Barbara Prainsack

Die stille Entmachtung durch Algorithmen Egal, welche Firma – wer Fragen hat, landet bei Bots. Diese Entwicklung ist auch demokratiepolitisch gefährlich, rührt sie doch an einer Grundsatzfrage: Wer hat das Sagen – Menschen oder Maschinen?

Wenn die einzige Antwort auf unsere Anliegen ein Bot ist – wer hat dann noch das Sagen?

In unserem Gastbeitrag für @derStandard zeigen @hendrikwagenaar.bsky.social und ich, warum algorithmische Automatisierung nicht nur frustriert, sondern Demokratie gefährdet.
www.derstandard.at/story/300000...

Eine Zukunftsvision für Österreich Expertinnen und Experten aus Wissenschaft, Wirtschaft, Medien und Politik zeichnen ein Bild von Österreich, wie es in Zukunft aussehen könnte. Die Beiträge beschäftigen sich mit der ganzen Bandbreite des gesellschaftlichen Lebens, von Gesundheit, Klima und Wirtschaft bis zu Jugend, Migration und Religion. Basierend auf aktuellen wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen zeigt dieses Buch, wie die Welt aussehen wird und wie wir unsere eigene Zukunft gestalten können. Mit Beiträgen von: Holger Bonin, ChatGPT-40, Christian Friesl, Kenan Güngör, Paulus Hochgatterer, Maria Magdalena Hofmarcher-Holzhacker, Elisabeth Holzleithner, Daniel Huppmann, Hans Peter Hutter, Othmar Karas, Judith Kohlenberger, Johannes Kopf, Sylvia Kritzinger, Andrea Lehner-Hartmann, Edith Meinhart, Maria K. Moser, Christoph Neumayer, Martina Piok, Regina Polak, Barbara Prainsack, Georg Renner, Katharina Rogenhofer, Patrick Rohs, Martin Schenk, Thomas Vasek, Stefan Wallner und Johanna Willmann. Buchempfehlung 🖖

Während die angeblich Mächtigen in Brasilien …

noch über Ziele diskutieren, schreibt die Erde längst ihr eigenes Protokoll …

in Fluten, Flammen und Fiebern.

Wer wissen will, wie #Zukunft geht, sollte nicht auf Politiker hören, sondern auf Visionäre …

wie in ‚Wie wir leben wollen‘. 🖖

Professor Barbara Prainsack's keynote highlighted crucial challenges for science advice integrity: transparency about uncertainties, independence from vested interests, and inclusivity of diverse perspectives. She warned that AI risks de-skilling institutions.

First insights from our workshop on integrity in scientific advice! Hosted by MTA in Budapest for their 200th anniversary. Key message: Without integrity, science advice cannot produce the independent, unbiased information policymakers need.
Full recording: scadv.eu/yKkmMlU
#ScienceAdvice

Nächste Woche auf der Buch Wien 👇

Wow!!! Gratulation, eine fantastische Leistung! 👏👏👏

Alles Gute!!

When trains are pricier than planes, there’s a heavy social, financial and environmental cost In this week’s newsletter: whether it’s a holiday or work trip, railway travellers find themselves burdened by astronomical prices

When trains are pricier than planes, there’s a heavy social, financial and environmental cost:
Whether it’s a holiday or work trip, railway travellers find themselves burdened by astronomical prices – and the environment is left footing the bill.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Opinion: Ask your doctor if the World Series is right for you ... Prescription drug ads were once banned on broadcasts. But companies argued that infringed on free speech, and the drugs could help people. The FDA now permits pharmaceutical ads.

Prescription drug ads were once banned on broadcasts. But companies argued that infringed on free speech, and the drugs could help people. The FDA now permits pharmaceutical ads.

Thank you so much for your kind words, Sean!

My new book will be out in February!

"States of Solidarity: How to Build a Society" treats solidarity not as an abstract ideal, but as a practice that can hold societies together and help with today’s defining challenges: Climate crisis, democratic erosion, and the rise of AI

Link 👇

global.oup.com/academic/pro...

My new book will be out in February!

"States of Solidarity: How to Build a Society" treats solidarity not as an abstract ideal, but as a practice that can hold societies together and help with today’s defining challenges: Climate crisis, democratic erosion, and the rise of AI

Link 👇

Derzeit ist es noch nicht geplant, aber ich hoffe darauf

Unkulturkampf - zackzack.at Krawallblätter wie Julian Reichelts Nius üben sich dieser Tage wieder in Schmutzkampagnen und Diskursverschiebungen. Diesen Versuchen muss man unbedingt standhalten.

“Alle glücklichen Familien gleichen einander,jede unglückliche Familie ist auf ihre Weise unglücklich."So ist es auch mit wohltemperierten Kampagnen des deutschen Schmuddels, die unspannender in literarischem Wert, dafür umso gewichtigerer in ihrem Ziel- zu schaden- sind. zackzack.at/2025/10/14/u...

#Wienliebe

Gute Besserung!

2️⃣ @bprainsack.bsky.social (@univie.ac.at) spoke with Julie Beaucamp (@georgwinter.bsky.social's group) about engaging with colleagues & staying motivated by pursuing research topics that truly inspire you and align with your passions and interests.

Screenshot of an academic article titled “Rally and Recalibrate: Political Dynamics of Audience Expectations of Journalism During Times of Crisis” published in The International Journal of Press/Politics (OnlineFirst, Sage Journals). Authors: Claire Roney, Daniel Wiesner, Andreas A. Riedl, and Jakob-Moritz Eberl. The abstract explains that the study examines how audience expectations of journalism in Austria evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies shifts toward emerging journalistic roles such as Fact Checker and Science Communicator, based on data from three waves of the Austrian Corona Panel Project. Findings show fluctuating audience expectations tied to changes in public trust and crisis dynamics, emphasizing journalism’s need for adaptability. Keywords listed: journalism, audience expectations, trust in institutions, crisis attitudes, survey research, COVID-19. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/19401612251375203

New publication out in #IJPP! 📑
We study how audience expectations of journalism 📰 shifted during COVID-19 in Austria 🇦🇹 – showing both short-term rally effects & longer-term recalibration 🔄.
Led by @clmron.bsky.social & @danielwiesner.bsky.social , w/ @andreasriedl.bsky.social & me. 1/n

Screenshot of the Austrian Corona Panel Project (SUF edition), Version 7.0 dataset entry on the AUSSDA data repository. The dataset is authored by Bernhard Kittel, Sylvia Kritzinger, Hajo Boomgaarden, Barbara Prainsack, Jakob-Moritz Eberl, and others. Description notes that the project monitors health, economic, and social aspects of the COVID-19 crisis in Austria through repeated surveys. Keywords include economic activity, public health, trust in government, mass media use, COVID-19, vaccination, and European integration. Related publication: Kittel et al. (2021), European Political Science. Notes detail dataset versions, with Version 7 (published June 18, 2025) including waves 1 to 35 (German and English). The right side shows options to access or share the dataset and states 6,954 downloads. Data paper: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41304-020-00294-7 Dataset: https://doi.org/10.11587/28KQNS

Scope & limits ⚖️: Austria 🇦🇹 case; single-item role measures; #expectations (not #performance). Still, the crisis pattern – rally 🤝, recalibrate 🔄, reassert oversight 👀 – likely travels 🌍. Comparative work needed.
📊Data: Austrian Corona Panel Project via @aussda.bsky.social 10/n.

Interesting discussion of Clemens Auer’s #EHFG2025 keynote - in which the dots were joined unequivocally between #AI and #populism as threats to #solidarity and #European #SocialContract

Sh… Gute Besserung ❤️‍🩹

Herzliche Gratulation!!

Excellent plenary yesterday on "Rethinking Solidarity in health: healing Europe's fractured social contract" #EHFG2025 (1/n)

But what of #solidarity preconditions? Undoubtedly #trust #transparency are takeaways from the vaccine success stories (Emer Cooke) and civil society (Mikael Leyi). Also looking at different levels - person-level solidarity needs support #solidarityinfrastructures @bprainsack.bsky.social #EHFG2025

Interested in #migration research policy relations, and the role of evidence in policy making? Join us tomorrow 6 pm CET in person or online. nccr-onthemove.ch/news-events/ #UniversityofNeuchatel #NCCR

🤞🤞🤞

Silicon Valley saying the quiet part out loud again. This is fine...

The Human Cost Of Every ChatGPT Query: Inside The Cobalt Mines That Power AI Muntosh was six when his brother died in a cobalt mine. Today, his labor powers your ChatGPT queries.

Muntosh was six when his brother died in a cobalt mine. Today, his labor powers your ChatGPT queries. #AI aylgorith.com/cobalt-chatg...