If we look back on the use of social media analytics in Obama’s elections, we might well ask, how is what the Trump campaign tried to do with the research firm Cambridge Analytica any different? Is this about Cambridge Analytica's violation of Facebook policy or is this a bigger deal than that? Whatever the... read more →
Mar
30
Nov
27
The classic story of Ferdinand the Bull has been expanded into a new animated film due to be released by Fox in December. It’s family friendly and has a great message for all of us: Be true to yourself. But Ferdinand can be much more powerful. It can be used to help... read more →
Aug
09
Widespread and anxious reactions to statements like Trump’s fire and fury spread fast across the Twittersphere. We can’t blame Twitter alone for the far-reaching impact of this kind of news. Only about 25 percent of the population is on Twitter (Greenwood, Perrin, & Duggan, 2016). This type of news reverberates across... read more →
May
10
Do young people feel the need to be “selfie-ready”? Before you go to the knee-jerk ‘yes,’ it’s important to separate out the developmental drives of young people—including a craving for social acceptance—from the impact of an increasingly visual culture. The bulk of selfie-taking occurs when young people are at the... read more →
Apr
19
It may be catchy, but wrong. Facebook is a tool, a platform. It’s irresponsible to call Stephens the Facebook killer. Yes, he live-streamed a murder on Facebook. It’s heinous, for sure, but to blame Facebook is like blaming the gun. That line of logic, while it may hold psychological and political appeal, fans... read more →