Unspun

Why don't fact checks stop fake news from spreading?In this episode of UnSpun Journal Club, I break down research by Carlos Diaz Ruiz from the Hanken School of Economics that argues disinformation spreads not just because people believe it, but because digital media markets reward it.We look at how attention turns into money. How platforms, advertisers, and influencers all benefit when content spreads fast—whether it’s true or not. From Macedonian fake news sites during the 2016 U.S. election to modern social media algorithms, this episode explains the problem when disinformation pays.We also explore the role of the First Amendment, global platforms like X, and why regulating misinformation is harder than it sounds—especially when U.S. tech companies operate across borders.Find Dr. Ruiz's paper here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14614448231207644Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Most efforts to stop misinformation focus on helping people recognize what’s wrong. But new research suggests that knowledge isn’t always the problem. Sometimes people share misinformation on purpose—because it feels useful, political, or appealing. This editon of UnSpun journal club breaks down Moral Deliberation Reduces People’s Intentions to Share Headlines They Recognize as “Fake News” by Daniel A. Effron Judy Qiu, Deborah ShulmanThese authors report on a reason why people might sometimes share information they know isn't true and found a way to discourage it. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Why do people reject information meant to help them?In this episode of UnSpun, we explore psychological reactance — the instinct to resist control — and how it shapes our reactions to fact-checks, corrections, and even each other. From COVID-19 warning labels to social-media fatigue and holiday-table arguments, DrSturg traces how the need for freedom can make truth feel like pressure. And she offers a better way to get people to stop rejecting facts.Topics covered:– What psychological reactance is– How social media architecture amplifies defiance– Why corrections often backfire– How to talk to friends or family who reject facts– The emotional balance between truth and autonomy#Reactance #Misinformation #MediaLiteracy #UnSpunPodcast #SocialMediaPsychologyAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of UnSpun, we trace the invisible architecture that keeps truth alive when communication is forbidden.From Phyllis Latour Doyle’s coded knitting in Nazi-occupied France to encrypted mesh networks during Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests, “The Geometry of Trust” reveals how humans build secret systems of meaning under surveillance.This episode explores how communication itself becomes resistance when power demands silence.🔗 Check my book on the #AltGov resistance movement here: https://amzn.to/4qDapCv🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What exactly is “hate speech”—and who gets to decide?This episode of UnSpun traces the shifting definitions of hate speech across a century of mass media. From Henry Ford’s antisemitic newspaper in the 1920s to Father Coughlin’s radio sermons, from Rwanda’s radio-fueled genocide to Roseanne Barr’s infamous tweet, Don Imus’s firing, and the recent suspensions of Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert—we follow how governments, corporations, and audiences have drawn, erased, and redrawn the boundaries of speech.Along the way, we uncover how U.S. free speech law differs from Europe’s, how the Chans incubated extremist movements, how YouTube’s “adpocalypse” reshaped platform rules, and how the FCC’s regulatory power still influences what voices we hear.👉 Subscribe for more episodes exploring the forces that shape public perception, journalism, and democracy.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

“You either agree with us… or you’re out.”Ever felt like saying the wrong thing—even gently—could get you exiled from your community, your party, your friend group? In this episode of UnSpun, Dr. Sturg explores the rise of ideological purity tests:Why your social feed feels like a loyalty gauntletHow politicians, religious leaders, and even scientists use purity rhetoric to silence dissentThe hidden power of wedge issues in dividing movementsAnd how the internet has made it faster, more punishing, and more profitable Learn how groupthink spreads, what purity logic does to our ability to think clearly, and what we can do to fight back.Real-world examples from the U.S., Canada, Hungary, South America, Reddit, Wikipedia, and more.It’s about identity, fear, and power and if you feel silenced, this one’s for you.. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy