Morgan Wack
@morganwack.bsky.social
PostDoc at UZH. Formerly Clemson & UW. Technology & democracy, political misinformation, African politics, and LFC.
Reposted by Morgan Wack
Interesting unpacking of deepfakes:
- darkfakes
- glowfakes
- foefakes
- fanfakes
“A blanket approach to “fighting deepfakes” risks treating satirical content the same as malicious attacks”
@morganwack.bsky.social & co in @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/scrutinizing...
- darkfakes
- glowfakes
- foefakes
- fanfakes
“A blanket approach to “fighting deepfakes” risks treating satirical content the same as malicious attacks”
@morganwack.bsky.social & co in @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/scrutinizing...
November 18, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Interesting unpacking of deepfakes:
- darkfakes
- glowfakes
- foefakes
- fanfakes
“A blanket approach to “fighting deepfakes” risks treating satirical content the same as malicious attacks”
@morganwack.bsky.social & co in @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/scrutinizing...
- darkfakes
- glowfakes
- foefakes
- fanfakes
“A blanket approach to “fighting deepfakes” risks treating satirical content the same as malicious attacks”
@morganwack.bsky.social & co in @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/scrutinizing...
Reposted by Morgan Wack
We've been following deepfakes for the last 7 years. This article aims to shed additional light on the topic by:
1) creating a conceptual typology of deepfakes
2) coining new concepts like 'glowfakes' and 'fanfakes'
3) & analyzing deepfakes from the 2024 elections
@grailcenter.bsky.social
1) creating a conceptual typology of deepfakes
2) coining new concepts like 'glowfakes' and 'fanfakes'
3) & analyzing deepfakes from the 2024 elections
@grailcenter.bsky.social
'Darkfakes,' 'Foefakes,' 'Fanfakes,' and 'Glowfakes': Morgan Wack, Christina Walker, Alena Birrer, Kaylyn Jackson Schiff, Daniel Schiff, and JP Messina systematically analyzed political deepfakes and developed a classification that categorizes them along key dimensions.
Scrutinizing the Many Faces of Political Deepfakes | TechPolicy.Press
Morgan Wack, Christina Walker, Alena Birrer, Kaylyn Jackson Schiff, Daniel Schiff, and JP Messina systematically analyzed political deepfakes.
www.techpolicy.press
November 17, 2025 at 1:57 PM
We've been following deepfakes for the last 7 years. This article aims to shed additional light on the topic by:
1) creating a conceptual typology of deepfakes
2) coining new concepts like 'glowfakes' and 'fanfakes'
3) & analyzing deepfakes from the 2024 elections
@grailcenter.bsky.social
1) creating a conceptual typology of deepfakes
2) coining new concepts like 'glowfakes' and 'fanfakes'
3) & analyzing deepfakes from the 2024 elections
@grailcenter.bsky.social
Reposted by Morgan Wack
'Darkfakes,' 'Foefakes,' 'Fanfakes,' and 'Glowfakes': Morgan Wack, Christina Walker, Alena Birrer, Kaylyn Jackson Schiff, Daniel Schiff, and JP Messina systematically analyzed political deepfakes and developed a classification that categorizes them along key dimensions.
Scrutinizing the Many Faces of Political Deepfakes | TechPolicy.Press
Morgan Wack, Christina Walker, Alena Birrer, Kaylyn Jackson Schiff, Daniel Schiff, and JP Messina systematically analyzed political deepfakes.
www.techpolicy.press
November 17, 2025 at 1:47 PM
'Darkfakes,' 'Foefakes,' 'Fanfakes,' and 'Glowfakes': Morgan Wack, Christina Walker, Alena Birrer, Kaylyn Jackson Schiff, Daniel Schiff, and JP Messina systematically analyzed political deepfakes and developed a classification that categorizes them along key dimensions.
Reposted by Morgan Wack
Recently published work from colleagues Morgan Wack (postdoc at University of Zurich) & Joey Schafer (UW PhD candidate) showing how state election policies that delayed vote counting fueled rumoring and conspiracy theorizing around the 2020 election: blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...
The 2020 US election shows how state election policies can fuel conspiracy theories about voting | USAPP
States that allowed pre-Election Day processing saw a reduction of over a third in expected misinformation compared to states with restrictive rules.
blogs.lse.ac.uk
October 7, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Recently published work from colleagues Morgan Wack (postdoc at University of Zurich) & Joey Schafer (UW PhD candidate) showing how state election policies that delayed vote counting fueled rumoring and conspiracy theorizing around the 2020 election: blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...
Reposted by Morgan Wack
The 2020 US election shows how state election policies can fuel conspiracy theories about voting write @morganwack.bsky.social of @ikmz.bsky.social and @schafer.bsky.social of @uwnews.uw.edu
blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...
blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...
The 2020 US election shows how state election policies can fuel conspiracy theories about voting | USAPP
States that allowed pre-Election Day processing saw a reduction of over a third in expected misinformation compared to states with restrictive rules.
blogs.lse.ac.uk
October 6, 2025 at 3:11 PM
The 2020 US election shows how state election policies can fuel conspiracy theories about voting write @morganwack.bsky.social of @ikmz.bsky.social and @schafer.bsky.social of @uwnews.uw.edu
blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...
blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...
Reposted by Morgan Wack
How often do you see papers that suggest easy policies that could reduce electoral misinformation? Here's one I worked on with a great team out of UW and led by @morganwack.bsky.social and @schafer.bsky.social
Legislating Uncertainty: New paper about the 2020 election, showing how laws in certain states (specically laws that delayed the counting of mail-in ballots) increased uncertainty about election results and contributed to rumoring about election integrity: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
<em>Policy Studies Journal</em> | PSO Public Policy Journal | Wiley Online Library
Can state election policies affect the spread of misinformation? This paper studies the role played by ballot processing policies, which determine when ballots can be examined and organized, in the o...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 14, 2025 at 5:32 PM
How often do you see papers that suggest easy policies that could reduce electoral misinformation? Here's one I worked on with a great team out of UW and led by @morganwack.bsky.social and @schafer.bsky.social
Thrilled to finally see this paper out in print several years after @schafer.bsky.social and I started this project alongside @ikennedy.bsky.social, @beeeeeers.bsky.social, @emmaspiro.bsky.social & @katestarbird.bsky.social! Unfortunately the detrimental policies we discuss remain relevant.
Legislating Uncertainty: New paper about the 2020 election, showing how laws in certain states (specically laws that delayed the counting of mail-in ballots) increased uncertainty about election results and contributed to rumoring about election integrity: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
<em>Policy Studies Journal</em> | PSO Public Policy Journal | Wiley Online Library
Can state election policies affect the spread of misinformation? This paper studies the role played by ballot processing policies, which determine when ballots can be examined and organized, in the o...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 11, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Thrilled to finally see this paper out in print several years after @schafer.bsky.social and I started this project alongside @ikennedy.bsky.social, @beeeeeers.bsky.social, @emmaspiro.bsky.social & @katestarbird.bsky.social! Unfortunately the detrimental policies we discuss remain relevant.
Reposted by Morgan Wack
Legislating Uncertainty: New paper about the 2020 election, showing how laws in certain states (specically laws that delayed the counting of mail-in ballots) increased uncertainty about election results and contributed to rumoring about election integrity: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
<em>Policy Studies Journal</em> | PSO Public Policy Journal | Wiley Online Library
Can state election policies affect the spread of misinformation? This paper studies the role played by ballot processing policies, which determine when ballots can be examined and organized, in the o...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 11, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Legislating Uncertainty: New paper about the 2020 election, showing how laws in certain states (specically laws that delayed the counting of mail-in ballots) increased uncertainty about election results and contributed to rumoring about election integrity: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Morgan Wack
Proud to have co-led this paper with @morganwack.bsky.social (and other coauthors @ikennedy.bsky.social @beeeeeers.bsky.social @emmaspiro.bsky.social @katestarbird.bsky.social) looking at the impacts of state-level election laws on uncertainty and election integrity rumors!
Legislating Uncertainty: New paper about the 2020 election, showing how laws in certain states (specically laws that delayed the counting of mail-in ballots) increased uncertainty about election results and contributed to rumoring about election integrity: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
<em>Policy Studies Journal</em> | PSO Public Policy Journal | Wiley Online Library
Can state election policies affect the spread of misinformation? This paper studies the role played by ballot processing policies, which determine when ballots can be examined and organized, in the o...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 11, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Proud to have co-led this paper with @morganwack.bsky.social (and other coauthors @ikennedy.bsky.social @beeeeeers.bsky.social @emmaspiro.bsky.social @katestarbird.bsky.social) looking at the impacts of state-level election laws on uncertainty and election integrity rumors!
Reposted by Morgan Wack
Russian propaganda campaign used AI to scale output without sacrificing credibility, study finds
Russian propaganda campaign used AI to scale output without sacrificing credibility, study finds
A pro-Kremlin influence campaign used AI to boost disinformation output without undermining credibility, according to new research.
www.psypost.org
April 16, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Russian propaganda campaign used AI to scale output without sacrificing credibility, study finds
Reposted by Morgan Wack
A study of a propaganda site with ties to Russia shows that using AI allows propagandists to dial up the volume of their content without sacrificing persuasiveness. The authors call for action to combat the threat. In PNAS Nexus: academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
April 7, 2025 at 7:36 PM
A study of a propaganda site with ties to Russia shows that using AI allows propagandists to dial up the volume of their content without sacrificing persuasiveness. The authors call for action to combat the threat. In PNAS Nexus: academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
Reposted by Morgan Wack
A study of a Russian-backed propaganda outlet finds that AI is already being used to enhance messaging and expand disinformation campaigns, raising concerns about its growing impact on global influence operations.
In @sciencex.bsky.social: phys.org/news/2025-04...
In @sciencex.bsky.social: phys.org/news/2025-04...
April 7, 2025 at 7:39 PM
A study of a Russian-backed propaganda outlet finds that AI is already being used to enhance messaging and expand disinformation campaigns, raising concerns about its growing impact on global influence operations.
In @sciencex.bsky.social: phys.org/news/2025-04...
In @sciencex.bsky.social: phys.org/news/2025-04...
🚨 Excited to see our new paper out at @pnasnexus.org w/@pwarren.bsky.social, Darren Linvill, & Carl Ehrett!
Using data from a Russia-backed influence operation running puppet website DCWeekly, we show how LLMs are being used to scale global disinfo campaigns: 1/ 🧵
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
Using data from a Russia-backed influence operation running puppet website DCWeekly, we show how LLMs are being used to scale global disinfo campaigns: 1/ 🧵
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
April 1, 2025 at 8:06 PM
🚨 Excited to see our new paper out at @pnasnexus.org w/@pwarren.bsky.social, Darren Linvill, & Carl Ehrett!
Using data from a Russia-backed influence operation running puppet website DCWeekly, we show how LLMs are being used to scale global disinfo campaigns: 1/ 🧵
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
Using data from a Russia-backed influence operation running puppet website DCWeekly, we show how LLMs are being used to scale global disinfo campaigns: 1/ 🧵
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
Reposted by Morgan Wack
Excited to share our new article in the American Journal of Political Science (@ajpseditor.bsky.social) with @sborwein.bsky.social, @rmichaelalvarez.bsky.social, @bartbonikowski.bsky.social, & Peter Loewen
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
American Journal of Political Science | MPSA Journal | Wiley Online Library
Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping labor markets and sparking political debates. Like economic globalization, AI developments promise benefits, including job creation and lower pr...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
March 3, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Excited to share our new article in the American Journal of Political Science (@ajpseditor.bsky.social) with @sborwein.bsky.social, @rmichaelalvarez.bsky.social, @bartbonikowski.bsky.social, & Peter Loewen
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Morgan Wack
📢 #RwandaClassified : la désinformation des autorités rwandaises persiste.
Alors que le conflit en RDC s’intensifie, les réseaux de Kagame restent actifs : la guerre au Nord-Kivu et le trafic de minerais restent des sujets tabous pour le régime rwandais. 🔍
forbiddenstories.org/fr/actualite...
Alors que le conflit en RDC s’intensifie, les réseaux de Kagame restent actifs : la guerre au Nord-Kivu et le trafic de minerais restent des sujets tabous pour le régime rwandais. 🔍
forbiddenstories.org/fr/actualite...
February 18, 2025 at 5:49 PM
📢 #RwandaClassified : la désinformation des autorités rwandaises persiste.
Alors que le conflit en RDC s’intensifie, les réseaux de Kagame restent actifs : la guerre au Nord-Kivu et le trafic de minerais restent des sujets tabous pour le régime rwandais. 🔍
forbiddenstories.org/fr/actualite...
Alors que le conflit en RDC s’intensifie, les réseaux de Kagame restent actifs : la guerre au Nord-Kivu et le trafic de minerais restent des sujets tabous pour le régime rwandais. 🔍
forbiddenstories.org/fr/actualite...
Reposted by Morgan Wack
Thrilled to share my new publication w/ @morganwack.bsky.social & Kevin Aslett in Social Science Quarterly: “Silence in the Stands: Assessing the Impact of Russian State-Linked Sportswashing on Online Fan Behavior Following the Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine.” onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
January 21, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Thrilled to share my new publication w/ @morganwack.bsky.social & Kevin Aslett in Social Science Quarterly: “Silence in the Stands: Assessing the Impact of Russian State-Linked Sportswashing on Online Fan Behavior Following the Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine.” onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Morgan Wack
How right wing media is like improv theater. My coauthor @danielletomson.bsky.social and I are really proud of this piece which builds upon ~10 years of research at UW studying the participatory nature of rumors/disinformation and Danielle’s dissertation studying right-wing influencers for 5+ years.
Right-wing media operates like #improv theater, with influencers as performers and audiences as active participants. #Researchers explain how this dynamic ecosystem shapes reality for many Americans. https://buff.ly/3CSLpm3 Danielle Lee Tomson and @katestarbird.bsky.social @uofwa.bsky.social)
How right-wing media is like improv theater
Improv theater is known for improvisation, audience participation and riffing on memes and stories circulating on social and traditional media – all hallmarks of right-wing media.
buff.ly
December 5, 2024 at 2:53 PM
How right wing media is like improv theater. My coauthor @danielletomson.bsky.social and I are really proud of this piece which builds upon ~10 years of research at UW studying the participatory nature of rumors/disinformation and Danielle’s dissertation studying right-wing influencers for 5+ years.
Reposted by Morgan Wack
⏰Another opening for a PhD position in our (w @morganwack.bsky.social and @esserfrank.bsky.social ) SNF project on political social media influencers! 🥳 If you are into computational methods, social media, and political communcation, we are looking for you 🔎 All details here: tinyurl.com/44arrawh
November 29, 2024 at 2:10 PM
⏰Another opening for a PhD position in our (w @morganwack.bsky.social and @esserfrank.bsky.social ) SNF project on political social media influencers! 🥳 If you are into computational methods, social media, and political communcation, we are looking for you 🔎 All details here: tinyurl.com/44arrawh
Reposted by Morgan Wack
Just published a Nature comment highlighting a few of the rumors our UW team expects to see going into the Nov 5 election — from rumors that falsely frame election errors as impactful and intentional to rumors about "non citizen voters" and "suspicious behaviors". www.nature.com/articles/d41...
I’ve been studying misinformation for a decade — here are the rumours to watch out for on US election day
We can anticipate many false claims, including alleged mass voting by non-citizens or ‘suspicious vans’ outside polling booths. We should quickly counter them.
www.nature.com
October 22, 2024 at 4:14 PM
Just published a Nature comment highlighting a few of the rumors our UW team expects to see going into the Nov 5 election — from rumors that falsely frame election errors as impactful and intentional to rumors about "non citizen voters" and "suspicious behaviors". www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Morgan Wack
In a new article now out in Collabora: Psychology, @rmpillai.bsky.social and I find that the mere repetition of information increases estimates of its consensus, a finding we refer to as an “illusory consensus effect.”
An Illusory Consensus Effect: The Mere Repetition of Information Increases Estimates That Others Would Believe or Already Know It
How do people estimate the prevalence of beliefs and knowledge among others? Here, we examine the hypothesis that mere repetition of information increases such perceptions of consensus — an “illusory ...
online.ucpress.edu
October 19, 2024 at 4:43 PM
In a new article now out in Collabora: Psychology, @rmpillai.bsky.social and I find that the mere repetition of information increases estimates of its consensus, a finding we refer to as an “illusory consensus effect.”