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Reposted by Mert Can Bayar

Scott Radnitz @radnitz.bsky.social · Aug 20

What if conspiracy theories were taken to their logical endpoint and put into practice as a form of governance? @mertcanbayar.bsky.social and I explore this question in our new article on the conspiracist theory of power in @cogitatiopag.bsky.social.

www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandg...

The Conspiracist Theory of Power | Article | Politics and Governance

Mert Can Bayar, Scott Radnitz

www.cogitatiopress.com

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Center for an Informed Public @cip.uw.edu · Apr 28

The open-access article, "The end of trust and safety?: Examining the future of content moderation and upheavals in professional online safety efforts," is available in the Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...

The End of Trust and Safety?: Examining the Future of Content Moderation and Upheavals in Professional Online Safety Efforts | Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Syst...

dl.acm.org

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Center for an Informed Public @cip.uw.edu · Apr 28

The CIP researchers, Rachel Moran-Prestridge, @schafer.bsky.social, @mertcanbayar.bsky.social and @katestarbird.bsky.social, also examined current perspectives of content moderation and broader strategies for maintaining safe digital environments.

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Center for an Informed Public @cip.uw.edu · Apr 28

In a newly published research article in the Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, a team of @cip.uw.edu researchers interviewed trust and safety professionals and explored upheavals within the T&S industry.

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Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · Apr 27

Thrilled to be at the CHI conference this week where PhD student @schafer.bsky.social will present our paper — co-authored w/ Rachel Moran (1st author) & @mertcanbayar.bsky.social — titled, "The End of Trust and Safety?" dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...

The End of Trust and Safety?: Examining the Future of Content Moderation and Upheavals in Professional Online Safety Efforts | Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Syst...

dl.acm.org

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 21

I am so sorry, Maddy.

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Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · Apr 20

This is amazing

myrmepropagandist @futurebird.sauropods.win.ap.brid.gy · Apr 20

To prevent deer from being hit by cars Finland has tried using reflective paint. (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/avoid-deer-strikes-finland-painting-deer-antlers-reflective-paint-180949792/)

File this under "solutions to modern problems that summon the old gods."

Two photos. In the first, deep in a conifer forest a man in winter clothes holds a reindeer and sprays something from an aerosol can on the antlers.

The second photo is of a small town street in the dead of night. Little shops and dim street lights. A deer stands in the middle of the road. It's barely visible, just a feint silhouette. But, its eyes and antlers glow like something ancient and supernatural.

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 17

We have been analyzing some of these accounts for a while since our work with @mikecaulfield.bsky.social @ashlynba.bsky.social on discourses around Oct. 7 attacks on X.

The ‘new elites’ of X: Identifying the most influential accounts engaged in Hamas/Israel discourse

With seven accounts racking up a cumulative 1.6 billion tweet views over three days of posts, our analysis points to a new crisis twitter that is faster, more disorienting, and potentially more sha…

www.cip.uw.edu

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 17

There is a right-wing infrastructure online and it got to a point of relevance for policy making and international politics. Nawfal is part of this.

Here, you can also find a few quotes from me about our work on “newsbrokers” and how Nawfal is a prime example of a new class of elites around Musk.

NPR @npr.org · Apr 17

The Australian crypto entrepreneur now hosts chats with world leaders. "If [he] is sharing a story, there's a good chance that U.S. policymakers are reading it — and acting on it," said one analyst.

How Elon Musk's favorite news influencer is capitalizing on his clout

The Australian crypto entrepreneur now hosts chats with world leaders. "If [he] is sharing a story, there's a good chance that U.S. policymakers are reading it — and acting on it," said one analyst.

www.npr.org

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 17

@bsky.app needs to explain to us how and why these decisions are made. What is the rationale behind them and provide evidence on the reasons of such suspensions. @support.bsky.team @moderation.bsky.app

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 17

More information about suspensions by @bsky.app.

59 accounts are being censored by Turkish authorities due to reasons of “national security” and “public order.”

13 accounts and one post has been censored by @bsky.app. Such accounts cannot be viewed or accessed from Turkey.

EngelliWeb @engelliweb.com · Apr 16

Bluesky sansürüne ilişkin olarak tespit ettiğimiz veriler:

• 59 hesap, millî güvenlik ve kamu düzeninin korunması gerekçesiyle çeşitli hakimlikler tarafından erişime engellendi.
• 13 hesap ve 1 paylaşım, @moderation-tr.bsky.app tarafından Türkiye'den görünmez kılındı.
ifade.org.tr/engelliweb/b...

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 16

Reminds me of the skinner box experiment in a weird way…

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Erol Saglam @erolsaglam.bsky.social · Apr 7

CfP is out for the upcoming conference I co-organise with @bilgeyabanci.bsky.social & Sonia Alonso Sáenz de Oger in Bilbao this coming October.

Those working on radical right movements, conspiracy theories, and societal violence, send an abstract here 👇

agenda.deusto.es/en/conferenc...

Conference: Radical Right Narratives, Conspiracy Theories, and Vigilantism in an Age of Democratic DeclineConference: Radical Right Narratives, Conspiracy Theories, and Vigilantism in an Age of Democr...

agenda.deusto.es

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Karabekir Akkoyunlu @karabekir.bsky.social · Apr 15

Well, that's disappointing. @bsky.app started banning accounts complying with Turkish government demands. Not the safe haven those who migrated from X was seeking, it seems.

Ali Safa Korkut @aliskorkut.com · Apr 15

"Bluesky merkeziyetsiz bir platform olduğu için erişime engellenemez, erişim engeli kararlarını da uygulamaz" diyenlere kötü haber:

Bluesky, Bluesky hesapları hakkında verilen erişim engeli kararlarını uygulamaya başladı. Üstelik ilgili kararları, hesabı engellenen kullanıcılarla da paylaşmıyor.

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 15

Do we have any more info on the cases? Reasons why they are suspended and what laws they are referring to?

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 15

“If Bluesky is going to cave to ‘local laws’ in authoritarian regimes and suspend accounts for political reasons, then what’s the point of migrating from X? @bsky.app @support.bsky.team @moderation.bsky.app — you have to know BETTER.

Ali Safa Korkut @aliskorkut.com · Apr 15

"Bluesky merkeziyetsiz bir platform olduğu için erişime engellenemez, erişim engeli kararlarını da uygulamaz" diyenlere kötü haber:

Bluesky, Bluesky hesapları hakkında verilen erişim engeli kararlarını uygulamaya başladı. Üstelik ilgili kararları, hesabı engellenen kullanıcılarla da paylaşmıyor.

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 11

Teşekkürler!

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 11

Thank you, Bilge Hocam!

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Reposted by Mert Can Bayar

Bilge Yesil @bilgeyesil.bsky.social · Apr 11

Very important study here! Congrats @mertcanbayar.bsky.social

Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Mar 21

I find that conspiracy theories gain mobilization potential when they evolve into elite-driven narratives and become embedded in a partisan platform. In other words, not all conspiracy theories are created equal—those backed by political elites are far more effective in driving participation.

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 11

🚨 Bluesky’a göç eden Türkiye ahalisi, hoş geldiniz!
Komplo teorilerine ilginiz varsa, bu yayında tam da bu inançların siyasal boyutuna dalıyoruz. Kim neden inanıyor? Ve neden bu inançlar güçlü lider arzusu ve otoriter rejim tercihiyle bu kadar iç içe? Akademik ama yormayan bir sohbet 🤞🏼

Dünyayı Yöneten 5 Aile - Dış MihraX 20

YouTube video by FluTV

www.youtube.com

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 11

If you’re into the politics behind conspiracy theories and misinformation, check out this talk I gave at UW Impact. I dig into how these beliefs aren’t just fringe—they’re often tied to calls for stronger presidents and even leanings toward authoritarianism.

Election Rumors, Conspiracy Theories, and Democracy with Center for an Informed Public

YouTube video by UWImpact

youtu.be

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Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · Apr 10

Fantastic paper by @mertcanbayar.bsky.social, a postdoc at the UW Center for an Informed Public, examining how conspiracy theories drive political action in the U.S. and Turkey — and revealing key differences between partisan vs. non-partisan conspiracy theories.

Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Mar 21

🚨 My first solo-authored piece is out in Electoral Studies! 👽
I examine when and how conspiracy theories become participatory, increasing political mobilization. Using the United States and Turkey as cases of a most-different-systems design, I explore how conspiracy theories drive political action.

Partisan and non-partisan conspiracy theories’ diverging effects on political participation

What role do conspiracy theories play in mobilizing political action? Both historical and contemporary accounts have written on the role of conspiracy…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 9

Glad to see many people from Turkey joining the Bluesky migration. Let's make this platform as funny as old Turkish Twitter and a platform that communicates and mobilizes for a better, more just, and democratic Turkey and beyond! #Bluesky #migration #Turkey

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Mert Can Bayar @mertcanbayar.bsky.social · Apr 5

🚨 @bsky.app #Türkiye app store’da en çok indirilen uygulama olmuş durumda.

Bluesky became the #1st app in #Turkey’s app store!

Looks like X’s decision to suspend opposition accounts in favor of Erdoğan is backfiring. How great to see this platform becoming a hub for democratic voices all over 🌍

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