Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · 1d

"children living in areas with higher levels of societal inequality, ..., were linked to having a reduced surface area of the brain’s cortex, & altered connections between multiple regions of the brain ... regardless of their economic background. www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Study links greater inequality to structural changes in children’s brains

Researchers say findings show inequality creates toxic environment and reducing it is ‘a public health imperative’

www.theguardian.com

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · 1d

"Trump is putting Europe under pressure to water down its digital rulebook. But now more than ever, Europe should hold large US tech firms accountable for anti-competitive market rigging, snooping on Europeans, and preying on our children" www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The EU has a secret weapon to counter Trump’s economic bullying. It’s time to use it | Johnny Ryan

The anti-coercion instrument, or ‘trade bazooka’, is designed to shield against foreign pressure, says civil liberties campaigner Johnny Ryan

www.theguardian.com

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 1d

“One of the negative consequences AI is having on students is that it is hurting their ability to develop meaningful relationships with teachers, the report finds. Half of the students agree that using AI in class makes them feel less connected to their teachers.”

Rising Use of AI in Schools Comes With Big Downsides for Students

A report by the Center for Democracy and Technology looks at teachers' and students' experiences with the technology.

www.edweek.org

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Catherine Fletcher @cathfletcher.bsky.social · 8d

The Anthropic settlement list is up. Authors, check here to see if your books are included: www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com

ANT Homepage | ANT

www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com

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Ben Williamson @benpatrickwill.bsky.social · 8d

If your institution requires you to use Blackboard for teaching (like me), be aware its parent company is broke and it's getting new private equity owners whose plans for the platform, and how they'll capitalize on it, remain unknown (bet it includes "AI") onedtech.philhillaa.com/p/anthology-...

What This Means for the LMS and EdTech Markets

For campus leaders: Blackboard will continue operating through the case, but the ownership and investment thesis behind the LMS are changing. This could affect long-term product direction and stability.

For EdTech executives: This is a textbook example of distressed-debt control in our sector. It shows how private equity cycles, first driving aggressive expansion, now dictating asset sales, reshape vendor landscapes.

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Center for Countering Digital Hate @counterhate.com · 11d

Social media companies are letting hate flood our timelines.

Their algorithms amplify hate to play with our emotions & biases, keeping us glued to their platforms.

Call on social media giants & lawmakers to stop the spread of online hate. Take action today ⤵️

Take Action: Stand Against Online Hate

Call on social media giants and lawmakers to stop the spread of online hate. Add your name.

act.counterhate.com

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · 16d

On TikTok and YouTube “children may still be exposed to gambling content, violent images, far-right material and conspiracy theories simply by not logging in to the sites… ‘The law does not prevent under 16s from accessing or viewing content without an account.” www.theguardian.com/media/2025/s...

From zero to neo-Nazis: what under-16s may see under Australia’s social media ban, simply by not logging in

Guardian Australia test finds scrolling shortform videos while logged out of YouTube and TikTok quickly leads to gambling, violent and far-right content

www.theguardian.com

Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · 18d

Beyond proving #hallucinations were inevitable, the OpenAI research revealed that industry evaluation methods actively encouraged the problem… binary grading that penalized “I don’t know” responses while rewarding incorrect but confident answers. www.computerworld.com/article/4059...

OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws

In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limi...

www.computerworld.com

Prof Mike Yearworth @mikeyearworth.bsky.social · 18d

"In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limits."

www.computerworld.com/article/4059...

OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws

In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limi...

www.computerworld.com

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Olivier Driessens @odriessens.bsky.social · 20d

Great 50th anniversary issue of Communications. @goranbolin.bsky.social, @giovannamas.bsky.social, @blurky.bsky.social and others revisit and assess articles and reviews published in the journal in previous decades. Very stimulating discussions!

www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/...

Communications Volume 50 Issue 3

Volume 50, issue 3 of the journal Communications was published in 2025.

www.degruyterbrill.com

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · 21d

as AUS is about to introduce a #SocialMediaBan a trial of age verification sw reveals age and racial bias: Asian & indigenous youth are more likely to be miscategorised as above the age limit www.theguardian.com/news/2025/se... Read @eukidsonline.bsky.social statement www.lse.ac.uk/media-and-co...

Social media ban trial data reveals racial bias in age checking software: just how inaccurate is it?

Young people from Indigenous and Asian backgrounds are more likely to be miscategorised as over the age limit and older people as underaged, analysis finds

www.theguardian.com

Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · 22d

Had fun writing a review of Sherry Turkle's Life on Screen almost 30 years later for the Jubilee issue of Communications The European Journal of Communication Research doi.org/10.1515/comm...

Turkle, S. (1997). Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the internet. Simon & Schuster. 352 pp.

Article Turkle, S. (1997). Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the internet. Simon & Schuster. 352 pp. was published on September 30, 2025 in the journal Communications (volume 50, issue 3).

doi.org

Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · 24d

Actually studies (few, initial, certainly limited) suggest the opposite: that AI may reduce cognitive abilities

Philip Bump @pbump.com · 27d

Extremist murders by ideology, 2013 to 2022. www.pbump.net/o/reassessin...

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · 28d

New longitudinal study by Keith Hampton & Gabriel Hales shows social media use and screen time have a small negative effect but a strong indirect effect on academic performance through digital skills www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Rethinking screen time and academic achievement: gender differences and the hidden benefit of online leisure through digital skills

Concerns about the detrimental effects of screen time on adolescents’ academic achievement are widespread. However, this perspective often overlooks the potential educational benefits of online lei...

www.tandfonline.com

Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Sep 5

The Australian eSafety Commissioner published a summary fo consultations on the social media ban: 1 parents want a strong narrative to postpone access 2 expert raise privacy, inclusion, equity and wellbeing issues 3 children demand platform responsibilities to protect them from harmful content

www.esafety.gov.au

Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Sep 3

Disney to Pay $10 Million to Settle FTC Allegations the Company Enabled the Unlawful Collection of Children’s Personal Data www.ftc.gov/news-events/...

Disney to Pay $10 Million to Settle FTC Allegations the Company Enabled the Unlawful Collection of Children’s Personal Data

Disney will pay $10 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the company allowed personal data to be collected from children who viewed kid-directed videos on YouTube without not

www.ftc.gov

Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Sep 2

which is why it is extremely problematic from an ethical and rights perspective.

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Sep 2

not just for betraying their patients' trust but for compromising their privacy (and health) rights

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Sep 2

"companies, including Heidi Health, Upheal, Lyssn, Blueprint, are marketing specialized tools to therapists, such as AI-assisted note-taking, training, transcription services. These companies say they are HIPAA compliant and store data securely using encryption and pseudonymization where necessary"

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Sep 2

luckily, automated care doesn't feel appropriate, not to mention privacy and ethical issues "AI responses were rated as conforming better to therapeutic best practice. However, when participants suspected responses to have been written by ChatGPT, they ranked them lower."

Therapists are secretly using ChatGPT. Clients are triggered.

Some therapists are using AI during therapy sessions. They’re risking their clients’ trust and privacy in the process.

www.technologyreview.com

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Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · Sep 2

So many problems here, but if you are a therapist doing this, why wouldn’t your client just drop you and use a chatbot. You’re just the bot’s puppet at that point.

Therapists are secretly using ChatGPT. Clients are triggered.

Some therapists are using AI during therapy sessions. They’re risking their clients’ trust and privacy in the process.

www.technologyreview.com

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Claes de Vreese @claesdevreese.bsky.social · Aug 26

The EU is a market with 450 million people.

There is vast public support for regulation of big tech and for companies to meet their responsibilities.

Giving in after a decade of efforts in this space is undesirable and unnecessary.

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/b...

Trump Wants Europe to Stop Regulating Big Tech. Will It Bend?

www.nytimes.com

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Kashmir Hill @kashhill.bsky.social · Aug 26

Adam Raine, 16, died from suicide in April after months on ChatGPT discussing plans to end his life. His parents have filed the first known case against OpenAI for wrongful death.

Overwhelming at times to work on this story, but here it is. My latest on AI chatbots: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...

A Teen Was Suicidal. ChatGPT Was the Friend He Confided In.

www.nytimes.com

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Aug 26

Melania Trump’s approach to AI : “It is essential that every member of our academic community, including our great educators, administrators, and students rise to this historic challenge with on-going curiosity, perseverance, and ingenuity.” www.rawstory.com/melania-trum...

Melania Trump warns of 'risks' as she accepts leadership role in AI program for children

Melania Trump outsourced the narration of her audiobook to artificial intelligence, and she's using that experience as a springboard to a high-tech role in her husband's administration.The first lady ...

www.rawstory.com

The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · Aug 23

The data you depend on – about jobs, weather, health, water and more – is quietly vanishing from federal sites.

Here’s how it’s happening and how you can join efforts to help save it:
buff.ly/GIa2psq

Data that taxpayers have paid for and rely on is disappearing – here’s how it’s happening and what you can do about it

Detailed data that US government agencies collect and make available has underpinned research about people, medicine, science, crime, jobs, housing, climate and the economy.

buff.ly

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Aug 19

What does it mean to be a scholar when the conditions needed to think, teach & create are stripped away? What does academic freedom mean when intellectual, political & pedagogical freedom is restricted by siege? What does it mean to mentor youth... www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

‘Too hungry to think, too weak to sit upright. Concentration slips away’: the struggle to stay focused as an academic in Gaza

It is hard to keep the mind sharp when the body is thin and dehydrated, but solidarity is teaching starving students their thoughts still matter

www.theguardian.com

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Aug 17

AI may contribute to social and cognitive deskilling, and children and young people are likely to be more affected @adalovelaceinstitute.org www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/blog/relatio...

Relation generation

How AI assistants are impacting the way young people socialise

www.adalovelaceinstitute.org

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Aug 16

“the more we know about this technology, the more it is the source of hope and worry.” Gen Z’s voices on AI in @theguardian.com today www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

We are gen Z – and AI is our future. Will that be good or bad?

The more we know about this technology, the more it is the source of hope and worry, say Sumaiya Motara and others

www.theguardian.com

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Giovanna Mascheroni @giovannamas.bsky.social · Aug 15

Not if you have a 9 years old 😉

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