yearry

It's a story of magical thinking in assuming we could ever rely on benevolent billionaires to save journalism. It's also a story of oligarchs turning their backs on democracy and exploiting their media assets to advance class interests. Above all, it's a tragedy for news workers and for all of us.

“Talk to Me as a Friend!”: How Teenagers Prefer Their Newsfluencers on Social Media This study investigates how Portuguese teenagers (aged 13–18) perceive and prefer the communication characteristics of so-called “newsfluencers” on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Through 20 semi-structured interviews, the research explores how verbal and non-verbal traits shape adolescents’ engagement with news in a media ecosystem increasingly dominated by digital intermediaries. Drawing on literature on brand journalism, the study categorizes preferences into four key elements: character, tone, language, and purpose. The findings reveal that teenagers favor newsfluencers who are inspiring and friendly (character), are honest and direct (tone), use simple and fun speech (language), and aim to educate and inform (purpose). Participants express a desire for journalists who “talk to me as a friend”, emphasizing authenticity, emotional proximity, and conversational clarity over traditional, formal modes of reporting. These insights suggest that effective youth-oriented journalism on social media must balance factual accuracy and emotional engagement, blending education with entertainment. The research contributes to emerging scholarship on social media journalism and youth news consumption by highlighting how relational and affective communication strategies can enhance young audiences’ trust, understanding, and participation in news.

NEW PUBLICATION!

In a new article in Journalism and Media, the DMRC's Aljosha Karim Schapals and colleagues consider communicative traits young people prefer in a "newsfluencer".

Available to read in open access here:

Some personal news, as they say.

Get your submissions ready for when our portal opens February 12. As the founding editor-in-chief of the new Springer Nature academic journal Creator and Influencer Studies, I’m thrilled to welcome them.

link.springer.com/journal/44538

QUT - Strengthening Public Opinion Formation Amid Digital Threats (PhD scholarship)

PhD scholarship applications are open for a project investigating how public opinion is formed in online spaces, with a focus on the deliberative quality of discussions, social influence dynamics, and platform affordances and governance across major digital platforms.

www.qut.edu.au/study/fees-a...

Call for applications: ZeMKI Visiting Research Fellowship 2026 Our Fellowship Program invites international researchers to Bremen for four weeks to deepen and connect their research in the transformation of media, communication, and information. Please submit your application via our online form by January 30, 2026 (23:59 CET).

📚 Applications are still open! In 2026 our Fellowship Program invites international researchers to Bremen for four weeks to deepen and connect their research in the transformation of media, communication, and information once again!

❗️More information:

PhD scholarship applications are open for a project investigating how public opinion is formed in online spaces, with a focus on the deliberative quality of discussions, social influence dynamics, and platform affordances and governance across major digital platforms.
www.qut.edu.au/.../strength....

Data centers target rural communities for lower costs, not to create high-quality jobs, study finds Local governments often tell residents that the power-hungry developments will bring numerous tech jobs to their communities. A new study contradicted that.

www.kare11.com/article/news...

The ultimate ace card in the attention economy: start a war.

PhD and Postdoc positions drop! The Research Council of Norway funded MishMash Centre for AI & Creativity has announced 18 doctoral and 6 postdoc positions in arts and/or science. I’m a member of the Scientific Advisory Board and so pleased to see this happening.

mishmash.no/news/positio...

so the uni just decided that they wont pay APC for any MDPI journals, without any explanation nor prior notice

Australia's social media ban for children under 16 begins today.

Our explainer paper provides an overview of the complex issue of social media bans for young teens, explaining the technical challenges, potential risks, and specific concerns voiced by parents and carers.

Read it here: qut.to/1ww5%

and hundreds of people were displaced 🥲

Apply for our sociotechnical systems postdoc position, for July 2026 Microsoft Research New England is looking for a postdoctoral researcher interested in bringing sociotechnical perspectives to analyze critical issues of our time. They will join a team of social sc…

Our postdoc search is open! socialmediacollective.org/2025/11/20/s...

the Indonesian president just declared Suharto as the national hero

AoIR Annual Conference Locations - Google My Maps AoIR Internet Research Conference Host Cities

#AoIR2026 will be in Mexico City!

See my map of all AoIR locations at www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/e...
#AoIR2025

Hey #AoIR2025 participants, the upcoming @qutdmrc.bsky.social Summer School will be highly relevant to many of you:

Public service media can thrive, also in the future.

It “only” takes stable funding, independence from politics, collaboration, savvy tech infrastructure investments, ‘must carry and promote’ obligations for platforms and the best, trustworthy journalistic standards.

Just that.

Conlusions from ⬇️

the revolution wont be live broadcasted anymore

since many protesters making live report via TikTok, recording police's brutality against the protesters, the platform decided to enable the feature in Indonesia

symbol of resistance in Indonesia in the past couple of days (credit: Kompas.id)

just another deadly police attack on protesters in Indonesia

source: en.tempo.co/amp/2044128/...

Are AI deepfakes always polarizing?

Our 2024 India elections study (N=1,627):

News about out-party use of deepfakes didn't increase affective polarization
AI approval → lower polarization

Impact depends on context — fears may be overstated. @ozankuru.bsky.social

Full paper: shorturl.at/oQci2

and now the government is afraid of pirates' flag from anime

so the agreement includes sending Indonesian (citizens) data to the US?

www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/....

X Receives a Delay on DSA Fine The European Commission pauses the investigation into DSA violations by X to maintain peace with the United States.

It is not good when DSA enforcement becomes a trade/ geopolitical bargaining chip …

“The European Commission pauses the investigation into DSA violations by X to maintain peace with the United States”

itdaily.com/news/busines...

Travelers to the U.S. must pay a new $250 'visa integrity fee' — what to know Travelers to the U.S. must pay a new "visa integrity fee" to visit, but questions remain as to how and when it will be implemented. Here's what we know so far.

250$ to enter the US?

Adding reasons to being hesitant to visit 🇺🇸

www.cnbc.com/2025/07/18/v...

short lunch break at IAMCR2025 with @snurb.info

The Media, Inequality, and Change Center Publishes “Is Another AI Possible? Platforms, Political Economies, and Alternatives”

What viable pathways exist for building equitable, publicly accountable AI systems in the face of entrenched corporate and state power?

"Is Another AI Possible?" by @anismedia.bsky.social addresses this question and explores alternatives focused on public interest.

Read here: buff.ly/vLo5vLt

Time To Deliver: Stakeholder Roles In The EU’s Delegated Act On Data Access | TechPolicy.Press The Delegated Act on data access under the DSA provides much-needed clarity about both the access process and expectations towards the actors involved in it.

The discussions about big platforms are intense. The systemic risks are real.

Now the #DSA Delegated Act is finally here to ensure data access for researchers. Time to put this system to work.

W @lkseiling.bsky.social, we show how @techpolicypress.bsky.social

www.techpolicy.press/time-to-deli...