Raphael Hernandes

With @elenamorresi.bsky.social @porcelinad.bsky.social @pablogutierrez.bsky.social @lydia-rachel.bsky.social @robynvinter.bsky.social @c-aguilargarcia.bsky.social (and + that I couldn't find on Bluesky)

Reading the post-riot posts: how we traced far-right radicalisation across 51,000 Facebook messages Tracing profiles of those charged with online offences in summer 2024 helped us map a thriving social ecosystem trading far-right sentiment and political disillusionment

We have also published an explainer on our methods, including how we used artificial intelligence (a Large Language Model) to classify content.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

This is a symptom of far-right ideas becoming mainstream in the UK.

Inside the everyday Facebook networks where far-right ideas grow The Guardian spent a year studying an online community trading in anti-immigration sentiment and misinformation. Experts say such spaces can play a role in radicalisation

We analyzed thousands of posts to show how extreme anti-immigration, and often conspiratorial and even violent, thinking is gaining traction among demographics not usually associated with this kind of content online.

www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...

Far-right Facebook groups are engine of radicalisation in UK, data investigation suggests Rioters were influenced by network that exposes hundreds of thousands of Britons to racist disinformation, Guardian research indicates

I was part of a team @theguardian.com that spent much of the past year investigating a sprawling network of far-right groups on Facebook.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

Inside the everyday Facebook networks where far-right ideas grow The Guardian spent a year studying an online community trading in anti-immigration sentiment and misinformation. Experts say such spaces can play a role in radicalisation

@hernandesraph.bsky.social , @porcelinad.bsky.social and I spent the better part of a year watching and analysing how far right ideology is shared in open Facebook groups: here is what we found: www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int... with immense help from Pablo Gutiérrez, Garry Blight, Lydia McMullan

OpenAI signs deal with UK to find government uses for its models Wide-ranging agreement with artificial intelligence firm behind ChatGPT comes after similar UK deal with Google

- AI will fix the NHS and solve a bunch of govt problems.
- How?
- 🤷

Idk, but it feels like we should have a clearer idea by now...

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

AI, journalism, and critical AI literacy: exploring journalists’ perspectives on AI and responsible reporting - AI & SOCIETY This study explores the perspectives of media professionals on the concerns, needs, and responsibilities related to fostering AI literacy among journalists. We report on findings from two workshops wi...

And here is the link to the article: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Screenshot of an academic article titled "AI, journalism, and critical AI literacy: exploring journalists’ perspectives on AI and responsible reporting" by Tomasz Hollanek, Dorian Peters, Eleanor Drage, and Raphael Hernandes, published in AI & Society. The abstract summarizes findings from workshops with journalists and experts, discussing AI literacy needs and proposing educational resources. Keywords include AI, journalism, and AI ethics.

New paper out! :)

While there is some great reporting about AI out there, we know that news coverage about this topic is often far from ideal. In this study, we explore the issues journalists face when writing about AI, the tools they use, and potential solutions to improve the content produced.

(On a not-completely-unrelated note: feel free to DM me any tips for dealing with a receding hairline!)

I plan to continue exploring AI and journalism topics, as Large Language Models increasingly mediate news consumption and synthetic media threaten the information landscape. I'm weirdly glad that I’ll be stressing about this for the next couple of years.

Scenic view of King's College Chapel, Cambridge, partially framed by lush greenery and trees on a sunny day, with people punting in the middle of the image.

Screenshot of a Certificate of Confirmation of Admission from the University of Cambridge, indicating admission of Raphael Henrique Hernandes Vicenti into a PhD (Probationary) in Digital Humanities, full-time, commencing on 01 October 2025 at Selwyn College

My journey at the University of Cambridge continues!

I'm excited to share that I'm heading back to school again, this time as a PhD student @camdighum.bsky.social, starting in October. My work will be supported by the generous Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholarship.

AI-Powered Coca-Cola Ad Celebrating Authors Gets Basic Facts Wrong A new Coke ad proudly features a quote from a J.G. Ballard book, only he didn’t write the words and it’s not his book.

A new Coke ad proudly features a quote from a J.G. Ballard book, only he didn’t write the words and it’s not his book.

www.404media.co/ai-powered-c...

Either way, it skews the reading. Since we’re still accountable for the final product, in some instances, being transparent about use cases at a global level, such as a public-facing company policy, rather than flagging usage as it happens, might be preferable.

There’s also the issue of perception. A disclaimer like “this headline was written by AI” might be perceived in wildly different ways ---some might dismiss it as garbage, others might assume it’s better than anything a biased human could write.

As AI becomes more pervasive and embedded in different parts of the workflow, we risk cluttering content and distracting the reader. In some cases, it might feel like disclosing that a text was written in Microsoft Word.

→ When we talk about AI applied to journalism, transparency is often cited as a must. I agree with that, of course. However, we also need to be strategic about how we apply it. Total transparency along with every single use sounds good in theory but can be impractical, and even counterproductive.

And that is particularly hard to navigate in a world of under-resourced media where fly-by reporters end up doing a lot of this work. Still, the balance is off.

I'm under no illusion: a lot of this is awfully boring for most readers. It’s easier to get excited about the new tool than the technical and philosophical discussions around it.

We need more reporting that explores tech’s impacts, limitations, and provide broader context.

→ There’s some amazing journalism about AI out there, but overall, we’re doing a bad job. Research shows that coverage is heavily shaped by industry actors in multiple countries. The result? A lot of product launches and how-to pieces that often lack critical perspective.

I was really proud to speak at an event by The Alan Turing Institute last week about AI and journalism.

A couple of points I made:

How AI is shaping journalism and journalism is shaping AI Please note, this is an in-person event which will take place at The Royal Institution of Great Britain 21 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BS.

Next week, I'll speak about AI and Journalism at The Alan Turing Institute! If you're interested, details below:

-> How AI is shaping journalism and journalism is shaping AI

Friday 11 April 2025, 17:00| In-person @ The Royal Institution, London
Register: www.turing.ac.uk/events/how-a...

I have just found out that electric travel kettles exist and found it amusing.

I can understand having a small kettle, but what about the "travel" bit? Is it in case you travel somewhere where there is electricity, but no proper way to prepare tea?

Come on! Drop it already

I was really glad to host a panel at the Oxford China Forum on AI, mental health, and companionship.

Exciting topic, in an area with a lot of potential and a lot of concerns ---personally, I'm on the fence about a lot of this stuff and enjoy hearing about it.

This dude is relentless

The article explores how Germany’s Green Party is shifting focus away from climate action in its election campaign, responding to political pressures and attacks from the far right while trying to appeal to a broader voter base.

‘The far right wants us to play by their rules’: Can German Greens survive ‘witch-hunt’? As AfD says Germany is in grip of ‘eco-dictatorship’, Green party tones down mention of climate action

Glad to have contributed by providing some data to this great story by Ajit Niranjan.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

Chinese officials reportedly discuss sale of TikTok in US to Elon Musk Bloomberg News says preliminary talks have taken place but TikTok spokesperson rejects report as ‘pure fiction’ Chinese officials are in preliminary talks about a potential option to sell TikTok’s operations in the United States to billionaire Elon Musk,…

Chinese officials reportedly discuss sale of TikTok in US to Elon Musk