Analyzing and measuring the spread of fake content on twitter during high impact events
This paper introduces TweetCred, a semi-supervised ranking model that assigns real-time credibility scores to tweets, implemented as a browser plug-in. Over three months, TweetCred was used by 1,127 Twitter users, scoring 5.4…
Chaotic world of climate truth
This opinion piece critiques the shift in public and political discourse around climate change, arguing that terms like “catastrophic” and “chaotic” are increasingly used to describe climate change in a way that…
Faking Sandy: Characterizing and identifying fake images on Twitter during Hurricane Sandy
The study focuses on how Twitter facilitated the propagation of deceptive images during Hurricane Sandy. It reveals that a small number of users were responsible for most retweets of fake image tweets…
Restructuring of the global economy: The role of climate alarmism
The paper explores whether the restructuring of the global economy is necessary or part of a U.N. master plan aimed at shifting from a capitalist to a more socialist global economy using…
Internet blogs, polar bears, and climate‐change Denial by Proxy
The paper highlights the disconnect between the scientific consensus on anthropogenic global warming (AGW) and public opinion, noting that internet blogs have worsened this gap by spreading misinformation. Polar bears have become…
Global crackdown on fake news raises censorship concerns.
The article discusses the growing trend of governments legislating against fake news due to its rapid and widespread impact despite the challenges of balancing such laws with free speech protections. It highlights…
The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories (Journal Article)
This article examines the psychological factors that contribute to the allure of conspiracy theories, focusing on epistemic, existential, and social motives. It demonstrates that these factors explain why individuals are drawn to…
The psychology of conspiracy theories (Book)
This book investigates the factors that make certain individuals more prone to believing in conspiracy theories, focusing on the psychological mechanisms that make these theories appealing. The book dismisses the notion that…
Don’t blame social media for conspiracy theories – they would still flourish without it
This opinion article argues that attributing the spread of conspiracy theories solely to the internet and social media is overly simplistic. While journalists, activists, and politicians blame social media for spreading such…
Science denial: Why it happens and 5 things you can do about it
This article examines the rise of science denial particularly during the COVID-19 outbreak, emphasizing the complex reasons behind why some people reject scientific explanations. It recognizes five psychological obstacles—social identity, cognitive shortcuts,…
