Unspun

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 debunkingWhy misinformation spreads faster than fact checksHow this can help even with free speech concernsHow the audience can help each otherIt'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/Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 evidenceWhether media literacy education actually worksWhat this means for journalism, democracy, and everyday media consumersIf 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.2020.0174Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Newsrooms are shrinking and experienced reporters are getting pushed onto Substack or into freelance work.Does it change the news you receive when journalism moves from institutions to individuals?In this episode of UnSpun, DrSturg looks at the complicated trade-offs that come with at the rise of freelance and independent journalism. From Washington Post layoffs to Substack newsletters, and from Don Lemon’s arrest to Nick Shirley's video about Minnesota daycares, we she considers how ethics, accountability, legal protection, and financial pressure change when journalists work alone.Independence can mean freedom, but it can also mean exposure.This episode breaks down research from multiple countries on how unstable working conditions shape the type of information produced — and what that means for you, as you get your news. .If you care about media literacy, press freedom, journalism ethics, misinformation, or the future of news, this conversation matters.Check out DrSturg's book, Detection Deception: Tools to fight fake news. Link takes you to independent bookstores, but the big guys have it, too. And find her on Bluesky and Instagram.Episode photo: by Bickanski on PixnioAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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

Political change doesn't start with politics. Evidence suggests something else happens first.In this episode of UnSpun, we look at how media attention, repetition, and trust quietly shape what ideas feel acceptable long before policy is written. And news events like shooting protesters in Minneapolis can get liberals talking about gun rights and conservatives advocating for the right to protest a republican government. Using real research and real-world examples,, explore how•               Media environments shape what politicians think voters want•               Repetition turns controversial ideas into “common sense”•               Attacking the press weakens accountability•               Social pressure locks new norms into placeThis episode isn’t about telling you what to think.It’s about helping you notice how the conversation itself gets shaped.Stay sharp.Advertising 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

ou probably don’t go looking for the news anymore.It finds you.A post. A clip. A friend’s reaction. A meme that feels like a headline. Before you’ve read a single article, you already have an opinion.In this episode of UnSpun, look at how social media has quietly changed what news feels like — and what that change does to trust and understanding. Drawing on recent research, we explore why feeds can make us feel informed without giving us context, why trust shifts from institutions to individuals, and why following real journalism on social platforms can actually make a difference.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 today’s wars, the battlefield is more than land, sea, or air—it’s information.This episode of UnSpun examines how media has become both a weapon and a target in the age of hybrid warfare. From Russian deepfakes in Ukraine to meme wars in U.S. politics, information has become the terrain where global power is contested.Learn how disinformation systems are built, how governments—both authoritarian and democratic—deploy them, and how ordinary citizens can defend themselves. Advertising 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

In this episode of UnSpun, we examine a phenomenon hiding in plain sight — the rise of civil religion. From stadium memorials that look like worship services to presidents who sound like preachers, faith and politics have fused into something new — and dangerous. We trace how America’s patriotic rituals became sacred texts, how global leaders have learned the same language, and what happens when dissent becomes heresy.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

Law and Order” — it sounds reassuring. But what does it really mean?In this week’s episode of UnSpun, we unpack how those three words have been used across centuries — from 1500s England to 1960s Alabama to 2020s America — not just to fight crime, but to reshape societies. In this episode, we explore:The hidden history of “law and order” as a political weaponHow leaders like George Wallace, Richard Nixon, and Donald Trump used the phrase to suppress dissentThe role of economic fear in making people trade freedom for controlGlobal examples from Canada, China, Turkey, Eastern Europe, and beyondWhat the phrase means today — and why we should all listen carefully when it’s used“Law and Order” isn’t just a slogan. It’s a signal — and sometimes, a warning.🎧 Listen now to learn what’s really being promised.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

Have you ever believed a video, article, or photo—only to realize it was completely fake? Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney are making it cheaper and easier than ever to create convincing misinformation. In this UnSpun, Dr. Sturg explores the unsettling rise of AI-driven lies, what it means for journalism, politics, and democracy, and how you can keep yourself from falling for convincing fakes.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Politicians don’t just post online—they surf the trends. In this episode of UnSpun, Dr Sturg explores agenda surfing: hijacking trending topics to gain attention, distract from controversy, or push unrelated agendas. From Germany''s far-right 120 decibels campaign to Trump's Twitter distractions and coordinated WhatsApp groups in India, we show how political actors use digital platforms to dominate the conversation. Plus, we explain how crises and media events create golden moments of “shared attention”—and how elites use them to amplify their power.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ever wonder why the same protest looks peaceful on one news channel and chaotic on another? In this episode of UnSpun, Dr. Sturg looks at how media coverage frames public demonstrations. Learn about the "protest paradigm," explore how journalists' choices shape your perception, and discover real-world examples from Black Lives Matter to historic marches in Birmingham and Occupy Wall Street.🔍 What you'll learn in this episode:How media framing can turn peaceful demonstrations into perceived threatsWhy dramatic images of violence dominate headlinesReal-world examples from global protests and what media gets wrong (and right!)Practical tips on how YOU can critically evaluate protest coverageAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Why do repeated lies work—even when we know they’re false? In this episode of UnSpun, Dr. Sturg explores the Big Lie in American politics, the psychology behind the illusory truth effect, and how figures like Kari Lake have used rhetoric to reshape public belief. She also talks to rhetoric expert Dr. Jennifer Mercieca, author of Demagogue for President, about how demagogues manipulate language to avoid accountability, build loyalty, and undermine democratic norms.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What does Jan. 6 have to do with cherry picking? A lot, it turns out. Find out how. Plus Dr. Sturg tells what the research says about Thanksgiving dinner with the relatives. Can you change Aunt Gladys's mind? Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy