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.

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.

Find Dr. Sturg on Substack

Find Dr. Sturg on BlueSky

Be smarter with Dr. Sturg's book that teaches you how to detect fake news.

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.