Unspun

Latest Episodes:

Why the News Feels So Overwhelming (And What It’s Doing to You Apr 28, 2026

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In this episode of UnSpun, learn the hidden manipulation behind the news.

From TV journalism of the '80s, with “if it bleeds, it leads,” to today’s algorithm-driven outrage, news has evolved into a system designed to capture attention.

I walk through the research on clickbait and emotional manipulation to explain how it shapes not what you believe and how you act.

Topics include:

The psychology of clickbait and the “curiosity gap.”
Why outrage spreads faster than information
How fear and anger drive engagement
The illusion of knowledge in modern media
What sensationalism does to democracy
Practical ways to take back control of your information diet

Stay sharp, truth seekers!

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Check out DrSturg's book that teaches YOU how to get played less by the media for less than $25.

Episode art by Mike Licht.

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Do social media algorithms change your mind? - Unspun Journal Club Apr 21, 2026

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Do social media algorithms actually change what you believe?

In this episode of UnSpun, we break down new research from on the political effects of X’s feed algorithm. Using a real-world experiment with X users, the study tests what happens when people switch between chronological and algorithmic feeds.

We also examine the legacy of Cambridge Analytica and the broader concerns about filter bubbles, misinformation,and algorithmic influence.

It's more complicated than the headlines suggest.

Algorithms may not change your identity—but they can shape what you see, who you follow, and how you interpret the world.

More about the paper here.

Check out Dr. Sturg's book that teaches you how to identify double-talking politicians.

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Influencers, Politics, and the New Information Economy Apr 14, 2026

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In this episode of UnSpun, I look at the growing power of influencers in politics and public life. From streamers and commentators to legacy journalists turned creators, the media landscape has changed fast. Who gets trusted? Who gets heard? And what does it mean when more people get their news from personalities instead of institutions?

I explore how influencers shape political knowledge, why they are so effective, how platform incentives affect what gets said, and what YOU can do to evaluate information more carefully.

Topics include:

Trump’s appearances on influencer platforms
Pew Research on news influencers
Parasocial relationships and authenticity
Why legacy media trust keeps slipping
How to make your feed more reliable

Stay sharp, truth seekers.

Here's the episode on Uses and Gratifications.

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Nightmare fuel: Rapid-fire convincing disinformation without the data center Apr 07, 2026

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Welcome to Journal Club 6, which is about how it's gotten easy and inexpensive to make seemingly limitless disinformation ready to go straight into your feeds.

Back in Roman times, it took control of the money mint to create and scale harmful propaganda. in this week's episode, Dr. Sturg looks at a paper that tested if it's possible to create convincing fake news without even having to pay for Chat GPT compute credits. The findings are not good news, but better to know.

Find this week's paper here.

And you can get better at finding fake news yourself with Dr. Sturg's book. Find it here or your favorite online bookseller.

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Why are politicians swearing more and does it matter? Mar 31, 2026

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Why do politicians swear—and why does it work?

In this episode of UnSpun, DrSturg examines how profanity functions as a political tool. From viral moments like Biden’s hot mic comment abotu Peter Doocy to the Trump Access Hollywood tape and John Fetterman’s “jagoff” controversy, explore how vulgar language captures attention and, for some, signals authenticity.

But there’s a trade-off.

Research shows that while profanity can help mobilize supporters, for others it can also erode trust, deepen polarization and even divert attention away from substantive issues.

Find out what happens when the system we're all a part of rewards what spreads instead of what informs?

*****

The episode starts with a logical fallacy, and DrSturg actually wrote a book about that where you can learn how to spot when newsmakers are using langauge to fool you with fun, real world examples. Find it here.

And join the conversation on Bluesky!

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The Power of Local News in Fighting Misinformation: Journal Club Episode 5 Mar 24, 2026

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In this episode of UnSpun Journal Club, we break down new research on one of the biggest challenges in today’s information environment: misinformation.

Most conversations focus on fact-checkers or national media. But this paper argues something different—that local journalism may be one of the most effective tools we have for stopping misinformation where it starts.

We explore why misinformation spreads so effectively, why traditional responses often fall short, and what role local news might play moving forward.

The question is not just whether local journalism works.

It’s whether it will still exist when we need it.

Original paper here:

A new hope: Local journalism as a mitigation hub for misinformation by Gregory Perreault and Phoebe Maares.

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Baghdad Bob to AI War Propaganda: The First Story in a War Is Often Wrong Mar 17, 2026

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In this episode of UnSpun, we examine how governments shape wartime narratives and how journalists have challenged them across modern history. From Baghdad Bob’s surreal press conferences during the 2003 invasion of Iraq to the Pentagon Papers, the My Lai massacre, and the Abu Ghraib scandal, the episode explores how independent reporting has exposed truths that official accounts initially concealed.

We also examine how war reporting has evolved since World War II, including the rise of embedded journalism, the role of social media in modern conflicts, and the risks journalists face when reporting from the ground.

As new conflicts unfold and accusations of misinformation intensify, understanding how war narratives are constructed has never been more important.

Stay sharp.

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A quick video can slow the spread of fake news: Unspun Journal Club 4 Mar 10, 2026

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Can we stop misinformation before it spreads?

In this episode of UnSpun Journal Club, I break down a real-world Instagram field study on “prebunking” — a strategy that teaches people to recognize manipulation tactics before they encounter viral misinformation.

Instead of fact-checking after the damage is done, researchers tested whether a short 19-second video about emotional manipulation could strengthen people’s ability to detect misleading content in their feeds.

The results? It did -- and the effect lasted five months.

We explore:

How prebunking differs from debunking
Why misinformation spreads faster than fact checks
How this can help even with free speech concerns
How the audience can help each other

It's not censorship. It’s ognitive defense.

If you care about media literacy, journalism research, and practical strategies for navigating misinformation, this episode is for you.

Find the full paper here: https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/prebunking-misinformation-techniques-in-social-media-feeds-results-from-an-instagram-field-study/

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The anatomy of a scandal: Why the Epstein files don't just fade away Mar 03, 2026

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Some scandals flare up, peak, and vanish. Others come back for years.

In this episode of UnSpun, I trace the difference.

Why was the Access Hollywood episode a brief burst, while h the Jeffrey Epstein case a story keeps returning in cycles, fed by court filings, testimony, and periodic document releases.

Join me as I break down the structural forces that determine whether a scandal sticks.

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Deepfake videos make lies feel more true: UnSpun Journal Club 3 Feb 24, 2026

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Deepfakes don’t just tell you lies. They show you “proof.”

In this episode of UnSpun Journal Club, I break downresearch from by Hwang, Ryu ad Jeong Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking examining whether deepfake videos make misinformation more believable than text alone.

The findings are concerning:

But there’s good news. A short media literacy lesson—just seven minutes—helped a lot.

I'll unpack:

Why video feels more like evidence
Whether media literacy education actually works
What this means for journalism, democracy, and everyday media consumers

If you care about misinformation, media literacy, and how public perception is shaped, this episode is for you.

Source:

Hwang, Y., Ryu, J. Y., & Jeong, S.-H. (2021). Effects of Disinformation Using Deepfake: The Protective Effect of Media Literacy Education. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2020.0174

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