Nina Lutz
@ninalutz.bsky.social
PhD-ing at UW @cip.uw.edu @hcde.uw.edu Visual media in problematic info (mis/disinfo, online hate, scams, propaganda). Thinking about images of migration, prediction, and religion in the best and worst of times. ninalutz.github.io.
Pinned
Really excited to share this new paper on "Data Visualizations as Propaganda", co-led by PhD students Priya Dhawka and Nina Lutz, which just won a Best Paper award at the CSCW conference: dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
[Short thread]
[Short thread]
Data Visualizations as Propaganda: Tracing Lineages, Provenance, and Political Framings in Online Anti-Immigrant Discourse | Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
Along with other visual content, data visualizations are increasingly used within
online discourse, including political communication. Though often considered to be
''objective'', data visualizations ...
dl.acm.org
It was such an honor to co-lead this paper w/ @priyadhawka.bsky.social. We do a fun mix of our research here -- looking at the visual participatory nature of data visualizations and the non-neutral underpinnings and infrastructures of the (open) data and actors behind them. (thread)
Reposted by Nina Lutz
A note for cognitive researchers interested in the spread of misinfo and disinfo.
A lot of our research uses text-based presentation of information.
Most of what people use on social media is video-based.
I suspect more people watch news than read papers.
Maybe we should consider this?
A lot of our research uses text-based presentation of information.
Most of what people use on social media is video-based.
I suspect more people watch news than read papers.
Maybe we should consider this?
UPDATE: Americans who use
YouTube 84%
Facebook 71%
Instagram 50%
TikTok 37%
WhatsApp 32%
Reddit 26%
Snapchat 25%
X (Twitter) 21%
Threads 8%
Bluesky 4%
Truth Social 3%
Full Pew Research Center report: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/11/20/americans-social-media-use-2025/
YouTube 84%
Facebook 71%
Instagram 50%
TikTok 37%
WhatsApp 32%
Reddit 26%
Snapchat 25%
X (Twitter) 21%
Threads 8%
Bluesky 4%
Truth Social 3%
Full Pew Research Center report: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/11/20/americans-social-media-use-2025/
November 24, 2025 at 8:32 PM
A note for cognitive researchers interested in the spread of misinfo and disinfo.
A lot of our research uses text-based presentation of information.
Most of what people use on social media is video-based.
I suspect more people watch news than read papers.
Maybe we should consider this?
A lot of our research uses text-based presentation of information.
Most of what people use on social media is video-based.
I suspect more people watch news than read papers.
Maybe we should consider this?
Academia is really just juggling lots of things and being like "Wow I'm so good at juggling!" and ignoring the fact that still means you are a clown.
November 17, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Academia is really just juggling lots of things and being like "Wow I'm so good at juggling!" and ignoring the fact that still means you are a clown.
Reposted by Nina Lutz
Bullshit as U.S. government policy. This is the punchline from my Feb 2025 lecture. If you’re interested in understanding more about how we got here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjiG...
It ends with a call to action to rage against the bullshit machine.
It ends with a call to action to rage against the bullshit machine.
October 29, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Bullshit as U.S. government policy. This is the punchline from my Feb 2025 lecture. If you’re interested in understanding more about how we got here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjiG...
It ends with a call to action to rage against the bullshit machine.
It ends with a call to action to rage against the bullshit machine.
It was such an honor to co-lead this paper w/ @priyadhawka.bsky.social. We do a fun mix of our research here -- looking at the visual participatory nature of data visualizations and the non-neutral underpinnings and infrastructures of the (open) data and actors behind them. (thread)
Really excited to share this new paper on "Data Visualizations as Propaganda", co-led by PhD students Priya Dhawka and Nina Lutz, which just won a Best Paper award at the CSCW conference: dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
[Short thread]
[Short thread]
Data Visualizations as Propaganda: Tracing Lineages, Provenance, and Political Framings in Online Anti-Immigrant Discourse | Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
Along with other visual content, data visualizations are increasingly used within
online discourse, including political communication. Though often considered to be
''objective'', data visualizations ...
dl.acm.org
October 28, 2025 at 12:14 AM
It was such an honor to co-lead this paper w/ @priyadhawka.bsky.social. We do a fun mix of our research here -- looking at the visual participatory nature of data visualizations and the non-neutral underpinnings and infrastructures of the (open) data and actors behind them. (thread)
Reposted by Nina Lutz
For Seattle folks… I’m giving a talk tonight at Obec Brewery (6:30) about science funding, the history of human computer interaction, and the future of AI. I’m off the clock, so I may get a little spicier than usual. If you’re around, please come!
September 23, 2025 at 4:04 PM
For Seattle folks… I’m giving a talk tonight at Obec Brewery (6:30) about science funding, the history of human computer interaction, and the future of AI. I’m off the clock, so I may get a little spicier than usual. If you’re around, please come!
Reposted by Nina Lutz
Hi Seattle! Come see my talk on the history of human-computer interaction. I'll explain U.S. gov funding of science has led to many of the innovations that power our economy & shape our lives — and call out the short-sightedness & hypocrisy of efforts to defund science in this field & so many others
Seattle! We're joining the Summer of Science with our first teach-in. Join us at Obec brewing and meet Dr. @katestarbird.bsky.social
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August 27, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Hi Seattle! Come see my talk on the history of human-computer interaction. I'll explain U.S. gov funding of science has led to many of the innovations that power our economy & shape our lives — and call out the short-sightedness & hypocrisy of efforts to defund science in this field & so many others
Happy refresh email for CSCW 2026 results for all who celebrate.
August 20, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Happy refresh email for CSCW 2026 results for all who celebrate.
Does your work explore mis/disinformation, scams, hate speech, or other forms of harmful information online?
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome short submissions, due August 8th.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome short submissions, due August 8th.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
August 2, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Does your work explore mis/disinformation, scams, hate speech, or other forms of harmful information online?
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome short submissions, due August 8th.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome short submissions, due August 8th.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
Reposted by Nina Lutz
Interesting new study from researchers at the UW Center for an Informed Public finds that AI-generated persuasive messaging (AI-Pasta) is more effective in key ways (e.g. creating a false sense of consensus) and harder to detect than traditional CopyPasta.
Excited to announce that my paper "The persuasive potential of AI-paraphrased information at scale" with my wonderful collaborators @yiweixu.bsky.social, @maddyjalbert.bsky.social, and @emmaspiro.bsky.social has been published at PNAS Nexus!
Link: academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
Link: academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
The persuasive potential of AI-paraphrased information at scale
Abstract. In this article, we study how AI-paraphrased messages have the potential to amplify the persuasive impact and scale of information campaigns. Bui
academic.oup.com
July 24, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Interesting new study from researchers at the UW Center for an Informed Public finds that AI-generated persuasive messaging (AI-Pasta) is more effective in key ways (e.g. creating a false sense of consensus) and harder to detect than traditional CopyPasta.
Join us online or in person in Bergen, Norway!
My team is organizing a workshop on information disorder at the CSCW conference (Oct 18, Bergen, Norway). We aim to convene scholars committed to understanding mis & disinfo, scams, online hate, etc. Applicants should submit 2-6 page position papers by Aug 1: cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
CSCW 2025 Information Disorder Workshop
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
July 12, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Join us online or in person in Bergen, Norway!
Reposted by Nina Lutz
Really excited to draw attention to this dissertation by Melinda McClure Haughey (@melm.cc). Melinda's research explored collaborative infrastructure for supporting the "sensemaking" work of journalists working on high-stakes, fast-paced & often data-driven beats. www.melm.cc/research/dis...
Melinda's Dissertation: Truth-Seeking as Collaborative Work
In moments of uncertainty, journalists help the public make sense. This research shows how that work depends on expert networks and systems that too often fail when they need to move fast and what it ...
www.melm.cc
June 30, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Really excited to draw attention to this dissertation by Melinda McClure Haughey (@melm.cc). Melinda's research explored collaborative infrastructure for supporting the "sensemaking" work of journalists working on high-stakes, fast-paced & often data-driven beats. www.melm.cc/research/dis...
Reposted by Nina Lutz
We’ve seen this repeatedly. QAnon. COVID denial. Election lies. War crimes denial. In each case, the problem wasn’t just what people believed, it was how those beliefs hardened into identity and made correction impossible.
June 27, 2025 at 6:57 AM
We’ve seen this repeatedly. QAnon. COVID denial. Election lies. War crimes denial. In each case, the problem wasn’t just what people believed, it was how those beliefs hardened into identity and made correction impossible.
Reposted by Nina Lutz
Does your work explore mis/disinformation, scams, hate speech, or other forms of harmful information online?
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome 2-6 page submissions, due August 1.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome 2-6 page submissions, due August 1.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
June 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Does your work explore mis/disinformation, scams, hate speech, or other forms of harmful information online?
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome 2-6 page submissions, due August 1.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
We are convening a CSCW workshop to bring together a global community focused on information disorder. We welcome 2-6 page submissions, due August 1.
cscw2025infodisorder.netlify.app
Trying to write about anti-immigrant visual propaganda nothing to see here.
June 22, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Trying to write about anti-immigrant visual propaganda nothing to see here.
Reposted by Nina Lutz
“The net effect of these technological forms has been to nudge us into seeing one another as the machines see us: fungible, expendable parcels of data open to classification and judgment.” Another fabulous blog post from @aidanwalker.bsky.social howtodothingswithmemes.substack.com/p/fossil-foo...
fossil footprints & phone phenomenology
how production colonized play
howtodothingswithmemes.substack.com
June 12, 2025 at 6:11 PM
“The net effect of these technological forms has been to nudge us into seeing one another as the machines see us: fungible, expendable parcels of data open to classification and judgment.” Another fabulous blog post from @aidanwalker.bsky.social howtodothingswithmemes.substack.com/p/fossil-foo...
Reposted by Nina Lutz
Trump operates almost uniformly in the epistemology of spectacle. Entertainment. Theatrics.
Images of chaos in the streets of major U.S. cities is exactly what this administration wants. It reinforces the conflation of “urban” with “violence” like this is where lawlessness reigns.
Images of chaos in the streets of major U.S. cities is exactly what this administration wants. It reinforces the conflation of “urban” with “violence” like this is where lawlessness reigns.
June 8, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Trump operates almost uniformly in the epistemology of spectacle. Entertainment. Theatrics.
Images of chaos in the streets of major U.S. cities is exactly what this administration wants. It reinforces the conflation of “urban” with “violence” like this is where lawlessness reigns.
Images of chaos in the streets of major U.S. cities is exactly what this administration wants. It reinforces the conflation of “urban” with “violence” like this is where lawlessness reigns.
Reposted by Nina Lutz
The administration’s vision of science in America is that we do 75% less of it. That means more death, less progress, more ignorance, fewer experts, fewer educated people, all to make billionaires wealthier.
May 31, 2025 at 6:26 PM
The administration’s vision of science in America is that we do 75% less of it. That means more death, less progress, more ignorance, fewer experts, fewer educated people, all to make billionaires wealthier.
Reposted by Nina Lutz
It’s Fustilarian Friday again.
This week: NSF all but abolished in the President’s proposed budget.
This week: NSF all but abolished in the President’s proposed budget.
Presidential budget is out. Here's NSF. Biggest cut, by amount, is $1 billion, or 66.8%, from MPS (Physics & Math directorate). nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/files/00-NSF...
May 31, 2025 at 12:47 AM
It’s Fustilarian Friday again.
This week: NSF all but abolished in the President’s proposed budget.
This week: NSF all but abolished in the President’s proposed budget.
Reposted by Nina Lutz
The goal is plainly and literally to cut the number of people involved in basic science in the US by 70%
From over 300k to less than 100k. A picture of smaller, reduced science.
May 30, 2025 at 11:38 PM
The goal is plainly and literally to cut the number of people involved in basic science in the US by 70%
Reposted by Nina Lutz
Here’s something we can all do: every time we see something about the Trump administration’s attacks on science — and the impacts of those attacks — boost it. People, and even faculty, have no idea how bad it is and how much worse it’s going to get. We need to let people know…
Commentary: It isn’t just the DEI or climate grants getting the axe from President Trump. Science agencies face up to 55% cuts across the board. This means Ohio students will be denied opportunities for cutting-edge careers given to previous generations buff.ly/rvom6rH
DOGE cuts to science will impact Ohio, students • Ohio Capital Journal
It isn’t just the DEI or climate-related grants getting the axe from President Trump. Science agencies face up to 55% cuts across the board, tens of billions of dollars. This means Ohio students will…
buff.ly
May 30, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Here’s something we can all do: every time we see something about the Trump administration’s attacks on science — and the impacts of those attacks — boost it. People, and even faculty, have no idea how bad it is and how much worse it’s going to get. We need to let people know…
Reposted by Nina Lutz
Perhaps relevant as scientists weather a range of attacks, our team (led by UW research scientist Rachel Moran) published a paper describing how a slew of public records requests impacted our work & what that means for collaborative research in adversarial spaces & times: dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1...
dl.acm.org
May 26, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Perhaps relevant as scientists weather a range of attacks, our team (led by UW research scientist Rachel Moran) published a paper describing how a slew of public records requests impacted our work & what that means for collaborative research in adversarial spaces & times: dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1...
Been thinking about methods for my whole PhD but esp the last 3ish months. A big takeaway is that publish or perish, hype around diff types of data and fads, and having less dedicated time to methods in interdisciplinary spaces can create running around with a hammer seeking nails. (1/n)
May 23, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Been thinking about methods for my whole PhD but esp the last 3ish months. A big takeaway is that publish or perish, hype around diff types of data and fads, and having less dedicated time to methods in interdisciplinary spaces can create running around with a hammer seeking nails. (1/n)
I love this view of "hostile filters" -- the translation and dissemination of frames and facts into these piecewise and diffused visuals is really at the root of what makes so much of today's rhetoric sticky and hard to study and build muscles around.
Dem words reach Dem voters through the hostile filter of MSM political reporters. They reach GOP voters through the hostile filter of Fox et al. They reach disconnected, "apolitical" Americans through the hostile filter of memes & TikToks & bro podcasters. Dems have no direct audience of their own.
May 23, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I love this view of "hostile filters" -- the translation and dissemination of frames and facts into these piecewise and diffused visuals is really at the root of what makes so much of today's rhetoric sticky and hard to study and build muscles around.
Was a very brave girl and actually got a discussion section down from 2000+ words to 800. Growth? 🥹
May 23, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Was a very brave girl and actually got a discussion section down from 2000+ words to 800. Growth? 🥹