How Iran, the US, and Israel Fought for Narrative Control: The New Ecology of War Propaganda

I wanted to collect propaganda content for all sides during the war for the record. Here is what ChatGPT’s deep research found out. It looks like this is not just propaganda in the traditional sense, but a platform-native propaganda system, where states, semi-state actors, and meme producers operate within the same attention economy. How I … Read more

Digital tools and platforms to search Epstein files easier

The unsealed Epstein documents are vast and messy; the right tools make the difference between noise and meaningful analysis. Several public and semi-public tools now make the Epstein material much easier to query and cross-check. I have also shared a list at the end. Here are the main ones and what they’re good for: Turn‑key … Read more

Turkey/Türkiye related mentions in the Epstein Files

As of February 2, 2026, the publicly released Epstein Files include several references to Turkey, focusing on allegations of international trafficking, diplomatic contacts, and broader geopolitical implications. However, as far as I could see, no major scandals so far! Most Turkey-related references in the newly released Epstein Files are incidental or contextual, with only one … Read more

AI and International Relations. How (Authoritarian) Powers Weaponize Data to Control the Future of Knowledge

Reflections from the “International Relations in the Age of AI” panel held at the Point Hotel Taksim in Istanbul, organized by EUROPolitika Journal on December 20, 2025. I have formatted my notes using Perplexity.  AI Grooming: How Authoritarian Powers Weaponize Data to Control the Future of Knowledge In the age of artificial intelligence, we face … Read more

Generative AI and Higher Education. A collection of recent op-eds

I see a new article nearly every week about the state of higher education due to the rise of generative AI. These are mostly pessimistic articles, and they definitely carry some truth. Still, in a broader perspective, I cannot help but think that higher education/academia was in trouble before generative AI. The latter pushes it … Read more

Worlds of Journalism Study Report – 32,000+ journalists in 75 countries

The new Worlds of Journalism Study (WJS3) Report, “Journalism under duress”, is now available – https://www.worldsofjournalism.org/reports-wjs3/ Drawing on responses from over 32,000 journalists in 75 countries, this report examines how journalists across the globe navigate risk, uncertainty, and transformation in today’s rapidly changing media landscape. Supported by UNESCO, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the International … Read more

As the current controversy continues, a deep dive into the Kaan Fifth-Generation Fighter Jet Project

Intentionally or not, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has publicly blamed US congressional restrictions for stalling the delivery of the necessary engines, threatening to delay serial production of the KAAN jet, which was promoted as another artifact of the Turkish sovereign defense industry. Although experts were already aware of the engine issue, many lay citizens … Read more

Our Report is online at TechPolicy: “Policy Directions on Encrypted Messaging and Extreme Speech”

I am glad to be part of this project. Our report is authored by Anmol Alphonso, Sérgio Barbosa, Cayley Clifford, Kiran Garimella, Elonnai Hickok, Martin Riedl, Erkan Saka, Herman Wasserman, Sahana Udupa.  The full policy report is available here. The book, WhatsApp in the World: Disinformation, Encryption and Extreme Speech (New York University Press, 2025), … Read more

Wikipedia entry on “Gaza Genocide”

This is a lengthy and thoroughly discussed entry. Click here to read: Gaza genocide This article is about the characterisation of ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza. For accusations throughout the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, see Palestinian genocide accusation. For allegations against Hamas, see Allegations of genocide in the October 7 attacks. According to a United Nations Special … Read more

Misogyny was the common thread in an analysis of more than 100 extremist manifestos

via Kottke.org The research was conducted by Karmvir K. Padda, who is a researcher and PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Waterloo. Padda specializes in digital extremism and gender-based violence and receives research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The University of Waterloo is also listed as a partner for … Read more

Watching the Valley of the Wolves, Fan Communities

As I reached episode 79 in the original series, here is the final installment of ChatGPT’s in-depth research results on fan communities. Fan literature has never been as prevalent as in the US, and its nature may differ, but there is still something to discover. In the 70ish episodes of the series, “Illuminati” was introduced … Read more

A Global Voices Report: Artificial Intelligence Narratives

This report is part of Data Narratives, a Civic Media Observatory project that aims to identify and understand the discourse on data used for governance, control, and policy in El Salvador, Brazil, Turkey, Sudan, and India. Read more about the project here and see our public dataset. Access the Artificial Intelligence Narratives report in PDF  Turkey In Turkey, hype … Read more

A report on the future of open access publishing and policy

The MIT Press has released a comprehensive report that addresses how open access policies shape research and what is needed to maximize their positive impact on the research ecosystem. The report, entitled “Access to Science and Scholarship 2024: Building an Evidence Base to Support the Future of Open Research Policy,” is the outcome of a … Read more

“Content Creators and Journalists: Redefining News and Credibility in the Digital Age,” Knight Center and UNESCO publish e-book:

Bridging the gap between digital content creators and journalists: Knight Center and UNESCO publish pioneering e-book With 105 pages of interviews, research, first-hand accounts from news content creators like Dylan Page (aka News Daddy) and Kassy Cho (founder of Almost), illustrations and best practices, this unique open-access e-book published by the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, in … Read more

This may be the most detailed work so far: “The Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Elections Across the Globe”

The Center for Media Engagement at UT Austin released a vital report. The executive summary is below. For the full report, click here.  Generative AI (GenAI) has emerged as a transformative force in elections playing out across the world. In a series of reports, the Center for Media Engagement investigates GenAI’s role before, during, and … Read more