David Hobson
@dhobso.bsky.social
MSc Computer Science @mcgill.ca. Interested in NLP, narrative understanding, narrative change, computational social science, NLP for social good, and AI for human development. He/him https://davidghobson1.github.io/
Reposted by David Hobson
Two weeks ago I spent the whole day at the Museum of the Moving Image to listen to New Yorkers. This is what Liam shared with me.
December 28, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Two weeks ago I spent the whole day at the Museum of the Moving Image to listen to New Yorkers. This is what Liam shared with me.
Reposted by David Hobson
This summer, David Suzuki received attention for his iPolitics interview titled: “‘It’s too late’: David Suzuki says the fight against climate change is lost.” This shift in tone led us to ask: Are Canadians Climate Doomers? @chrispyross.bsky.social 🧵
December 17, 2025 at 6:54 PM
This summer, David Suzuki received attention for his iPolitics interview titled: “‘It’s too late’: David Suzuki says the fight against climate change is lost.” This shift in tone led us to ask: Are Canadians Climate Doomers? @chrispyross.bsky.social 🧵
Reposted by David Hobson
The #CharlieKirk shooting has sparked widespread debate about political violence. So, we surveyed Canadians to evaluate their perceptions of the event and political violence, comparing our results to U.S. data when available. Here's what we found 🧵
#cdnpoli #uspoli
#cdnpoli #uspoli
November 21, 2025 at 8:26 PM
The #CharlieKirk shooting has sparked widespread debate about political violence. So, we surveyed Canadians to evaluate their perceptions of the event and political violence, comparing our results to U.S. data when available. Here's what we found 🧵
#cdnpoli #uspoli
#cdnpoli #uspoli
Reposted by David Hobson
Après une année marquée par l'ascension de l'IA générative et l'impact croissant des influenceurs sur les chambres d’écho, nos chercheurs sonnent l'alerte : sans règles claires ni transparence des plateformes, la manipulation pourrait bientôt dépasser notre capacité de détection. 🧵
November 24, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Après une année marquée par l'ascension de l'IA générative et l'impact croissant des influenceurs sur les chambres d’écho, nos chercheurs sonnent l'alerte : sans règles claires ni transparence des plateformes, la manipulation pourrait bientôt dépasser notre capacité de détection. 🧵
Studying how public figures are portrayed in the news is hard: pre-defined taxonomies are limiting, and character summaries don’t scale well.
Our new paper introduces a taxonomy-free labeling approach using LLMs that can reveal nuanced character portrayals: aclanthology.org/2025.emnlp-m...
Our new paper introduces a taxonomy-free labeling approach using LLMs that can reveal nuanced character portrayals: aclanthology.org/2025.emnlp-m...
Evaluating Taxonomy Free Character Role Labeling (TF-CRL) in News Stories using Large Language Models
David G Hobson, Derek Ruths, Andrew Piper. Proceedings of the 2025 Conference on Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing. 2025.
aclanthology.org
November 19, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Studying how public figures are portrayed in the news is hard: pre-defined taxonomies are limiting, and character summaries don’t scale well.
Our new paper introduces a taxonomy-free labeling approach using LLMs that can reveal nuanced character portrayals: aclanthology.org/2025.emnlp-m...
Our new paper introduces a taxonomy-free labeling approach using LLMs that can reveal nuanced character portrayals: aclanthology.org/2025.emnlp-m...
Reposted by David Hobson
🚨Our 2025 Federal Election report is here and it should serve as a warning for Canada to act now to protect future elections.
Canada’s 2025 federal election upheld its integrity, but exposed a digital ecosystem under mounting strain.
Read on to learn about our key findings 🧵
Canada’s 2025 federal election upheld its integrity, but exposed a digital ecosystem under mounting strain.
Read on to learn about our key findings 🧵
October 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
🚨Our 2025 Federal Election report is here and it should serve as a warning for Canada to act now to protect future elections.
Canada’s 2025 federal election upheld its integrity, but exposed a digital ecosystem under mounting strain.
Read on to learn about our key findings 🧵
Canada’s 2025 federal election upheld its integrity, but exposed a digital ecosystem under mounting strain.
Read on to learn about our key findings 🧵
“Generally, fascists and extremists are trying to undermine institutions of truth, facts and education because that is what’s standing in their way – an informed citizenry” - Sander van der Linden
September 29, 2025 at 4:30 PM
“Generally, fascists and extremists are trying to undermine institutions of truth, facts and education because that is what’s standing in their way – an informed citizenry” - Sander van der Linden
If it doesn't fit your narrative or version of reality, get rid of it. bbc.com/news/article...
Pentagon fires intelligence chief after Iran attack assessment
The firing comes just weeks after a White House rebuke of a leaked intelligence report assessing the impact of US strikes on Iran.
bbc.com
August 23, 2025 at 4:37 PM
If it doesn't fit your narrative or version of reality, get rid of it. bbc.com/news/article...
“All human evil comes from a single cause, man's inability to sit still in a room” (Blaise Pascal: Pensées)
June 29, 2025 at 12:23 PM
“All human evil comes from a single cause, man's inability to sit still in a room” (Blaise Pascal: Pensées)
“Gilgamesh, why are you roaming? Until the end comes, enjoy your life, spend it in happiness, not despair. Savor your food, make each day a delight, bathe and anoint yourself, wear bright clothes that are sparkling clean, let music and dancing fill your house… That is the best way for a man to live”
June 28, 2025 at 1:56 PM
“Gilgamesh, why are you roaming? Until the end comes, enjoy your life, spend it in happiness, not despair. Savor your food, make each day a delight, bathe and anoint yourself, wear bright clothes that are sparkling clean, let music and dancing fill your house… That is the best way for a man to live”
Reposted by David Hobson
Reposted by David Hobson
WEEKLY UPDATE: WEEK 6 OF CANADA’S 45TH FEDERAL ELECTION🚨
We open this final weekly update with 6 key reflections from our research team on the 2025 Canadian federal election. These are preliminary impressions—our full post-election report will offer deeper insight. 🧵
We open this final weekly update with 6 key reflections from our research team on the 2025 Canadian federal election. These are preliminary impressions—our full post-election report will offer deeper insight. 🧵
May 2, 2025 at 3:30 PM
WEEKLY UPDATE: WEEK 6 OF CANADA’S 45TH FEDERAL ELECTION🚨
We open this final weekly update with 6 key reflections from our research team on the 2025 Canadian federal election. These are preliminary impressions—our full post-election report will offer deeper insight. 🧵
We open this final weekly update with 6 key reflections from our research team on the 2025 Canadian federal election. These are preliminary impressions—our full post-election report will offer deeper insight. 🧵
Reposted by David Hobson
WEEKLY UPDATE: WEEK 4 OF CANADA’S 45TH FEDERAL ELECTION🚨
This week’s update looks at how social media is shaping our political perceptions during the 2025 federal election. Spoiler: what you see depends a lot on where you're scrolling. 🧵
This week’s update looks at how social media is shaping our political perceptions during the 2025 federal election. Spoiler: what you see depends a lot on where you're scrolling. 🧵
April 18, 2025 at 1:51 PM
WEEKLY UPDATE: WEEK 4 OF CANADA’S 45TH FEDERAL ELECTION🚨
This week’s update looks at how social media is shaping our political perceptions during the 2025 federal election. Spoiler: what you see depends a lot on where you're scrolling. 🧵
This week’s update looks at how social media is shaping our political perceptions during the 2025 federal election. Spoiler: what you see depends a lot on where you're scrolling. 🧵
This article raises a great point more broadly. Politics has become so much about persona and perception, as opposed to policy and ability www.ctvnews.ca/federal-elec...
James Moore: Leaders’ debates have come to mean less and less
Do leaders’ debates matter? Will these coming debates matter? Yes, but no, writes James Moore.
www.ctvnews.ca
April 12, 2025 at 12:05 AM
This article raises a great point more broadly. Politics has become so much about persona and perception, as opposed to policy and ability www.ctvnews.ca/federal-elec...
Reposted by David Hobson
WEEKLY UPDATE: WEEK 3 OF CANADA’S 45TH FEDERAL ELECTION🚨
As Canada approaches its federal election, we're witnessing a surge in generative AI (GenAI) content that poses serious challenges to the integrity of our information ecosystem. 🧵⬇️ #GenAI #Deepfakes #CanadaElection2025
As Canada approaches its federal election, we're witnessing a surge in generative AI (GenAI) content that poses serious challenges to the integrity of our information ecosystem. 🧵⬇️ #GenAI #Deepfakes #CanadaElection2025
April 11, 2025 at 2:27 PM
WEEKLY UPDATE: WEEK 3 OF CANADA’S 45TH FEDERAL ELECTION🚨
As Canada approaches its federal election, we're witnessing a surge in generative AI (GenAI) content that poses serious challenges to the integrity of our information ecosystem. 🧵⬇️ #GenAI #Deepfakes #CanadaElection2025
As Canada approaches its federal election, we're witnessing a surge in generative AI (GenAI) content that poses serious challenges to the integrity of our information ecosystem. 🧵⬇️ #GenAI #Deepfakes #CanadaElection2025
Apparently during the Great Male Renunciation in the 1700s, when the suit became the established male dress code, a British psychologist said men "abandoned their claim to be considered beautiful" and "henceforth aimed at being only useful". Yet another thing I'd want to change about Western culture
April 6, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Apparently during the Great Male Renunciation in the 1700s, when the suit became the established male dress code, a British psychologist said men "abandoned their claim to be considered beautiful" and "henceforth aimed at being only useful". Yet another thing I'd want to change about Western culture
I’m increasingly feeling that insurance pressures and arguments are going to be the best way to push people towards climate action. For lack of any other strategy working, this may get through to people.
April 3, 2025 at 12:46 PM
I’m increasingly feeling that insurance pressures and arguments are going to be the best way to push people towards climate action. For lack of any other strategy working, this may get through to people.
“The idea that well-placed CEOs can use their access to the powerful to acquire exemptions and special favors not available to ordinary Americans is the antithesis of an equitable economy.” www.cnn.com/2025/03/06/p...
Analysis: The world is beginning to tire of Trump’s whiplash leadership | CNN Politics
Government by chaos is back.
www.cnn.com
March 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
“The idea that well-placed CEOs can use their access to the powerful to acquire exemptions and special favors not available to ordinary Americans is the antithesis of an equitable economy.” www.cnn.com/2025/03/06/p...
Reposted by David Hobson
I keep thinking of this quote these days as things go crazy:
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
February 11, 2025 at 2:20 AM
I keep thinking of this quote these days as things go crazy:
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
It’ll always still be Denali for me.
January 21, 2025 at 1:47 PM
It’ll always still be Denali for me.
From a while ago, but randomly found it today and thought it's still very relevant idrc-crdi.ca/en/stories/a...
Artificial intelligence and human development
AI’s potential for enhancing development efforts is enormous, but we need to ensure its ethical and equitable use.
idrc-crdi.ca
November 26, 2024 at 4:55 PM
From a while ago, but randomly found it today and thought it's still very relevant idrc-crdi.ca/en/stories/a...