Communication Research Center

Despite skepticism, people sticking with dating apps, survey says Reports of the death of dating apps, as Mark Twain might say, are greatly exaggerated. That’s one finding of the…

Despite skepticism around trust and AI, Americans aren’t ditching dating apps.

Use is up, and nearly half believe you can find a soulmate online, according to a new CRC x IPSOS survey led by @katycoduto.bsky.social.

👉 Read full story here: tinyurl.com/y9nrrde8

Valentine 1

Valentine 2

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Telling stories at COM
Is more magical with you!

Happy Valentine's Day to our #COMmunity!

New episode of The COMversation 🎙️ Migration, Media, and Memory features a conversation moderated by Dr. Charlotte Howell with Professor Roy Grundmann, Ph.D., and visual artist Julia Cumes.
🎧 Now streaming on Spotify
open.spotify.com/episode/1veB...
@comatbu.bsky.social

❄️In her last Director's Letter of 2025, Michelle Amazeen @commscholar.bsky.social gives a recap on all the past fall semester happenings at the CRC; including lecture series, research studies, podcast episodes, community-fostering, and more.

Read the December 2025 Letter here 👉 tinyurl.com/566rd2wj

CRC Director Michelle Amazeen (@commscholar.bsky.social) 's November 2025 Director's Letter is here! 🍁

In the midst of a climate crisis, she discusses Americans' diminishing faith in corporations' climate promises and the role media plays.

🔗 Read it here: tinyurl.com/mrxb6n4j

Falling confidence that American businesses will help stop climate change, survey says Americans’ understanding of the problem of climate change hasn’t changed, but their faith in corporations’ promises to address the issue…

The latest CRC x IPSOS survey finds that Americans’ trust in corporations to tackle climate change is declining.

Only 48% believed that “corporate initiatives to address climate change will make a difference,” - a big drop from the 60% backing the statement in 2022

Read here 👉 tinyurl.com/52j2a6mt

In her October 2025 Director's Letter, Michelle Amazeen
@commscholar.bsky.social shares the findings of a CRC survey concerning First Amendment protections against government censorship in private media.

Read it here 👉 tinyurl.com/y7xpjpyd

Calling all 18-24 year-olds in Boston! 📢 Join our study on young adults’ media habits at @comatbu.bsky.social @bucomresearch.bsky.social. Your insights matter! See below to learn more & sign up. Please share with friends! #Boston #Research #MediaStudy

A camera on a tripod with the American flag reflected in the lens and in the background is a blurred image of the US Capitol building.

In my October Director's Letter from @bucomresearch.bsky.social, I talk with Drs. @tvbookstvbooks.bsky.social & @morganweiland.bsky.social about public views on navigating governmental pressure, protecting free speech, and the future of media freedom.
#FirstAmendment
sites.bu.edu/crc/2025/10/...

Is Following True Crime Bad for Your Well-Being? Researcher Kathryn D. Coduto has studied why it’s hard to disconnect from cases like those of Karen Read or Gabby Petito.

This interview with @katycoduto.bsky.social explores the adverse psychological effects true crime and compulsive social media usage has on consumers.

"You’re getting people who are saying, 'I literally can’t help but post and engage'", observes Prof. Coduto.

Read here: tinyurl.com/ms7uc4ym

On Truth Social, Trump has embraced AI media to attack foes and boost his image The president has posted dozens of pieces of synthetic media, including deepfakes, since he returned to the White House in January, according to an NBC News review.

Trump has utilized recent A.I advancements and the meme-based online political landscape to boost his media presence.

According to @commscholar.bsky.social, “He’s a master media manipulator, going way back...and it gives the illusion that this is the way things are now.”

tinyurl.com/y2dhfj23

Large, bipartisan majorities oppose government censorship of talk show hosts, media companies, survey finds Almost three out of four Americans (73%) across political lines agree that the First Amendment should protect private speakers, like…

The CRC's latest survey finds that government censorship of mass media is largely opposed by bipartisan majorities. 🎤

73% of Americans across political lines agree the First Amendment should protect media companies and talk show hosts from government censorship.

Read it here 👉 tinyurl.com/563xjvke

Big margins support protections against AI-powered “deepfakes” on social media, survey finds An overwhelming majority of Americans across the political spectrum support protections against “deepfakes” in media that use a person’s voice…

@commscholar.bsky.social's CRC x Ipsos survey discovers a vast majority of Americans support regulations for "deepfakes".

Over 84% of participants agreed individuals should be protected from the unauthorized use of their voice and visual likeness in media.

🔗Full article here: tinyurl.com/3ud5sysu

✨ Tune in to Dr. Michael G. Elasmar's Colloquim Series Lecture this Wednesday, September 24th at 3:30pm in COM 101!

In his lecture, Dr. Elasmar will present an AI-assisted methodology that aims to quantify validity for social media text expressions.

RSVP here! 👉 forms.gle/9pzn8NdErgm6...

Healthy COM-versation Charlotte Howell has always watched a lot of television, both because she loves it and because it’s her job. The…

Check out this piece about ‘The COMversation’ Podcast:

Prof. Howell sits down to talk about the evolution of the CRC podcast and how her brainchild became a reality, showing us that The COMversation is more than just a conversation.

🔗 Read it here: www.bu.edu/com/articles...

The September 2025 Director's Letter from Director Michelle Amazeen @commscholar.bsky.social is out! 🍂

Including a lineup of colloquium talks, COM networking & research training opportunities, a continuing public opinion poll, podcast announcements, and more.

Read here 👉 tinyurl.com/2v362866

I’m deeply honored to receive the 2024 Karen Russell Award for the Most Downloaded Article in the Journal of Public Relations Research! | April Cen Yue, Ph.D. | 27 comments I’m deeply honored to receive the 2024 Karen Russell Award for the Most Downloaded Article in the Journal of Public Relations Research! Huge thanks to my amazing co-authors Rita, Donna, Renee, Alvin, and Ahmed, and to Karen, Dr. Juan Meng, Sung-Un, and Nick for this recognition, and to the PR research community for engaging with and sharing our work! | 27 comments on LinkedIn

🎉 Congrats to Cen 'April' Yue, Ph.D on winning the 2024 Karen Russell Award for Most Downloaded Article in JPRR for “Public Relations Meets Artificial Intelligence [...].”

This is well-deserved recognition for your impactful work, April!

More here 👉

In her August Letter to the Director, @commscholar.bsky.social warns of rising threats to democracy, from book bans to climate denial. She reaffirms the CRC’s commitment to research that defends evidence and the public’s right to know.

🔗 Read here: tinyurl.com/ybdsdh8v

How X is fueling the MAGA-Trump split

In the early days, there were whispers of a site called 4chan. A fringe site: a hive of dangerous beliefs & volitility. However, that place is now ‘X’; its place in the MAGA-Trump feud is indisputable. “X is ground zero for a lot of what’s going on,” says @bostonjoan.bsky.social tinyurl.com/9as9nu8p

They’re calling her an influencer. She’s calling it campaign strategy. 18,000 individual donors, Instagram and TikTok views have kept Deja Foxx — a once longshot Gen Z candidate — competitive in the race for a congressional seat in Arizona.

🗳️Gen-Z candidate Deja Foxx is being called an “influencer,” but that’s not giving her a fair shake. @katycoduto.bsky.social‬ frames this phenomenon strategically. It’s not accurate to call Foxx an influencer; instead, she’s building local momentum on national platforms.

tinyurl.com/3tycdyva

🤖 “It’s almost like we never even spoke,” says a Bumble user, when reality fell short & he found himself resentful of the AI his match likely used.

@katycoduto.bsky.social writes that, when swiping, we want to be sure they’re showing their true self.

tinyurl.com/ye29yj44

🐝 With Bumble laying off over 1/3 of their workforce, the dating app burnout is threatening these companies. @katycoduto.bsky.social‬ weighs in "I think they're kind of trying to steamroll through this technology fatigue [...], and they're going to burn people out more."

tinyurl.com/2y4fk5ma

On behalf of the Communication Research Center, we're thrilled to welcome our newest tenure-track faculty to the Boston University College of Communication: Xiaoya Jiang, Susanna S. | Communication Research Center at Boston University On behalf of the Communication Research Center, we're thrilled to welcome our newest tenure-track faculty to the Boston University College of Communication: Xiaoya Jiang, Susanna S. Lee, Morgan Weiland, and JING YANG, joining the Department of Mass Communication, Advertising & Public Relations, and Joshua Baldwin, joining the Division of Emerging Media Studies. We’re so excited to have these accomplished scholars as part of our community. We look forward to supporting your work and collaborating in the semesters ahead! 👋

🥳 Please join us in giving a warm welcome to COM’s newest tenure-track faculty! We’re thrilled to welcome Xiaoya Jiang, Susanna S. Lee, @morganweiland.bsky.social‬, Jing Yang (MC/AD/PR), and @baldwin-j-a.bsky.social‬ (Emerging Media Studies) to the CRC community! 👋

tinyurl.com/3s56dh9x

Our Relationship with AI The COMversation · Episode

🎙️ The Season 1 finale of The COMversation is here! In “Our Relationship w/ AI,” guests Prof. Wallace & @katycoduto.bsky.social explore how, through the @bucomresearch.bsky.social's 2024 Faculty Seed Grant, people are forming emotional bonds w/ AI like ChatGPT.

🎧 Listen now!
tinyurl.com/3ucev8dt

Congratulations to @commscholar.bsky.social, @arunimakrishna.bsky.social, and Dr. Su for winning one of the Top Faculty Paper Awards at AEJMC! 🎉🎉

Their paper is titled, “Apprehensive or Motivational Threat? [...]” and was sponsored by a grant from the Rita Allen Foundation.

🧠💔 @katycoduto.bsky.social's survey in collaboration with CRC x Ipsos finds that than twice as many people disagree that AI in dating apps leads to better relationships.

Only 10% of women agree, compared to 20% of men.

📰 Read more here: tinyurl.com/39hr3ebf

#DatingApps #BUCRC

⸻

Close-up of the #ScreentimeBU 2025 conference program placed on a row of chairs. The bold, colorful cover features the title “The Human Algorithm” with vibrant neon imagery of a figure looking at digital panels.

Four Emerging Media Studies graduate students present at #ScreentimeBU from a Boston University podium. One student speaks while others engage with the audience, who are seated with laptops and notebooks.

Dr. Michelle Amazeen stands at a podium with a Boston University sign, smiling as she delivers opening remarks at #ScreentimeBU. She holds the conference program and speaks to a seated audience.

Dr. Betsi Grabe speaks energetically to the audience at #ScreentimeBU, gesturing with her hand. She wears a black top and name tag, with students visible in the foreground.

🎬 #ScreentimeBU 2025 showcased program-long research by @comatbu.bsky.social's Emerging Media Studies & Media Science grads, with support from the CRC.

👏 Big thanks to @commscholar.bsky.social & Dr. Grabe, and congrats to all our wonderful students, there's no COM without you! #COMmunity

As the Communication Research Center turns 66, @commscholar.bsky.social reflects, in her June Letter to the Director, on our legacy and the urgency of communication research in an AI-driven and fractured media landscape.

🔗 Read here: tinyurl.com/6bvu4msv

#BUCRC #CommunicationResearch

We were thrilled to see BU’s College of Communication represented at #ICA2025 in Denver!

Thank you all for sharing your research, insights, and leadership on a global stage. We love to see our scholars support one another and further foster the vibrant academic community we have here at COM.

Article Photo

COM's Dr. Michelle Amazeen shared her expertise regarding media standards with Barron's for their article investigating Elon Musk’s show on X. More at http://spr.ly/633294jhFT