New in @stemcellreports.bsky.social: our study led by @srmarcon.bsky.social w/ @caulfieldtim.bsky.social looks at how βstem cellβ supplements are sold on Amazon and whether the marketing aligns with U.S. & Canadian regulations. Conclusion: Amazon can do better to not enable bunk.
cc @uottawa.ca
17.10.2025 16:07 β π 2 π 1 π¬ 1 π 0
September vibes on campus @uottawa.ca
10.09.2025 16:44 β π 3 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Anti-science sentiment is everywhere, but Canada is standing firm: #ScienceMatters! Great to see this statement and its signatories. scienceupfirst.com/sciencematte... @caulfieldtim.bsky.social
10.09.2025 15:29 β π 3 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
#ScienceMatters.
Important to clearly counter demonstrably false bunk. Broad consensus that:
- Vaccines do NOT cause autism
- Ivermectin NOT effective against cancer, covid, etc
- COVID vaccines do NOT cause "sudden death" or "turbo cancer"
See statement: scienceupfirst.com/sciencematte...
10.09.2025 14:07 β π 46 π 17 π¬ 3 π 0
How cancer misinformation exploits the way we think
Why false cancer claims feel true and what to do about it.
"Misinformation often offers simple, comforting answers, while real medicine is complex, uncertain and sometimes difficult to accept. Fake cancer claims can feel convincing because they seem to eliminate the uncertainty about whether treatment will work..." theconversation.com/how-cancer-m...
10.09.2025 15:04 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Alarm as WHO accepts increasing amount of dark money from corporate donors
Experts say millions in corporate funding and concealment of donorsβ identities raises key conflict-of-interest concerns
The WHO Foundationβs acceptance of anonymous donations risks losing public trust, as it raises transparency concerns about conflicts of interest and potential undue influence. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s... @spidermaani.bsky.social
10.09.2025 14:38 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
How we tricked AI chatbots into creating misinformation, despite βsafetyβ measures
Research reveals why simple prompts can bypass AI safeguards.
AI βsafety measuresβ leave much to be desired. The authors found that chatbots refusing disinformation (ex: βI cannot assist with creating false information") can be tricked simply by wrapping requests in innocent frames like βsimulation.β theconversation.com/how-we-trick...
03.09.2025 15:23 β π 3 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0
People with cancer are already carrying enough. Ending a harmful practice that adds to their burden shouldnβt be up for debate. Thank you to co-authors @srmarcon.bsky.social @spidermaani.bsky.social @maizie333.bsky.social @caulfieldtim.bsky.social @kenworthy.bsky.social Greg Hartwell.
04.06.2025 17:01 β π 2 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0
How Google search ads work: advertisers, like alternative cancer clinics, can choose to show their ads when users search specific phrases. When it comes to cancer, this means sensitive searches ("terminal cancer treatment") can be met with potentially exploitative ads.
04.06.2025 17:01 β π 1 π 1 π¬ 1 π 0
π¨π¦β€οΈ
02.02.2025 02:25 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Much of the World Voted in 2024: What Did We Learn?
In our introduction to CIGIβs The World Votes, 2024 series last February, we wrote: βOne year from now, people could inhabit very different political worlds than the ones that currently exist.β We wer...
π 2024 saw half the worldβs population voting. What did we learn about techβs role in elections?
Our final piece in the CIGI series explores key trends, from AI in campaigns to platform regulations, and what lies ahead for democracy.
π Read now: www.cigionline.org/articles/muc...
15.01.2025 19:41 β π 0 π 1 π¬ 0 π 1
cc @misinforeview.bsky.social @caulfieldtim.bsky.social @maizie333.bsky.social
02.01.2025 17:37 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
This is but one example of a larger issue (this does not happen only for cancer). Google search ads enable advertisers to exploit usersβ searches for information. Google should urgently prohibit keywords targeting the sensitive information queries of medically vulnerable groups.
02.01.2025 17:37 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
We find advertisers mimicked the sensitive queries of cancer patients to target them with their marketing using Googleβs keyword-matching feature. In 2023, 20,035 unique keywords emulated Google searches seeking information on the themes below.
02.01.2025 17:37 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Google search ads allow advertisers to select keywords/phrases which are then matched to the searches of Google users. See below an example of a fake ad I set up & how I could theoretically target my ad to Google searches seeking cancer information.
02.01.2025 17:37 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
When anyone searches for information on cancer treatment options - they shouldn't see ads for scientifically unsupported treatment or ads targeting people who have exhausted their treatment options. Our new study (unfortunately) finds this is occurring misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/goog...
02.01.2025 17:37 β π 10 π 7 π¬ 1 π 0
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing.
18.12.2024 21:17 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Spain introduces bill to combat online fake news
Minister calls bill demanding digital platforms publicly correct false information βgood news for democracyβ
Spain to take action on fake news & disinformation.
"These outlets and the platforms that host them must have a mechanism to facilitate citizensβ right to ask that false or inaccurate information that harms them be corrected publicly"
www.theguardian.com/world/2024/d...
18.12.2024 21:01 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
A good overview of strategies to study TikTok.
Important caveat for the API: TikTok asks to see results prior to publication, may audit API use without notice).
Many indirect ways to scrape data, too, that donβt require coding skills or disclosing your research objectives (example, Apify).
17.12.2024 16:50 β π 5 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0
Professor Emeritus/ Visiting Professor
Graduate School of Public & International Affairs and
Chair in Science Diplomacy, University of Ottawa.
Research Director, Global Strategy Lab, York/UOttawa
.
deanshamess.ca
Ph.D. Candidate at JSGS USask // Science Policy, Science of Science, Science and Power and Populism // econ, policy, polisci⦠whatever works
Academic & writer. π¨π¦Applied Public Health Chair. I study health information practices & interventions, often pertaining to vaccination and/or gender. I also bicycle & drink coffee a lot, and write fiction a little. Recovering classical bassist.
Researching AI & Foreign Influence at NewsGuard
Associate prof of journalism, Montclair State University. Community engagement. Most recent prior: CUNY. WI native, beer & Packers enthusiast. Aging πββοΈ. Author, Transforming Newsrooms w/Jonathan Groves. Must love dogs. Maplewood, NJ resident. views mine
JD, MBA. Canadian health policy academic, bioethicist and science communicator.
Understanding the past. Analyzing the present. Training for the future.
Research and development at the intersection of cyberspace, global security, and human rights. Based at Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto.
https://shanelittrell.com/
Cognitive psychologist. Cornell University postdoc & researcher at Media Ecosystem Observatory. Previously UToronto (Munk School), UMiami, & UWaterloo | Bullshitology, conspiracy beliefs, political propaganda, metacognition π§ βοΈ
Bio-Anthropologist investigating the effects of stress on women's reproduction and their children's development.
Bio-AntropΓ³logo investigando los efectos del estres en la reproducciΓ³n femenina y el desarrollo de niΓ±as y niΓ±os.
CONICETeo gratis.
Vaccine Science, Associate Professor @UoA, Co-Director Global Vaccine Data Network. In pursuit of a hike, good food and wine.
#PublicHealth school at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC, Canada. www.sfu.ca/fhs #SFUFHS #SFUHealthSciences
Media Psychology & Communication | Privacy & Well-Being | Open Science & Slow Science | IKMZ & University of Zurich | https://tobiasdienlin.com
STL native, UM-St. Louis x Michigan State alum. (Full) Prof at Newhouse School (Syracuse U, USA) studying gaming + emerging media. Launch Editor, Global Perspectives of Communication (Oxford x ICA).
Associate Professor U of Amsterdam | co-founder Hot Politics Lab | associate editor @JEPS_ed | co-chair Amsterdam Young Academy | Political Psychology
Assistant Prof of Media Psychology in the Department of Communication Science at VU Amsterdam (π³π±) researching media effects, digital well-being, attention, mental health. Open Science, Computational Methods
π₯οΈ https://dougaparry.com
πΏπ¦ From South Africa
Communicologist @uoft.bsky.social @uoftmississauga.bsky.social ICCIT/Sociology. Data Sciences Institue. McMC Lab. Studies Social Media, Virtual Reality. Author of Interpersonal Encounters https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/interpersonal-encounters/book23785
Politics, Media, and Open Scholarship @universityofleeds.bsky.social | Co-Director @cdpleeds.bsky.social | Leeds Local Network Lead @ukrepro.bsky.social | AE @polcommjournal.bsky.social
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5330-7634
Behavioral Scientist & Science Communicator.
Nancy and Peter Meinig Family Investigator in the Life Sciences and Associate Professor of Communication, Medicine, and Public Policy at Cornell University.
More here: neillewisjr.com
Personal account
Professor of Digital Social Science @unidue.bsky.social and head of the team Research Data & Methods @cais-research.bsky.social
Interested in digital traces | computational social science | reproducibility | open science | #rstats
www.johannesbreuer.com
