Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
@wytang.bsky.social
Erasmus Rotterdam University - Lecturer
Communications Ph.D. - Media Psychology - Videogames & Sexism
Communications Ph.D. - Media Psychology - Videogames & Sexism
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
Being among the first interrogated and ultimately fired by DOGE, I certainly felt we were facing the business end of a right-wing conspiracy theory 🧵
DOGE was not a money-saving effort. It was an effort to chase down and prove right-wing conspiracy theories. They went after USAID to prove conspiracy theories about foreign aid. Then they went after SSA to, again, pursue conspiracy theories about Dems paying "illegals" to vote. 1/2
All DOGE accomplished was purging critical government staff, handing private data to outsiders, and sentencing thousands in developing countries to death by gutting USAID.
I don’t say this lightly: if there were any justice in this world, the people responsible for this devastation would be in jail
I don’t say this lightly: if there were any justice in this world, the people responsible for this devastation would be in jail
November 26, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Being among the first interrogated and ultimately fired by DOGE, I certainly felt we were facing the business end of a right-wing conspiracy theory 🧵
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
Help me in my push to 5k for the end of 2025!
I just need 1400 new friends who also love brains and games 🧠🎮
www.youtube.com/psychgeist
I just need 1400 new friends who also love brains and games 🧠🎮
www.youtube.com/psychgeist
Psychgeist
Where science, video games, and pop culture meet.
Hosted by Dr. Rachel Kowert, a psychologist and game researcher, this channel breaks down the science behind your favorite games, shows, and fandom...
www.youtube.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Help me in my push to 5k for the end of 2025!
I just need 1400 new friends who also love brains and games 🧠🎮
www.youtube.com/psychgeist
I just need 1400 new friends who also love brains and games 🧠🎮
www.youtube.com/psychgeist
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
Illustrating selective privacy and connection to digital enthnonationalism from Wired www.wired.com/story/the-vi...
The Viral ‘DoorDash Girl’ Saga Unearthed a Nightmare for Black Creators
A delivery driver posted a TikTok alleging she had been sexually assaulted by a customer. The deepfakes that followed reveal a growing digital blackface problem.
www.wired.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Illustrating selective privacy and connection to digital enthnonationalism from Wired www.wired.com/story/the-vi...
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
Some political influencers will dismiss an inconvenient video by calling it a deepfake, and many of their followers believe them. Even if corrected later, far fewer people ever see that update. So now we face two problems: people weaponizing AI deepfakes, and weaponizing false claims of deepfakes.
November 26, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Some political influencers will dismiss an inconvenient video by calling it a deepfake, and many of their followers believe them. Even if corrected later, far fewer people ever see that update. So now we face two problems: people weaponizing AI deepfakes, and weaponizing false claims of deepfakes.
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
1st paper in thread. The 2nd & my last submitted paper of 2025 is my big theory paper that took over a year to write. Some of you have generously invited me to speak about it but very few have seen the paper. I propose what I call Racial Contrast Theory, to examine Black-Asian relations
osf.io/easwg
osf.io/easwg
November 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
1st paper in thread. The 2nd & my last submitted paper of 2025 is my big theory paper that took over a year to write. Some of you have generously invited me to speak about it but very few have seen the paper. I propose what I call Racial Contrast Theory, to examine Black-Asian relations
osf.io/easwg
osf.io/easwg
📄 Pub alert! ✨
My piece with @madzbrutal.bsky.social is out in the Bulletin of Applied Trans Studies @transstudies.bsky.social 🦇
We analyze how gender critical forum users on Ovarit and Mumsnet were radicalized through anti-trans media literacy and storytelling practices.
doi.org/10.57814/wjd...
My piece with @madzbrutal.bsky.social is out in the Bulletin of Applied Trans Studies @transstudies.bsky.social 🦇
We analyze how gender critical forum users on Ovarit and Mumsnet were radicalized through anti-trans media literacy and storytelling practices.
doi.org/10.57814/wjd...
“I Took a Deep Breath and Came Out as GC” - Bulletin of Applied Transgender Studies
Following the closure of the anti-trans subreddit r/GenderCritical,
gender critical (GC) internet users have migrated to more obscure,
invite-only spaces. A side-effect of this GC dispersal is that ac...
doi.org
November 26, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
📄 Pub alert! ✨
My piece with @madzbrutal.bsky.social is out in the Bulletin of Applied Trans Studies @transstudies.bsky.social 🦇
We analyze how gender critical forum users on Ovarit and Mumsnet were radicalized through anti-trans media literacy and storytelling practices.
doi.org/10.57814/wjd...
My piece with @madzbrutal.bsky.social is out in the Bulletin of Applied Trans Studies @transstudies.bsky.social 🦇
We analyze how gender critical forum users on Ovarit and Mumsnet were radicalized through anti-trans media literacy and storytelling practices.
doi.org/10.57814/wjd...
“I Took a Deep Breath and Came Out as GC” - Bulletin of Applied Transgender Studies
Following the closure of the anti-trans subreddit r/GenderCritical,
gender critical (GC) internet users have migrated to more obscure,
invite-only spaces. A side-effect of this GC dispersal is that ac...
doi.org
November 26, 2025 at 2:56 PM
📄 Pub alert! ✨
My piece with @madzbrutal.bsky.social is out in the Bulletin of Applied Trans Studies @transstudies.bsky.social 🦇
We analyze how gender critical forum users on Ovarit and Mumsnet were radicalized through anti-trans media literacy and storytelling practices.
doi.org/10.57814/wjd...
My piece with @madzbrutal.bsky.social is out in the Bulletin of Applied Trans Studies @transstudies.bsky.social 🦇
We analyze how gender critical forum users on Ovarit and Mumsnet were radicalized through anti-trans media literacy and storytelling practices.
doi.org/10.57814/wjd...
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
Our research shows that online misogyny is growing fast & young women are paying the price.
Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women & Girls, help CCDH push for safer spaces for digital spaces – free of online misogyny.
Donate today 👇
https://bit.ly/4r9U0pf
Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women & Girls, help CCDH push for safer spaces for digital spaces – free of online misogyny.
Donate today 👇
https://bit.ly/4r9U0pf
November 25, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Our research shows that online misogyny is growing fast & young women are paying the price.
Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women & Girls, help CCDH push for safer spaces for digital spaces – free of online misogyny.
Donate today 👇
https://bit.ly/4r9U0pf
Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women & Girls, help CCDH push for safer spaces for digital spaces – free of online misogyny.
Donate today 👇
https://bit.ly/4r9U0pf
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
Today marks the beginning of UN Women's 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence under the theme: ‘UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls.’
At Women in Games, we stand firmly behind this global call to action.
Join the campaign: www.unwomen.org/en/get-invol...
At Women in Games, we stand firmly behind this global call to action.
Join the campaign: www.unwomen.org/en/get-invol...
November 25, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Today marks the beginning of UN Women's 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence under the theme: ‘UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls.’
At Women in Games, we stand firmly behind this global call to action.
Join the campaign: www.unwomen.org/en/get-invol...
At Women in Games, we stand firmly behind this global call to action.
Join the campaign: www.unwomen.org/en/get-invol...
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
New from 404 Media: X has shown where accounts are actually being run from, revealing many MAGA accounts are actually grifters in Eastern Europe, Asia, etc. But the situation is much, much worse. Entire guides specifically on how to squeeze US audiences with AI.
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
America’s Polarization Has Become the World's Side Hustle
The 'psyops' revealed by X are entirely the fault of the perverse incentives created by social media monetization programs.
www.404media.co
November 24, 2025 at 6:52 PM
New from 404 Media: X has shown where accounts are actually being run from, revealing many MAGA accounts are actually grifters in Eastern Europe, Asia, etc. But the situation is much, much worse. Entire guides specifically on how to squeeze US audiences with AI.
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
It didn’t start here and it won’t end here. Stand up and push back.
November 24, 2025 at 9:37 PM
It didn’t start here and it won’t end here. Stand up and push back.
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
For @aftermath.site, I spoke to @imodrew.bsky.social, the Sucker Punch dev fired after making a Charlie Kirk joke.
She paints a picture of an industry that all too often ignores bad actors until those bad actors threaten them financially.
aftermath.site/sucker-punch...
She paints a picture of an industry that all too often ignores bad actors until those bad actors threaten them financially.
aftermath.site/sucker-punch...
Two Months After Firing Over Charlie Kirk Comments, Ghost Of Yotei Dev Blames Harassment Campaign, Not ‘Bad Joke’
"I really don’t want this to happen to anyone else, because I feel like with the state of everything, it will absolutely happen to other people," says Drew Harrison
aftermath.site
November 24, 2025 at 6:58 PM
For @aftermath.site, I spoke to @imodrew.bsky.social, the Sucker Punch dev fired after making a Charlie Kirk joke.
She paints a picture of an industry that all too often ignores bad actors until those bad actors threaten them financially.
aftermath.site/sucker-punch...
She paints a picture of an industry that all too often ignores bad actors until those bad actors threaten them financially.
aftermath.site/sucker-punch...
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
The reason why platform companies do make it hard to find account location information is not because they believe in privacy, it's so that advertisers do not know how much is lost to low-tier engagement.
Growth, at all costs, means avoiding publishing basic metadata so that advertisers don't sue.
Growth, at all costs, means avoiding publishing basic metadata so that advertisers don't sue.
November 24, 2025 at 8:23 PM
The reason why platform companies do make it hard to find account location information is not because they believe in privacy, it's so that advertisers do not know how much is lost to low-tier engagement.
Growth, at all costs, means avoiding publishing basic metadata so that advertisers don't sue.
Growth, at all costs, means avoiding publishing basic metadata so that advertisers don't sue.
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
In August, we revealled how the man who started Tea, the ‘women dating safety’ app, tried to hire a female ‘face’ for the company and then hijack her community.
If you've been impacted by the Tea hack, we'd love to hear from you. Hit us up at [email protected] www.404media.co/how-teas-fou...
If you've been impacted by the Tea hack, we'd love to hear from you. Hit us up at [email protected] www.404media.co/how-teas-fou...
How Tea’s Founder Convinced Millions of Women to Spill Their Secrets, Then Exposed Them to the World
A 404 Media investigation reveals how the man who started Tea, the ‘women dating safety’ app, tried to hire a female ‘face’ for the company and then hijack her grassroots community.
www.404media.co
November 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM
In August, we revealled how the man who started Tea, the ‘women dating safety’ app, tried to hire a female ‘face’ for the company and then hijack her community.
If you've been impacted by the Tea hack, we'd love to hear from you. Hit us up at [email protected] www.404media.co/how-teas-fou...
If you've been impacted by the Tea hack, we'd love to hear from you. Hit us up at [email protected] www.404media.co/how-teas-fou...
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
" I don't think there will be ... apps ... the phone will just display what it anticipates you would most like to receive"
An amazing illustration of the pervasive, problematic error in understanding human motivation that I've been going after in recent papers.
An amazing illustration of the pervasive, problematic error in understanding human motivation that I've been going after in recent papers.
Everything about this might be the saddest thing I’ve ever seen
November 24, 2025 at 1:52 PM
" I don't think there will be ... apps ... the phone will just display what it anticipates you would most like to receive"
An amazing illustration of the pervasive, problematic error in understanding human motivation that I've been going after in recent papers.
An amazing illustration of the pervasive, problematic error in understanding human motivation that I've been going after in recent papers.
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
Everyone forgets that the term "fake news," originally referred to made up stories about Hillary Clinton and the Democrats, spread by supposed Trump supporters for racist reasons. But it turned out to just be profit motive by non-US individuals looking to get racist American weirdos to click on ads🤷🏿♂️
Macedonia's Fake News Factories | AJ+
YouTube video by AJ+
m.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Everyone forgets that the term "fake news," originally referred to made up stories about Hillary Clinton and the Democrats, spread by supposed Trump supporters for racist reasons. But it turned out to just be profit motive by non-US individuals looking to get racist American weirdos to click on ads🤷🏿♂️
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
In a recent study, Hikari Abe-Džujka and I found that femvertizing affects purchase intention. While the effect was rather small, in our study femvertizing *increased* purchase intention by 1%.
Read full paper here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Read full paper here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
From Ads to Action: Femvertising’s Impact on Brand Image and Purchase Probability Through Well-Being Dimensions
Femvertising stands for feminism advertising and its goal is to support and empower girls and women through advertisements. Despite its increasing relevance, femvertising is still an underexplored ...
www.tandfonline.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:50 PM
In a recent study, Hikari Abe-Džujka and I found that femvertizing affects purchase intention. While the effect was rather small, in our study femvertizing *increased* purchase intention by 1%.
Read full paper here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Read full paper here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
They put the cozy in cozy. But how?
What makes a cozy game cozy, and why do so many people love playing them? @davetach.bsky.social spoke to @drkowert.bsky.social and a bunch of devs to get the answers.
store.epicgames.com/en-US/news/b...
store.epicgames.com/en-US/news/b...
The Rise of Cozy Games
From Stardew Valley to Animal Crossing and the COVID boom, we spoke with developers, players, and a video game-focused psychologist on the rise of chill games.
store.epicgames.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:29 PM
They put the cozy in cozy. But how?
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
I'm delighted to announce that my new book, Artgames after Gamergate, is out now with Palgrave: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Artgames after GamerGate
This book explores how artgame designers respond to Gamergate, challenging perceptions of gaming and its place in culture and politics
link.springer.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
I'm delighted to announce that my new book, Artgames after Gamergate, is out now with Palgrave: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
This chimes with our new open-access @polcommjournal.bsky.social study of French-language immigration posts, which shows how far-right users flood feeds with hyper-partisan sources for political purposes: doi.org/10.1080/1058...
November 23, 2025 at 7:43 PM
This chimes with our new open-access @polcommjournal.bsky.social study of French-language immigration posts, which shows how far-right users flood feeds with hyper-partisan sources for political purposes: doi.org/10.1080/1058...
That tense interview with Roblox's CEO
youtu.be/XpIXRgMlPo4?...
youtu.be/XpIXRgMlPo4?...
We Asked Roblox's C.E.O. About Child Safety. It Got Tense. | EP 163
YouTube video by Hard Fork
youtu.be
November 22, 2025 at 6:05 AM
That tense interview with Roblox's CEO
youtu.be/XpIXRgMlPo4?...
youtu.be/XpIXRgMlPo4?...
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
New: There's a reckoning on Roblox. The company is facing at least 7 new child safety suits over the last 2 weeks -- including one from Louisiana's Attorney General. Shares fell 11% today. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Roblox Shares Fall After Louisiana Attorney General Files Suit
Roblox Corp. shares fell as much as 11% Friday after the company, which operates an online video-game service popular with children, was accused in two lawsuits of failing to sufficiently protect youn...
www.bloomberg.com
August 15, 2025 at 5:02 PM
New: There's a reckoning on Roblox. The company is facing at least 7 new child safety suits over the last 2 weeks -- including one from Louisiana's Attorney General. Shares fell 11% today. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Wai Yen Tang Ph.D.
This was our deep dive into predation on Roblox and preceded the Hindenburg report referenced in the NYT story. www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
Roblox Is Fighting to Keep Pedophiles Away and Not Always Winning
The internet’s biggest recreation zone for kids is struggling to keep predators off its platform.
www.bloomberg.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:41 PM
This was our deep dive into predation on Roblox and preceded the Hindenburg report referenced in the NYT story. www.bloomberg.com/features/202...