I have a new #paper available as a preprint on #OSF! 📰
This study introduces "MQ-Class" to tackle two key methodological challenges in measuring #media #ideology :
🟦detecting subtle forms of news bias 💻📱
🟦integrating #human #expertise with LLMs👩🔬👨🔬
(See more below!)
doi.org/10.31235/osf...
📢 Call for Papers: first Annual Digital Publics Conference
📅 21–23 October 2026 | Digital Society Initiative, University of Zurich
👉 To submit: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/BxVnAMyxNh
❗Deadline for abstract submissions is 31 May 2026❗Acceptance notifications will be sent by early july.
Looking for something to read after the long week? Check out our new preprint "Fact-Checks Can Help Inoculate LLMs Against Disinformation"! osf.io/preprints/so...
Read a brief summary below ->
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📊 New preprint with @evavogel.bsky.social @morganwack.bsky.social @esserfrank.bsky.social: we tested whether you can batch-classify multiple texts in a single LLM prompt without losing coding accuracy.
Short answer: yes, up to about 100 items per prompt.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2604.03684
Title: "Ban, Improve, or Ignore? Social Media Regulation From a Communication Research Perspective".
Last week I gave my inaugural lecture at University of Zurich, @ikmz.bsky.social. Now online on YouTube.
Monday next week, 5 pm, I’ll deliver my UZH inaugural lecture. Title:
„Ban, improve, or ignore? Social Media Regulation from a Communication Research Perspective“
The talk is open to the public: you can join either on-site or via live-stream. Details, see:
www.uzh.ch/de/events/ag...
Today, we presented the main results of the mental health days study 2025 (N = 8.177).
Results
> In May 2025, Austria implemented a nationwide smartphone-ban at schools
> Compared to 2024, smartphone use went down by 30 mins
> Life satisfaction went up (5.36 to 5.52)
> Depression sank (15% to 12%)
We just wrapped an energizing 2-day workshop in Nuremberg - the first in-person meeting of the full PROMISE team! Hosted by our colleagues at Friedrich-Alexander University, the meetup marked a first milestone in our 3-year international project. (1/4)
Interesting unpacking of deepfakes:
- darkfakes
- glowfakes
- foefakes
- fanfakes
“A blanket approach to “fighting deepfakes” risks treating satirical content the same as malicious attacks”
@morganwack.bsky.social & co in @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/scrutinizing...
📢Fantastic job-opportunity at the #UZH department for communication and media research
@ikmz.bsky.social: Professorship in Communication Studies with a focus on Change and Innovation in Communication 100% 😍 Deadline for applications: December 17, 2025. jobs.uzh.ch/offene-stell...
Generative AI deepens the digital divide in Switzerland and is increasingly becoming part of everyday life. The latest findings of the World Internet Project – Switzerland 2025 are now online 🤖 ✨
➡️ mediachange.ch/news/187
Welcome to #IKMZ, Paloma Gimenez Gil! 🎉
Paloma, a journalist and comms specialist will research how the UBS takeover of Credit Suisse was framed in global financial media.
She joins us from Sept 2025–Aug 2026 under the supervision of Prof. Nadine Strauß. Welcome, Paloma!
📣 Wir laden Sie herzlich zu unserer öffentlichen Vortragsreihe „Wie Digitalisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz unsere Gesellschaft verändern“ ein. Gastredner:innen geben spannende Einblicke in die aktuelle Digitalisierung der Gesellschaft und in Künstliche Intelligenz.
25 Jahre WiD. Impact Unit. Standards for the evaluation of science communication - international perspectives Monday, September 8, 12.00 to 13.30 with
Arko Olesk, Associate Professor of Research Communicaton, Baltic Film, Media and Arts School, Estonia. Julia Rizzo, Head of Science Communication Laimburg Research Centre, Italy
Mike Schäfer, Professor of Science Communication, University Zurich. Mikkel Bohm, Director of National Centre for Science Education, Denmark
Fung Hon Ngen, Senior Lecturer, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. Liliann Fischer, Heads of the Insights Department, Wissenschaft im Dialog, Germany. Julia Panzer, Deputy Project-Lead Impact Unit, Wissenschaft im Dialog, Germany. Register now!
Everyone agrees that quality matters – but what does “good” #evaluation actually mean?! Join our international lunchtime talk on the evaluation of science communication to discuss standardisation and perspectives from research and practice. Register now:
eveeno.com/497479374
#SciComm
📢New publication📢 @tobiasdienlin.com shows that social media has a small but negative effect on well-being. Other activities like listening to music (+8%) or relaxing (+6%) have stronger effects. Impacts vary by age, gender, and country with younger users & men reporting stronger negative effects 🌍
💡 Am 23.09.2025 präsentiert @sfuerst.bsky.social in Winterthur die Ergebnisse der ersten schweizweiten Befragung von Medienschaffenden zu #KünstlicheIntelligenz im Journalismus.
Mit Podiumsdiskussion & Apéro für weiteren Austausch und Networking😍
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
🎉 Congratulations to PD Dr. Sarah Geber, who has been appointed to a professorship in Media & Communication Studies at the University of Mannheim😍 She joined the Department of Media & Communication Studies in August 2025.
All the best as you begin this new chapter🎉
www.ikmz.uzh.ch/de/news/2025...
We're now excited to welcome @friemel.bsky.social & @esserfrank.bsky.social as the new chairs of the department😍, joining Bettina Lennström, who continues her outstanding work as department manager🎉
New directors #IKMZ🎉😍
After 5 years of dedicated service, @mss7676.bsky.social & @markeisenegger.bsky.social have stepped down as co-directors of the department. Their leadership has shaped IKMZ in meaningful ways, and we’re deeply grateful for their commitment!
We are happy to announce @friemel.bsky.social as the new co-director of the @ikmz.bsky.social together with @esserfrank.bsky.social.
We are looking forward to all they’ll bring to the department and the broader university community.
Congratulations, and welcome to your new role! 🎉
🔍 Looking for an interesting and informative book to add to your summer reading list? 📕 Check out "Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online" from @eszter.com and @palfrey.org!
Thrilled to finally see this paper out in print several years after @schafer.bsky.social and I started this project alongside @ikennedy.bsky.social, @beeeeeers.bsky.social, @emmaspiro.bsky.social & @katestarbird.bsky.social! Unfortunately the detrimental policies we discuss remain relevant.
🎉 Congratulations to @nielsmede.bsky.social on his new role as Assistant Professor at Wageningen University & Research!
The tenure-track position focuses on communication in life science contexts!
Wishing you all the best in this exciting next chapter! 👏
www.ikmz.uzh.ch/de/news/2025...
🆕 CheckNews is expanding! The media literacy platform now offers free explainer videos in its new Science Chat series — tackling key topics around digitalization, media, and democracy.
#MediaLiteracy #DigitalEducation #ScienceCommunication #CheckNews #fög #uzh
More information ⬇️
shorturl.at/7QnaT
📢 New publication!
@sfuerst.bsky.social published together with colleagues a special issue entitled “„Öffentliche, Transdisziplinäre und Transformative Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaft” 📢 #OpenAccess
More information⬇️
www.linkedin.com/posts/silke-...
Dr. Sandra Cortesi developed with colleagues from research, education, design, & policy the #FrontiersinDigitalChildSafety #report on innovative, child-centered strategies for digital safety.
🟩 Frontiers in Digital Child Safety report: tumthinktank.de/en/project/f...
🟩 More Info: shorturl.at/gkcOC
Fantastic job-opportunity at the #UZH department for communication and media research @ikmz.bsky.social: LECTURER RESEARCH IN DIGITAL HEALTH COMMUNICATION
(PERMANENT POSTDOCTORAL POSITION, 100%) 😍 Deadline for applications is 30 August, 2025. More information⬇️
🥳🥳 New publication by @sfuerst.bsky.social & @linardsudris.bsky.social with the title “Can constructive journalism provide impetus in the media crisis?” Published in the special issue “Media structures revisited”
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
📢 CfP for a special issue on "Open Research Infrastructures and Resources for Communication and Media Studies"
📅 Deadline for abstracts: 15 September 2025
👉 lnkd.in/d6EMsBx2
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Great #IKMZ departmental trip last week😍 visiting the Zivilschutzmuseum, enjoying a lovely apéro, & ending with a great barbecue evening. Special thanks to Mark & Mike, who gave their farewell speeches as departmental leads. The whole #IKMZ thanks them for their contributions and leadership!🎉