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Reposted by Maddy Jalbert

Center for an Informed Public @cip.uw.edu · Aug 11

Check out "The persuasive potential of AI-paraphrased information at scale," an open-access article exploring "AIPasta," written by a team of @cip.uw.edu researchers led by @dashsaloni.bsky.social with co-authors @yiweixu.bsky.social, @maddyjalbert.bsky.social and @emmaspiro.bsky.social ⤵️

PNAS Nexus @pnasnexus.org · Aug 4

Repeating duplicated messages—known as CopyPasta—over and over online is a common misinformation strategy. Using AI to paraphrase the message, what the authors call “AIPasta,” could be even more effective at creating a false consensus. In PNAS Nexus: academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Aug 12

I think perceptions of how common the behavior is is part of the mechanism proposed in the original paper but really need to go back in and do a closer read of it! Definitely agree that they’re connected judgments though.

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Aug 12

The repetition/moral condemnation work is nice. Recommend the original Effron & Raj (2020) piece and this Pillai et al (2023) extension - note that it’s following up on the finding for judgments of the news itself, not sharing pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37428445/

Repeatedly Encountered Descriptions of Wrongdoing Seem More True but Less Unethical: Evidence in a Naturalistic Setting - PubMed

When news about moral transgressions goes viral on social media, the same person may repeatedly encounter identical reports about a wrongdoing. In a longitudinal experiment (<i>N</i> = 607 U.S. adults...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Reposted by Maddy Jalbert

Saloni Dash @dashsaloni.bsky.social · Jul 24

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...

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

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Reposted by Maddy Jalbert

Ayanna Kim Thomas @ayannakim.bsky.social · Apr 21

Hi friends, the Spark Society's NSF funding has been terminated. We are dedicated to continuing our work and hope we can rely on you for support.

The Spark Society @sparksociety.bsky.social · Apr 21

If you want to help support our mission, you can donate here buy.stripe.com/3cs03h1be38D...

Stripe Checkout

buy.stripe.com

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Apr 21

Ugh, I’m so sorry. It’s wild :(. You’re not paid direct, are you? If you are, we should dm to coordinate as it’s unclear to me how to navigate the finances regarding the stipend now and I’m hopefully talking to my PO tomorrow.

Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Apr 19

The email I received for my termination is not even specific to my funding as it includes details that aren’t consistent with how my grant operates.

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Apr 19

This funding is my sole source of income (as per my agreement with NSF, you are not allowed to take on other work). Additionally, because I am paid directly by the NSF, my university does not consider me to be an employee so I don’t have the same protections as other employed postdocs.

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Apr 19

I got an email yesterday afternoon that my NSF SPRF Postdoctoral Fellowship was terminated. My grant focused on testing interventions to address online misinformation and I was 8 months into a two year appointment.

Mike Wagner @prowag.bsky.social · Apr 19

Friday Night Massacre of accurate information.

A devastating day for the USA as tens of millions of dollars of grants seeking to combat the spread of false information were terminated. We have a federal govenrment that does not consider the verifiable truth a priority. www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...

Updates on NSF Priorities

www.nsf.gov

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Feb 19

Well last time he wore the glasses he got more attention so 🤷🏻‍♀️

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Reposted by Maddy Jalbert

Dan Garisto @dangaristo.bsky.social · Feb 3

NEW: We obtained the directions NSF program officers are following to review all grants for compliance with the Trump EOs and the turmoil it has created in an agency mandated to broaden STEM participation. Our story: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Exclusive: how NSF is scouring research grants for violations of Trump’s orders

The US National Science Foundation has unfrozen grant funding, but it continues to scrutinize research projects, sowing turmoil.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Maddy Jalbert

Eric Boodman @ericboodman.bsky.social · Feb 2

NSF froze payments to researchers.

State AGs said it was unconstitutional for exec branch to pause congressionally mandated funds.

Judge issued restraining order.

Payments resumed.

But some inconsistencies in what the NSF has said (thread):
www.statnews.com/2025/02/02/n...

National Science Foundation restores payments after five-day pause, but worries over science funding persist

The NSF said on Sunday that its payment system was back on line, after it froze out researchers and sparked financial worries.

www.statnews.com

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 31

UAW 4121 is organizing and we had a great phone banking session today with unions across the country! Having their backing is the best.

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 31

(I called it a salary in my main post but technically it’s a stipend)

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 31

have employee protections or benefits. The stipend I receive is also lower than the minimum established by my university for postdocs who are considered employees 🙃. So it’s prestigious but (at least at my university) a much more vulnerable position to be in.

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 31

(I called it a “salary” in the main post but technically it’s a stipend - there is no paycheck)

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 31

NSF Fellows are in a unique situation. The funds are distributed directly from NSF and are available for me to withdraw on a disbursement schedule. Technically I’m not employed by either the NSF or my university. I have an appointment at my university but am not considered an employee so I don’t

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 31

are due for payment sooner or may not have withdrawn their full stipend upfront. It’s unclear at what point taking on other funding would be allowed.

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 31

The situation is confusing as, per the contract with NSF, you’re not allowed to take on outside work from your university and I’m not technically a university employee. You can withdraw your stipend on a dispersement schedule so I’m technically paid until Feb 15th, but some postdocs

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 31

Calling reps and Senators is great. I would also recommend connecting with local postdoc/student worker unions to see if there are any actions you can get involved in – there’s some great work going on there.

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 31

I am one of these NSF postdocs. NSF has frozen everyone’s access to their salaries and research stipends (that were already awarded) with no information about when they might be expected to be unfrozen. It still appears like we are expected to continue doing our work though.

Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · Jan 30

Apparently all the PhD researchers holding prestigious NSF-funded research fellowships are having their salaries withheld until some unspecified time when the leadership figures out how to eliminate any grant funding that doesn’t align with the president’s political ideology.

Ben Stone @benstemon.bsky.social · Jan 30

It’s official: all funding requests made on Tuesday by postdocs for their salaries have been unilaterally rejected by NSF.

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Reposted by Maddy Jalbert

Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · Jan 30

Apparently all the PhD researchers holding prestigious NSF-funded research fellowships are having their salaries withheld until some unspecified time when the leadership figures out how to eliminate any grant funding that doesn’t align with the president’s political ideology.

Ben Stone @benstemon.bsky.social · Jan 30

It’s official: all funding requests made on Tuesday by postdocs for their salaries have been unilaterally rejected by NSF.

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 30

Fingers crossed for you too! Terrible and devastating in so many ways.

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 30

What I don’t know is what happens if you’re employed by your university and they don’t have the funds. Your own HR is probably the place to go!

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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · Jan 30

I had already withdrawn what was available to me for the current period. I have more funds available mid-February so if things are still paused at that point, that’s when I’ll be impacted.

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