Unspun

What happens when a handful of very wealthy control what gets reported and how/ In this UnSpun rewind , we look at the role of the press in an oligarchy—a system where power is concentrated in the hands of a few. From media ownership by figures like Jeff Bezos and David Ellison to global examples like Venezuela and Russia, this episode explores how information can be shaped or even suppressed. You...

In this episode of UnSpun, learn the hidden manipulation behind the news. From TV journalism of the '80s, with “if it bleeds, it leads,” to today’s algorithm-driven outrage, news has evolved into a system designed to capture attention. I walk through the research on clickbait and emotional manipulation to explain how it shapes not what you believe and how you act. Topics include: The psycholog...

Do social media algorithms actually change what you believe? In this episode of  UnSpun , we break down new research from on the political effects of X’s feed algorithm. Using a real-world experiment with X users, the study tests what happens when people switch between chronological and algorithmic feeds. We also examine the legacy of Cambridge Analytica and the broader concerns about filter bubbl...

In this episode of UnSpun, I look at the growing power of influencers in politics and public life. From streamers and commentators to legacy journalists turned creators, the media landscape has changed fast. Who gets trusted? Who gets heard? And what does it mean when more people get their news from personalities instead of institutions? I explore how influencers shape political knowledge, why the...

Welcome to Journal Club 6, which is about how it's gotten easy and inexpensive to make seemingly limitless disinformation ready to go straight into your feeds. Back in Roman times, it took control of the money mint to create and scale harmful propaganda. in this week's episode, Dr. Sturg looks at a paper that tested if it's possible to create convincing fake news without even having to...

Why do politicians swear—and why does it work? In this episode of  UnSpun , DrSturg examines how profanity functions as a political tool. From viral moments like Biden’s hot mic comment abotu Peter Doocy to the Trump Access Hollywood tape and John Fetterman’s “jagoff” controversy, explore how vulgar language captures attention and, for some, signals authenticity. But there’s a trade-off. Research...

In this episode of  UnSpun Journal Club , we break down new research on one of the biggest challenges in today’s information environment: misinformation. Most conversations focus on fact-checkers or national media. But this paper argues something different—that local journalism may be one of the most effective tools we have for stopping misinformation where it starts. We explore why misinformation...

In this episode of  UnSpun , we examine how governments shape wartime narratives and how journalists have challenged them across modern history. From Baghdad Bob’s surreal press conferences during the 2003 invasion of Iraq to the Pentagon Papers, the My Lai massacre, and the Abu Ghraib scandal, the episode explores how independent reporting has exposed truths that official accounts initially conce...

Can we stop misinformation  before  it spreads? In this episode of  UnSpun Journal Club , I break down a real-world Instagram field study on “prebunking” — a strategy that teaches people to recognize manipulation tactics  before  they encounter viral misinformation. Instead of fact-checking after the damage is done, researchers tested whether a short 19-second video about emotional manipulation co...

Some scandals flare up, peak, and vanish. Others come back for years. In this episode of  UnSpun , I trace the difference. Why was the Access Hollywood episode a brief burst, while h the Jeffrey Epstein case a story keeps returning in cycles, fed by court filings, testimony, and periodic document releases. Join me as I break down the structural forces that determine whether a scandal sticks. Adver...

Deepfakes don’t just tell you lies. They show you “proof.” In this episode of  UnSpun Journal Club , I break downresearch from by Hwang, Ryu ad Jeong Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking  examining whether deepfake videos make misinformation more believable than text alone. The findings are concerning: But there’s good news. A short media literacy lesson—just seven minutes—helped a lot...

Newsrooms are shrinking and experienced reporters are getting pushed onto Substack or into freelance work. Does it change the news you receive when journalism moves from institutions to individuals? In this episode of  UnSpun , DrSturg looks at the complicated trade-offs that come with at the rise of freelance and independent journalism. From Washington Post layoffs to Substack newsletters, and fr...

Why don't fact checks stop fake news from spreading? In this episode of  UnSpun Journal Club , I break down research by Carlos Diaz Ruiz from the Hanken School of Economics that argues disinformation spreads not just because people believe it, but because digital media markets reward it. We look at how attention turns into money. How platforms, advertisers, and influencers all benefit when con...

Political change doesn't start with politics. Evidence suggests something else happens first. In this episode of UnSpun, we look at how media attention, repetition, and trust quietly shape what ideas feel acceptable long before policy is written. And news events like shooting protesters in Minneapolis can get liberals talking about gun rights and conservatives advocating for the right to prote...

Most efforts to stop misinformation focus on helping people recognize what’s wrong. But new research suggests that knowledge isn’t always the problem. Sometimes people share misinformation on purpose—because it feels useful, political, or appealing. This editon of UnSpun journal club breaks down Moral Deliberation Reduces People’s Intentions to Share Headlines They Recognize as “Fake News ” by Dan...

ou probably don’t go looking for the news anymore. It finds you. A post. A clip. A friend’s reaction. A meme that feels like a headline. Before you’ve read a single article, you already have an opinion. In this episode of  UnSpun , look at how social media has quietly changed what news feels like — and what that change does to trust and understanding. Drawing on recent research, we explore why fee...

Why do people reject information meant to help them? In this episode of  UnSpun , we explore  psychological reactance  — the instinct to resist control — and how it shapes our reactions to fact-checks, corrections, and even each other. From COVID-19 warning labels to social-media fatigue and holiday-table arguments, DrSturg traces how the need for freedom can make truth feel like pressure. And she...

In today’s wars, the battlefield is more than land, sea, or air—it’s information. This episode of  UnSpun  examines how media has become both a weapon and a target in the age of hybrid warfare. From Russian deepfakes in Ukraine to meme wars in U.S. politics, information has become the terrain where global power is contested. Learn how disinformation systems are built, how governments—both authorit...

In this episode of  UnSpun , we trace the invisible architecture that keeps truth alive when communication is forbidden. From Phyllis Latour Doyle’s coded knitting in Nazi-occupied France to encrypted mesh networks during Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests,  “The Geometry of Trust”  reveals how humans build secret systems of meaning under surveillance. This episode explores how  communication itse...

In this episode of  UnSpun , we examine a phenomenon hiding in plain sight — the rise of  civil religion . From stadium memorials that look like worship services to presidents who sound like preachers, faith and politics have fused into something new — and dangerous. We trace how America’s patriotic rituals became sacred texts, how global leaders have learned the same language, and what happens wh...

What exactly is “hate speech”—and who gets to decide? This episode of  UnSpun  traces the shifting definitions of hate speech across a century of mass media. From Henry Ford’s antisemitic newspaper in the 1920s to Father Coughlin’s radio sermons, from Rwanda’s radio-fueled genocide to Roseanne Barr’s infamous tweet, Don Imus’s firing, and the recent suspensions of Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert—...

Law and Order” — it sounds reassuring. But what does it really mean? In this week’s episode of  UnSpun , we unpack how those three words have been used across centuries — from 1500s England to 1960s Alabama to 2020s America — not just to fight crime, but to reshape societies. In this episode, we explore: The hidden history of “law and order” as a political weapon How leaders like George Wallace, R...

“You either agree with us… or you’re out.” Ever felt like saying the wrong thing—even gently—could get you exiled from your community, your party, your friend group? In this episode of  UnSpun , Dr. Sturg explores the rise of ideological purity tests: Why your social feed feels like a loyalty gauntlet How politicians, religious leaders, and even scientists use purity rhetoric to silence dissent Th...

Have you ever believed a video, article, or photo—only to realize it was completely fake? Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney are making it cheaper and easier than ever to create convincing misinformation. In this UnSpun, Dr. Sturg explores the unsettling rise of AI-driven lies, what it means for journalism, politics, and democracy, and how you can keep yourself from falling for convin...

Politicians don’t just post online—they surf the trends. In this episode of  UnSpun , Dr Sturg explores agenda surfing: hijacking trending topics to gain attention, distract from controversy, or push unrelated agendas. From Germany''s far-right 120 decibels campaign to Trump's Twitter distractions and coordinated WhatsApp groups in India, we show how political actors use digital platfo...