Francesco Sobbrio
@fsobbrio.bsky.social
Professor of Economics @Tor Vergata University of Rome, media & political economy
https://sites.google.com/site/francescosobbrio/
https://sites.google.com/site/francescosobbrio/
P.S. As usual, for researchers residing abroad, a generous and long tax break applies when transferring to Italy
October 22, 2025 at 10:56 AM
P.S. As usual, for researchers residing abroad, a generous and long tax break applies when transferring to Italy
🗓️ Application deadline: November 16, 2025 (midnight UTC)
More information about our department: economia.uniroma2.it/en/def/
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to know more about the position or about life at Tor Vergata! n/n
More information about our department: economia.uniroma2.it/en/def/
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to know more about the position or about life at Tor Vergata! n/n
Department of Economics and Finance
Department of Economics and Finance
economia.uniroma2.it
October 22, 2025 at 10:54 AM
🗓️ Application deadline: November 16, 2025 (midnight UTC)
More information about our department: economia.uniroma2.it/en/def/
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to know more about the position or about life at Tor Vergata! n/n
More information about our department: economia.uniroma2.it/en/def/
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to know more about the position or about life at Tor Vergata! n/n
💡 Please note that this year we are not hiring at the junior level — the position is suited for candidates with postdoctoral experience or current Assistant Professors looking for a lateral move. Applicants should already have at least a couple of solid publications. 4/n
October 22, 2025 at 10:54 AM
💡 Please note that this year we are not hiring at the junior level — the position is suited for candidates with postdoctoral experience or current Assistant Professors looking for a lateral move. Applicants should already have at least a couple of solid publications. 4/n
The position is tenure-track (6 years, with possible earlier tenure), features a light teaching load (max 72 hours), and offers competitive compensation with a possible top-up. 3/n
October 22, 2025 at 10:54 AM
The position is tenure-track (6 years, with possible earlier tenure), features a light teaching load (max 72 hours), and offers competitive compensation with a possible top-up. 3/n
This is a great opportunity to join a vibrant, research-active, and international department in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities 🇮🇹. 2/n
October 22, 2025 at 10:54 AM
This is a great opportunity to join a vibrant, research-active, and international department in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities 🇮🇹. 2/n
n/n Bottom line:
Misinformation is a systemic challenge. Professional fact-checkers are a key part of the solution.
If platforms won’t invest, public intervention may be essential.
Read the full report:
🔗 publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/h...
publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/b...
Misinformation is a systemic challenge. Professional fact-checkers are a key part of the solution.
If platforms won’t invest, public intervention may be essential.
Read the full report:
🔗 publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/h...
publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/b...
Fact-Checking at a Crossroads: Challenges, Alternatives, and Policy Interventions
Independent fact-checking organisations play a crucial role in combating misinformation. Nevertheless, Meta and X have scaled back their collaboration with fact-checking organisations, leading to fina...
publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu
July 26, 2025 at 4:36 PM
n/n Bottom line:
Misinformation is a systemic challenge. Professional fact-checkers are a key part of the solution.
If platforms won’t invest, public intervention may be essential.
Read the full report:
🔗 publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/h...
publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/b...
Misinformation is a systemic challenge. Professional fact-checkers are a key part of the solution.
If platforms won’t invest, public intervention may be essential.
Read the full report:
🔗 publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/h...
publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/b...
6/n Should governments step in?
We discuss the rationale for policy intervention & the policy options:
✅ Public funding
✅ Fact-checking requirements
✅ Certification systems
✅ Media literacy
✅ Misinformation tax
We discuss the rationale for policy intervention & the policy options:
✅ Public funding
✅ Fact-checking requirements
✅ Certification systems
✅ Media literacy
✅ Misinformation tax
July 26, 2025 at 4:36 PM
6/n Should governments step in?
We discuss the rationale for policy intervention & the policy options:
✅ Public funding
✅ Fact-checking requirements
✅ Certification systems
✅ Media literacy
✅ Misinformation tax
We discuss the rationale for policy intervention & the policy options:
✅ Public funding
✅ Fact-checking requirements
✅ Certification systems
✅ Media literacy
✅ Misinformation tax
5/n Hybrid models could work better.
Yet the broader contribution of professional fact-checkers—particularly the positive externalities they
generate for crowdsourced systems and AI models—
should be recognized and appropriately
compensated.
Yet the broader contribution of professional fact-checkers—particularly the positive externalities they
generate for crowdsourced systems and AI models—
should be recognized and appropriately
compensated.
July 26, 2025 at 4:36 PM
5/n Hybrid models could work better.
Yet the broader contribution of professional fact-checkers—particularly the positive externalities they
generate for crowdsourced systems and AI models—
should be recognized and appropriately
compensated.
Yet the broader contribution of professional fact-checkers—particularly the positive externalities they
generate for crowdsourced systems and AI models—
should be recognized and appropriately
compensated.
4/n Alternatives aren’t enough.
Crowdsourced fact-checking (like X's Community Notes) is promising — but vulnerable to herd behavior, bias, and gaming.
AI can help detect patterns, but lacks judgment and independent source verification
Crowdsourced fact-checking (like X's Community Notes) is promising — but vulnerable to herd behavior, bias, and gaming.
AI can help detect patterns, but lacks judgment and independent source verification
July 26, 2025 at 4:36 PM
4/n Alternatives aren’t enough.
Crowdsourced fact-checking (like X's Community Notes) is promising — but vulnerable to herd behavior, bias, and gaming.
AI can help detect patterns, but lacks judgment and independent source verification
Crowdsourced fact-checking (like X's Community Notes) is promising — but vulnerable to herd behavior, bias, and gaming.
AI can help detect patterns, but lacks judgment and independent source verification
3/n All in all, professional fact-checking works.
It reduces political lies, corrects public misperceptions, and curbs the spread of fake news — especially when integrated into platforms.
But it's underfunded and increasingly sidelined.
It reduces political lies, corrects public misperceptions, and curbs the spread of fake news — especially when integrated into platforms.
But it's underfunded and increasingly sidelined.
July 26, 2025 at 4:36 PM
3/n All in all, professional fact-checking works.
It reduces political lies, corrects public misperceptions, and curbs the spread of fake news — especially when integrated into platforms.
But it's underfunded and increasingly sidelined.
It reduces political lies, corrects public misperceptions, and curbs the spread of fake news — especially when integrated into platforms.
But it's underfunded and increasingly sidelined.
2/n Why this matters:
Platforms like Meta and X are ending partnerships with professional fact-checkers.
They’re shifting toward crowdsourcing and AI tools — but at what cost?
Platforms like Meta and X are ending partnerships with professional fact-checkers.
They’re shifting toward crowdsourcing and AI tools — but at what cost?
July 26, 2025 at 4:36 PM
2/n Why this matters:
Platforms like Meta and X are ending partnerships with professional fact-checkers.
They’re shifting toward crowdsourcing and AI tools — but at what cost?
Platforms like Meta and X are ending partnerships with professional fact-checkers.
They’re shifting toward crowdsourcing and AI tools — but at what cost?
You can also look at the accompanying webcast interview with Dijana on VoxEU cepr.org/voxeu/vox-we...
Lost in the net? Broadband internet and mental health
How does the internet affect young people's mental health? A new paper based on the rollout of broadband internet in Italy comes to some alarming conclusions.
cepr.org
July 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
You can also look at the accompanying webcast interview with Dijana on VoxEU cepr.org/voxeu/vox-we...
9/ 💡 Policy Relevance
Our findings highlight the need to:
• Monitor mental health impacts of digital access
• Promote healthier online habits—especially for youth
• Design age-targeted public health interventions
Our findings highlight the need to:
• Monitor mental health impacts of digital access
• Promote healthier online habits—especially for youth
• Design age-targeted public health interventions
July 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
9/ 💡 Policy Relevance
Our findings highlight the need to:
• Monitor mental health impacts of digital access
• Promote healthier online habits—especially for youth
• Design age-targeted public health interventions
Our findings highlight the need to:
• Monitor mental health impacts of digital access
• Promote healthier online habits—especially for youth
• Design age-targeted public health interventions
8/ 🔎 What is our contribution?
✅ Covers an entire country
✅ Uses clinical (not self-reported) diagnoses
✅ We are able to exclude that effects are only driven by a mere awareness or access effect
✅ Focuses on the early internet, before social media took over.
✅ Covers an entire country
✅ Uses clinical (not self-reported) diagnoses
✅ We are able to exclude that effects are only driven by a mere awareness or access effect
✅ Focuses on the early internet, before social media took over.
July 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
8/ 🔎 What is our contribution?
✅ Covers an entire country
✅ Uses clinical (not self-reported) diagnoses
✅ We are able to exclude that effects are only driven by a mere awareness or access effect
✅ Focuses on the early internet, before social media took over.
✅ Covers an entire country
✅ Uses clinical (not self-reported) diagnoses
✅ We are able to exclude that effects are only driven by a mere awareness or access effect
✅ Focuses on the early internet, before social media took over.
7/ 🚨 Severe Outcomes Also Rise
We also observe increases in:
• Suicide attempts
• Self-harm
• Compulsory psychiatric hospitalizations
• Urgent psychiatric admissions
These effects suggest more than just greater awareness or access.
We also observe increases in:
• Suicide attempts
• Self-harm
• Compulsory psychiatric hospitalizations
• Urgent psychiatric admissions
These effects suggest more than just greater awareness or access.
July 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
7/ 🚨 Severe Outcomes Also Rise
We also observe increases in:
• Suicide attempts
• Self-harm
• Compulsory psychiatric hospitalizations
• Urgent psychiatric admissions
These effects suggest more than just greater awareness or access.
We also observe increases in:
• Suicide attempts
• Self-harm
• Compulsory psychiatric hospitalizations
• Urgent psychiatric admissions
These effects suggest more than just greater awareness or access.
6/ 🧠 Which Disorders?
Increased diagnoses for:
• Depression & anxiety
• Drug abuse
• Personality disorders
• Eating disorders (only for females)
Increased diagnoses for:
• Depression & anxiety
• Drug abuse
• Personality disorders
• Eating disorders (only for females)
July 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
6/ 🧠 Which Disorders?
Increased diagnoses for:
• Depression & anxiety
• Drug abuse
• Personality disorders
• Eating disorders (only for females)
Increased diagnoses for:
• Depression & anxiety
• Drug abuse
• Personality disorders
• Eating disorders (only for females)
5/ 💥 Magnitude:
Going from 0% to 100% broadband coverage in a municipality increases prevalence of mental disorders in the younger cohort by 0.08SD
Going from 0% to 100% broadband coverage in a municipality increases prevalence of mental disorders in the younger cohort by 0.08SD
July 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
5/ 💥 Magnitude:
Going from 0% to 100% broadband coverage in a municipality increases prevalence of mental disorders in the younger cohort by 0.08SD
Going from 0% to 100% broadband coverage in a municipality increases prevalence of mental disorders in the younger cohort by 0.08SD
4/ 👥 Key Result: Age Matters
• No effect on mental health for older cohorts (born 1974–1984)
• Strong negative effects for younger cohorts (born 1985–1995)
The younger you were when broadband arrived, the greater the mental health impact.
• No effect on mental health for older cohorts (born 1974–1984)
• Strong negative effects for younger cohorts (born 1985–1995)
The younger you were when broadband arrived, the greater the mental health impact.
July 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
4/ 👥 Key Result: Age Matters
• No effect on mental health for older cohorts (born 1974–1984)
• Strong negative effects for younger cohorts (born 1985–1995)
The younger you were when broadband arrived, the greater the mental health impact.
• No effect on mental health for older cohorts (born 1974–1984)
• Strong negative effects for younger cohorts (born 1985–1995)
The younger you were when broadband arrived, the greater the mental health impact.
3/ 🛠️ Identification Strategy
We exploit variation in municipalities’ distance from the pre-existing telephone network—irrelevant before the internet, but crucial after it.
This approach builds on Campante, Durante & Sobbrio (JEEA, 2018).
We exploit variation in municipalities’ distance from the pre-existing telephone network—irrelevant before the internet, but crucial after it.
This approach builds on Campante, Durante & Sobbrio (JEEA, 2018).
July 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
3/ 🛠️ Identification Strategy
We exploit variation in municipalities’ distance from the pre-existing telephone network—irrelevant before the internet, but crucial after it.
This approach builds on Campante, Durante & Sobbrio (JEEA, 2018).
We exploit variation in municipalities’ distance from the pre-existing telephone network—irrelevant before the internet, but crucial after it.
This approach builds on Campante, Durante & Sobbrio (JEEA, 2018).
2/ 📊 Our Data
We combine:
• The universe of mental health diagnoses from hospital records (2001–2013) providing info on the municipal residence of each patient born 1974-1995
• Municipality-level broadband access across Italy
A unique dataset on both infrastructure and public health outcomes.
We combine:
• The universe of mental health diagnoses from hospital records (2001–2013) providing info on the municipal residence of each patient born 1974-1995
• Municipality-level broadband access across Italy
A unique dataset on both infrastructure and public health outcomes.
July 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
2/ 📊 Our Data
We combine:
• The universe of mental health diagnoses from hospital records (2001–2013) providing info on the municipal residence of each patient born 1974-1995
• Municipality-level broadband access across Italy
A unique dataset on both infrastructure and public health outcomes.
We combine:
• The universe of mental health diagnoses from hospital records (2001–2013) providing info on the municipal residence of each patient born 1974-1995
• Municipality-level broadband access across Italy
A unique dataset on both infrastructure and public health outcomes.