to reveal patterns in the usage of AI-generated visuals across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X. #tk2025
🧵Thread
October 23, 2025 at 9:36 AM
🤖 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐀𝐈𝐠𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫 🇳🇱
Less than one week before the Dutch elections, @meinungsfuehrer.bsky.social & I looked at over 20k posts to reveal patterns in the usage of AI-generated visuals across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X. #tk2025
🧵Thread
Less than one week before the Dutch elections, @meinungsfuehrer.bsky.social & I looked at over 20k posts to reveal patterns in the usage of AI-generated visuals across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X. #tk2025
🧵Thread
Guess who is on national TV tonight
October 27, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Guess who is on national TV tonight
I think this Facebook page is a terrifying case study in how gen AI slop has enabled the creation of an automated hate machine, churning out endless caricatures of made-up enemies, immigrants and politicians, optimized for engagement. In many ways, it embodied the very nightmare many of us feared.
October 27, 2025 at 7:59 AM
I think this Facebook page is a terrifying case study in how gen AI slop has enabled the creation of an automated hate machine, churning out endless caricatures of made-up enemies, immigrants and politicians, optimized for engagement. In many ways, it embodied the very nightmare many of us feared.
The Facebook page behind these images was the most active spreader of political AI content, posting multiple times a day and becoming the most engaged-with pages on Facebook among all those we track. Even surpassing Geert Wilders in total engagement during October. The page has now been deleted.
October 27, 2025 at 7:32 AM
The Facebook page behind these images was the most active spreader of political AI content, posting multiple times a day and becoming the most engaged-with pages on Facebook among all those we track. Even surpassing Geert Wilders in total engagement during October. The page has now been deleted.
🇳🇱 Track political ad spending in the Netherlands!
My new dashboard visualizes €9M+ in campaign spending for #TK2025.
👉 favstats.github.io/reclamer/
Powered by my -also new- {reclamer} #rstats package to retrieve ad spending on traditional media sources: github.com/favstats/rec...
My new dashboard visualizes €9M+ in campaign spending for #TK2025.
👉 favstats.github.io/reclamer/
Powered by my -also new- {reclamer} #rstats package to retrieve ad spending on traditional media sources: github.com/favstats/rec...
Political Ad Spend Tracker
This dashboard tracks political advertising spending across three major data sources in the Netherlands leading up to the 2025 parliamentary elections. Following new EU transparency regulations and…
favstats.github.io
October 27, 2025 at 6:00 AM
🇳🇱 Track political ad spending in the Netherlands!
My new dashboard visualizes €9M+ in campaign spending for #TK2025.
👉 favstats.github.io/reclamer/
Powered by my -also new- {reclamer} #rstats package to retrieve ad spending on traditional media sources: github.com/favstats/rec...
My new dashboard visualizes €9M+ in campaign spending for #TK2025.
👉 favstats.github.io/reclamer/
Powered by my -also new- {reclamer} #rstats package to retrieve ad spending on traditional media sources: github.com/favstats/rec...
Reposted by Fabio Votta📊🐧
Elections in the Netherlands
On social media, no other top candidate even approaches the dominance of radical right PVV leader Geert Wilders. Even taking into account how much longer he's been around, it's an alarming chasm. (And if Baudet still headed the extremist FvD list, he'd easily be second)
On social media, no other top candidate even approaches the dominance of radical right PVV leader Geert Wilders. Even taking into account how much longer he's been around, it's an alarming chasm. (And if Baudet still headed the extremist FvD list, he'd easily be second)
October 23, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Elections in the Netherlands
On social media, no other top candidate even approaches the dominance of radical right PVV leader Geert Wilders. Even taking into account how much longer he's been around, it's an alarming chasm. (And if Baudet still headed the extremist FvD list, he'd easily be second)
On social media, no other top candidate even approaches the dominance of radical right PVV leader Geert Wilders. Even taking into account how much longer he's been around, it's an alarming chasm. (And if Baudet still headed the extremist FvD list, he'd easily be second)