Professor Lee McKnight tells Spectrum News that unofficial experts in government aren't new—but DOGE’s data access and Musk’s conflicts of interest raise unique concerns.
Jaime Banks investigates how we form relationships with AI companions, what they mean to us, and how they challenge our understanding of connection, identity, and ethics in a digital world.
iSchool professor Jennifer Stromer-Galley warns that weak digital ad regulations and shady election tactics leave voters vulnerable to manipulation in a fragmented information environment.
Jennifer Stromer-Galley explains how campaigns now use merchandise to collect supporter data through a “swag-to-text” strategy. Known for picking quirky items like John McCain’s ice scraper, she draws the line at pricier pieces—Jeb Bush’s $75 “Guaca Bowle” was, she admits, a bit too much for research.
iSchool professor Jennifer Stromer-Galley cautions that political text messages often evade public scrutiny, making it easier for campaigns to spread misleading information. The lack of transparency, she notes, creates a challenge for journalists and researchers seeking accountability.
Professor Jaime Banks' panel, Love Machines: The Science of AI Companionship, has been accepted to SXSW. The session will explore how AI companions—customizable, memory-driven social machines—challenge ideas of real intimacy and connection, while examining their potential and risks in today's world.
Jennifer Stromer-Galley, professor at the School of Information Studies, observes a rising tide of negativity in election ads compared to 2020. "The advertisements this election are more uncivil and just overall more negative than what we saw in 2020," she says, noting that an estimated 65% of Donald Trump’s ads contain negative content, compared to only 30% for Kamala Harris.
iSchool Professor Ingrid Erickson has been selected for the U.S.-India AI Fellowship Program, a one-year initiative that connects 20 emerging leaders from the U.S. and India to advance AI research and policy.
Jennifer Stromer-Galley, lead researcher at ElectionGraph, expresses concern over the rise of scams on Facebook and Instagram that mimic legitimate ads. These ads, often filled with falsehoods and deepfakes, mislead voters and further degrade the integrity of the information environment.
Jon Stromer-Galley, a research software engineer at Syracuse’s Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship, was quoted in The New York Times discussing the use of privacy proxy services in Iceland.