Mert Can Bayar
@mertcanbayar.bsky.social
I work on #conspiracytheories and their impacts on #democracy. I am a postdoctoral scholar at University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public. From Lykia of Anatolia 🌄
Pinned
Mert Can Bayar
@mertcanbayar.bsky.social
· Apr 11
Election Rumors, Conspiracy Theories, and Democracy with Center for an Informed Public
YouTube video by UWImpact
youtu.be
If you’re into the politics behind conspiracy theories and misinformation, check out this talk I gave at UW Impact. I dig into how these beliefs aren’t just fringe—they’re often tied to calls for stronger presidents and even leanings toward authoritarianism.
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
Read Bayar's recent blog post, "Alien of the gaps: How 3I/ATLAS was turned into a spaceship online," on the @cip.uw.edu website: www.cip.uw.edu/2025/12/03/3...
Alien of the gaps: How 3I/ATLAS was turned into a spaceship online
When we reach the frontier of current knowledge, we’re tempted to insert a higher power into the space where answers aren’t yet satisfying for all.
www.cip.uw.edu
December 9, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Read Bayar's recent blog post, "Alien of the gaps: How 3I/ATLAS was turned into a spaceship online," on the @cip.uw.edu website: www.cip.uw.edu/2025/12/03/3...
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
“Our information systems reward the production of mystery and speculation,” @cip.uw.edu postdoctoral scholar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social recently wrote in a blog post about online discourse around the 3I/ATLAS interstellar comet.
Read more in @geekwire.com: www.geekwire.com/2025/alien-i...
Read more in @geekwire.com: www.geekwire.com/2025/alien-i...
The buzz over an ‘alien’ interstellar comet shows how way-out speculation goes viral
Is an interstellar comet actually an alien spaceship? A researcher traces how influencers spread such speculation via social media.
www.geekwire.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:02 AM
“Our information systems reward the production of mystery and speculation,” @cip.uw.edu postdoctoral scholar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social recently wrote in a blog post about online discourse around the 3I/ATLAS interstellar comet.
Read more in @geekwire.com: www.geekwire.com/2025/alien-i...
Read more in @geekwire.com: www.geekwire.com/2025/alien-i...
Anyone who loves #Luis #Buñuel might notice a tiny wink to Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie hidden in the piece. See if you spot it.
3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object we’ve seen. Astronomers see an interesting but natural comet. Online, it quickly became an “alien mothership” with a secret mission. I wrote about how that happened and what it tells us about us and our info systems.
Alien of the gaps: How 3I/ATLAS was turned into a spaceship online
When we reach the frontier of current knowledge, we’re tempted to insert a higher power into the space where answers aren’t yet satisfying for all.
www.cip.uw.edu
December 5, 2025 at 2:22 AM
3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object we’ve seen. Astronomers see an interesting but natural comet. Online, it quickly became an “alien mothership” with a secret mission. I wrote about how that happened and what it tells us about us and our info systems.
Alien of the gaps: How 3I/ATLAS was turned into a spaceship online
When we reach the frontier of current knowledge, we’re tempted to insert a higher power into the space where answers aren’t yet satisfying for all.
www.cip.uw.edu
December 5, 2025 at 1:34 AM
3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object we’ve seen. Astronomers see an interesting but natural comet. Online, it quickly became an “alien mothership” with a secret mission. I wrote about how that happened and what it tells us about us and our info systems.
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
While the scientific consensus is that #3I/ATLAS is a natural comet, one scientist's claims that the object shows certain anomalies that could indicate alien origins have ricocheted through the online universe, and these claims may be amplified as the comet passes Earth in mid-December. (3/3)
December 5, 2025 at 12:37 AM
While the scientific consensus is that #3I/ATLAS is a natural comet, one scientist's claims that the object shows certain anomalies that could indicate alien origins have ricocheted through the online universe, and these claims may be amplified as the comet passes Earth in mid-December. (3/3)
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
In the latest from @cip.uw.edu, Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social analyzes how knowledge gaps can lead to the spread of speculative theories, such as those shared by a Harvard astrophysicist that the comet known as 3l/ATLAS might be an alien "mothership." (1/3)
www.cip.uw.edu/2025/12/03/3...
www.cip.uw.edu/2025/12/03/3...
Alien of the gaps: How 3I/ATLAS was turned into a spaceship online
When we reach the frontier of current knowledge, we’re tempted to insert a higher power into the space where answers aren’t yet satisfying for all.
www.cip.uw.edu
December 5, 2025 at 12:37 AM
In the latest from @cip.uw.edu, Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social analyzes how knowledge gaps can lead to the spread of speculative theories, such as those shared by a Harvard astrophysicist that the comet known as 3l/ATLAS might be an alien "mothership." (1/3)
www.cip.uw.edu/2025/12/03/3...
www.cip.uw.edu/2025/12/03/3...
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
Analyzing posts on X, @mertcanbayar.bsky.social found that about 40% of the 3I/ATLAS conversations on on that platform invoked an aliens/ET frame. Bayar builds on the work of scholars including @katestarbird.bsky.social, who has written about how rumors travel within recognizable frames. (2/3)
Alien of the gaps: How 3I/ATLAS was turned into a spaceship online
When we reach the frontier of current knowledge, we’re tempted to insert a higher power into the space where answers aren’t yet satisfying for all.
www.cip.uw.edu
December 5, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Analyzing posts on X, @mertcanbayar.bsky.social found that about 40% of the 3I/ATLAS conversations on on that platform invoked an aliens/ET frame. Bayar builds on the work of scholars including @katestarbird.bsky.social, who has written about how rumors travel within recognizable frames. (2/3)
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
UW CIP postdoc @mertcanbayar.bsky.social explains how a high-profile scientist's statements about the 3l/ATLAS comet harnessed uncertainty and attention dynamics, and spawned widespread speculation about an alien visitor, an "alien of the gaps" in human knowledge: www.cip.uw.edu/2025/12/03/3...
Alien of the gaps: How 3I/ATLAS was turned into a spaceship online
When we reach the frontier of current knowledge, we’re tempted to insert a higher power into the space where answers aren’t yet satisfying for all.
www.cip.uw.edu
December 3, 2025 at 8:52 PM
UW CIP postdoc @mertcanbayar.bsky.social explains how a high-profile scientist's statements about the 3l/ATLAS comet harnessed uncertainty and attention dynamics, and spawned widespread speculation about an alien visitor, an "alien of the gaps" in human knowledge: www.cip.uw.edu/2025/12/03/3...
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
What if conspiracy theories were taken to their logical endpoint and put into practice as a form of governance? @mertcanbayar.bsky.social and I explore this question in our new article on the conspiracist theory of power in @cogitatiopag.bsky.social.
www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandg...
www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandg...
The Conspiracist Theory of Power | Article | Politics and Governance
Mert Can Bayar, Scott Radnitz
www.cogitatiopress.com
August 20, 2025 at 7:42 PM
What if conspiracy theories were taken to their logical endpoint and put into practice as a form of governance? @mertcanbayar.bsky.social and I explore this question in our new article on the conspiracist theory of power in @cogitatiopag.bsky.social.
www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandg...
www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandg...
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
The open-access article, "The end of trust and safety?: Examining the future of content moderation and upheavals in professional online safety efforts," is available in the Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
The End of Trust and Safety?: Examining the Future of Content Moderation and Upheavals in Professional Online Safety Efforts | Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Syst...
dl.acm.org
April 28, 2025 at 3:45 PM
The open-access article, "The end of trust and safety?: Examining the future of content moderation and upheavals in professional online safety efforts," is available in the Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
The CIP researchers, Rachel Moran-Prestridge, @schafer.bsky.social, @mertcanbayar.bsky.social and @katestarbird.bsky.social, also examined current perspectives of content moderation and broader strategies for maintaining safe digital environments.
April 28, 2025 at 3:45 PM
The CIP researchers, Rachel Moran-Prestridge, @schafer.bsky.social, @mertcanbayar.bsky.social and @katestarbird.bsky.social, also examined current perspectives of content moderation and broader strategies for maintaining safe digital environments.
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
In a newly published research article in the Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, a team of @cip.uw.edu researchers interviewed trust and safety professionals and explored upheavals within the T&S industry.
April 28, 2025 at 3:45 PM
In a newly published research article in the Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, a team of @cip.uw.edu researchers interviewed trust and safety professionals and explored upheavals within the T&S industry.
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
Thrilled to be at the CHI conference this week where PhD student @schafer.bsky.social will present our paper — co-authored w/ Rachel Moran (1st author) & @mertcanbayar.bsky.social — titled, "The End of Trust and Safety?" dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
The End of Trust and Safety?: Examining the Future of Content Moderation and Upheavals in Professional Online Safety Efforts | Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Syst...
dl.acm.org
April 27, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Thrilled to be at the CHI conference this week where PhD student @schafer.bsky.social will present our paper — co-authored w/ Rachel Moran (1st author) & @mertcanbayar.bsky.social — titled, "The End of Trust and Safety?" dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
This is amazing
To prevent deer from being hit by cars Finland has tried using reflective paint. (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/avoid-deer-strikes-finland-painting-deer-antlers-reflective-paint-180949792/)
File this under "solutions to modern problems that summon the old gods."
File this under "solutions to modern problems that summon the old gods."
April 20, 2025 at 10:45 PM
This is amazing
There is a right-wing infrastructure online and it got to a point of relevance for policy making and international politics. Nawfal is part of this.
Here, you can also find a few quotes from me about our work on “newsbrokers” and how Nawfal is a prime example of a new class of elites around Musk.
Here, you can also find a few quotes from me about our work on “newsbrokers” and how Nawfal is a prime example of a new class of elites around Musk.
The Australian crypto entrepreneur now hosts chats with world leaders. "If [he] is sharing a story, there's a good chance that U.S. policymakers are reading it — and acting on it," said one analyst.
How Elon Musk's favorite news influencer is capitalizing on his clout
The Australian crypto entrepreneur now hosts chats with world leaders. "If [he] is sharing a story, there's a good chance that U.S. policymakers are reading it — and acting on it," said one analyst.
www.npr.org
April 17, 2025 at 8:51 PM
There is a right-wing infrastructure online and it got to a point of relevance for policy making and international politics. Nawfal is part of this.
Here, you can also find a few quotes from me about our work on “newsbrokers” and how Nawfal is a prime example of a new class of elites around Musk.
Here, you can also find a few quotes from me about our work on “newsbrokers” and how Nawfal is a prime example of a new class of elites around Musk.
More information about suspensions by @bsky.app.
59 accounts are being censored by Turkish authorities due to reasons of “national security” and “public order.”
13 accounts and one post has been censored by @bsky.app. Such accounts cannot be viewed or accessed from Turkey.
59 accounts are being censored by Turkish authorities due to reasons of “national security” and “public order.”
13 accounts and one post has been censored by @bsky.app. Such accounts cannot be viewed or accessed from Turkey.
Bluesky sansürüne ilişkin olarak tespit ettiğimiz veriler:
• 59 hesap, millî güvenlik ve kamu düzeninin korunması gerekçesiyle çeşitli hakimlikler tarafından erişime engellendi.
• 13 hesap ve 1 paylaşım, @moderation-tr.bsky.app tarafından Türkiye'den görünmez kılındı.
ifade.org.tr/engelliweb/b...
• 59 hesap, millî güvenlik ve kamu düzeninin korunması gerekçesiyle çeşitli hakimlikler tarafından erişime engellendi.
• 13 hesap ve 1 paylaşım, @moderation-tr.bsky.app tarafından Türkiye'den görünmez kılındı.
ifade.org.tr/engelliweb/b...
April 17, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
CfP is out for the upcoming conference I co-organise with @bilgeyabanci.bsky.social & Sonia Alonso Sáenz de Oger in Bilbao this coming October.
Those working on radical right movements, conspiracy theories, and societal violence, send an abstract here 👇
agenda.deusto.es/en/conferenc...
Those working on radical right movements, conspiracy theories, and societal violence, send an abstract here 👇
agenda.deusto.es/en/conferenc...
Conference: Radical Right Narratives, Conspiracy Theories, and Vigilantism in an Age of Democratic DeclineConference: Radical Right Narratives, Conspiracy Theories, and Vigilantism in an Age of Democr...
agenda.deusto.es
April 7, 2025 at 1:46 PM
CfP is out for the upcoming conference I co-organise with @bilgeyabanci.bsky.social & Sonia Alonso Sáenz de Oger in Bilbao this coming October.
Those working on radical right movements, conspiracy theories, and societal violence, send an abstract here 👇
agenda.deusto.es/en/conferenc...
Those working on radical right movements, conspiracy theories, and societal violence, send an abstract here 👇
agenda.deusto.es/en/conferenc...
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
Well, that's disappointing. @bsky.app started banning accounts complying with Turkish government demands. Not the safe haven those who migrated from X was seeking, it seems.
"Bluesky merkeziyetsiz bir platform olduğu için erişime engellenemez, erişim engeli kararlarını da uygulamaz" diyenlere kötü haber:
Bluesky, Bluesky hesapları hakkında verilen erişim engeli kararlarını uygulamaya başladı. Üstelik ilgili kararları, hesabı engellenen kullanıcılarla da paylaşmıyor.
Bluesky, Bluesky hesapları hakkında verilen erişim engeli kararlarını uygulamaya başladı. Üstelik ilgili kararları, hesabı engellenen kullanıcılarla da paylaşmıyor.
April 15, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Well, that's disappointing. @bsky.app started banning accounts complying with Turkish government demands. Not the safe haven those who migrated from X was seeking, it seems.
“If Bluesky is going to cave to ‘local laws’ in authoritarian regimes and suspend accounts for political reasons, then what’s the point of migrating from X? @bsky.app @support.bsky.team @moderation.bsky.app — you have to know BETTER.
"Bluesky merkeziyetsiz bir platform olduğu için erişime engellenemez, erişim engeli kararlarını da uygulamaz" diyenlere kötü haber:
Bluesky, Bluesky hesapları hakkında verilen erişim engeli kararlarını uygulamaya başladı. Üstelik ilgili kararları, hesabı engellenen kullanıcılarla da paylaşmıyor.
Bluesky, Bluesky hesapları hakkında verilen erişim engeli kararlarını uygulamaya başladı. Üstelik ilgili kararları, hesabı engellenen kullanıcılarla da paylaşmıyor.
April 15, 2025 at 10:22 PM
“If Bluesky is going to cave to ‘local laws’ in authoritarian regimes and suspend accounts for political reasons, then what’s the point of migrating from X? @bsky.app @support.bsky.team @moderation.bsky.app — you have to know BETTER.
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
Very important study here! Congrats @mertcanbayar.bsky.social
I find that conspiracy theories gain mobilization potential when they evolve into elite-driven narratives and become embedded in a partisan platform. In other words, not all conspiracy theories are created equal—those backed by political elites are far more effective in driving participation.
April 11, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Very important study here! Congrats @mertcanbayar.bsky.social
🚨 Bluesky’a göç eden Türkiye ahalisi, hoş geldiniz!
Komplo teorilerine ilginiz varsa, bu yayında tam da bu inançların siyasal boyutuna dalıyoruz. Kim neden inanıyor? Ve neden bu inançlar güçlü lider arzusu ve otoriter rejim tercihiyle bu kadar iç içe? Akademik ama yormayan bir sohbet 🤞🏼
Komplo teorilerine ilginiz varsa, bu yayında tam da bu inançların siyasal boyutuna dalıyoruz. Kim neden inanıyor? Ve neden bu inançlar güçlü lider arzusu ve otoriter rejim tercihiyle bu kadar iç içe? Akademik ama yormayan bir sohbet 🤞🏼
Dünyayı Yöneten 5 Aile - Dış MihraX 20
YouTube video by FluTV
www.youtube.com
April 11, 2025 at 12:25 AM
🚨 Bluesky’a göç eden Türkiye ahalisi, hoş geldiniz!
Komplo teorilerine ilginiz varsa, bu yayında tam da bu inançların siyasal boyutuna dalıyoruz. Kim neden inanıyor? Ve neden bu inançlar güçlü lider arzusu ve otoriter rejim tercihiyle bu kadar iç içe? Akademik ama yormayan bir sohbet 🤞🏼
Komplo teorilerine ilginiz varsa, bu yayında tam da bu inançların siyasal boyutuna dalıyoruz. Kim neden inanıyor? Ve neden bu inançlar güçlü lider arzusu ve otoriter rejim tercihiyle bu kadar iç içe? Akademik ama yormayan bir sohbet 🤞🏼
If you’re into the politics behind conspiracy theories and misinformation, check out this talk I gave at UW Impact. I dig into how these beliefs aren’t just fringe—they’re often tied to calls for stronger presidents and even leanings toward authoritarianism.
Election Rumors, Conspiracy Theories, and Democracy with Center for an Informed Public
YouTube video by UWImpact
youtu.be
April 11, 2025 at 12:16 AM
If you’re into the politics behind conspiracy theories and misinformation, check out this talk I gave at UW Impact. I dig into how these beliefs aren’t just fringe—they’re often tied to calls for stronger presidents and even leanings toward authoritarianism.
Reposted by Mert Can Bayar
Fantastic paper by @mertcanbayar.bsky.social, a postdoc at the UW Center for an Informed Public, examining how conspiracy theories drive political action in the U.S. and Turkey — and revealing key differences between partisan vs. non-partisan conspiracy theories.
🚨 My first solo-authored piece is out in Electoral Studies! 👽
I examine when and how conspiracy theories become participatory, increasing political mobilization. Using the United States and Turkey as cases of a most-different-systems design, I explore how conspiracy theories drive political action.
I examine when and how conspiracy theories become participatory, increasing political mobilization. Using the United States and Turkey as cases of a most-different-systems design, I explore how conspiracy theories drive political action.
Partisan and non-partisan conspiracy theories’ diverging effects on political participation
What role do conspiracy theories play in mobilizing political action? Both historical and contemporary accounts have written on the role of conspiracy…
www.sciencedirect.com
April 10, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Fantastic paper by @mertcanbayar.bsky.social, a postdoc at the UW Center for an Informed Public, examining how conspiracy theories drive political action in the U.S. and Turkey — and revealing key differences between partisan vs. non-partisan conspiracy theories.
🚨 @bsky.app #Türkiye app store’da en çok indirilen uygulama olmuş durumda.
Bluesky became the #1st app in #Turkey’s app store!
Looks like X’s decision to suspend opposition accounts in favor of Erdoğan is backfiring. How great to see this platform becoming a hub for democratic voices all over 🌍
Bluesky became the #1st app in #Turkey’s app store!
Looks like X’s decision to suspend opposition accounts in favor of Erdoğan is backfiring. How great to see this platform becoming a hub for democratic voices all over 🌍
April 5, 2025 at 4:26 PM