6.22
Louisa Shepard
News Officer
lshepard@upenn.edu
Communications
Greater transparency and accountability curb online hate speech and deception
Greater transparency and accountability curb online hate speech and deception
APPC’s Transatlantic Working Group has released a new report calling for greater transparency and accountability from digital platforms, as well as a redress system for promptly dealing with user complaints.
Better care for COVID patients through virtual reality
Better care for COVID patients through virtual reality
An interdisciplinary team from Penn joined efforts with physicians in New York to fast-track virtual reality coronavirus training materials.
Meeting the challenge of vaccination hesitancy
Meeting the challenge of vaccination hesitancy
Annenberg School for Communication professor Damon Centola explores root causes of vaccine hesitancy and actionable steps to address it.
Local news volume does not increase pro-social behaviors during COVID-19
Local news volume does not increase pro-social behaviors during COVID-19
Previous research found people were more likely to engage in civic behaviors—like voting, recycling, or wearing a face covering—when their local newspaper includes coverage of these activities. New research finds that may not be as relevant anymore.
Cultivating robust civil dialogue during times of unrest
Cultivating robust civil dialogue during times of unrest
Through the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Paideia Program, Penn students are learning how to reflect on and engage with subjects like the coronavirus pandemic and the criminal justice system.
The joys and trials of defending a dissertation virtually
The joys and trials of defending a dissertation virtually
When most aspects of university life moved online because of COVID-19, so, too, did the thesis defense for Ph.D. candidates. Despite some challenges, the shift had unexpected benefits.
Do political beliefs affect social distancing?
Do political beliefs affect social distancing?
A new study found that political partisanship influenced Americans’ decisions to voluntarily engage in physical distancing at the start of the pandemic, particularly in response to communications by state governors.
The dangers of sharing personal information on social media
The dangers of sharing personal information on social media
Joseph Turow, a professor of communication at the Annenberg School for Communication, says hackers may be using your posts against you.
Sarah J. Jackson, Duncan Watts awarded 2020 Andrew Carnegie Fellowships
Sarah J. Jackson, Duncan Watts awarded 2020 Andrew Carnegie Fellowships
The program supports high-caliber scholarly research in the humanities and social sciences that addresses important and enduring issues confronting our society.
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Carl June elected to National Academy of Sciences
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Carl June elected to National Academy of Sciences
The researchers, from the Annenberg Public Policy Center and the Perelman School of Medicine, join a class of honored scholars recognized for their unique and ongoing contributions to original research.
Media Contact
In the News
Associated Press
Biden on cognitive test: ‘Why the hell would I take a test?’
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center said verbal slips are not enough to conclude that a presidential candidate is unqualified for the job. “If you can’t focus, that’s a problem. If you can’t provide a coherent answer, that’s a problem. (But) sometimes what you’re seeing, it may be annoying, but it doesn’t speak to a person’s capacity to govern,” she said.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Frustration and misunderstanding: For deaf folks, masking can cause communication barriers
Jami Fisher of the School of Arts & Sciences weighed in on how face masks can make communication difficult for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. “ASL (and other sign languages) rely on facial cues and other non-manual features to convey grammatical information as well as emotive expression,” she said. “With much of the face covered, this information is lost, as is a lot of the meaning.”
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The Washington Post
Conservative media helps Trump perform ‘law and order’ in Portland, with risks for November
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center spoke about media coverage of the federal crackdown in Portland, Oregon. “The framing of this is dramatically different news channel to news channel, and this is an instance in which the visuals are difficult to understand because you’re seeing people in what look to be a kind of military uniform, and it’s unfolding at night,” she said.
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NBC News
Hedge funds scoop up local newspapers withering under COVID-19 cuts
Victor Pickard of the Annenberg School for Communication commented on efforts by hedge funds to acquire struggling newspapers. “This is bad for journalists, bad for media diversity and bad for communities at a time when we desperately need more local journalism, not less,” he said.
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Axios
Fighting the coronavirus infodemic
Alison Buttenheim of the School of Nursing spoke about the spread of misinformation online. "In our hyper-polarized and politicized climate, many folks just inherently mistrust advice or evidence that comes from an opposing political party," she said.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Antifa rumors and hoaxes have stoked real fear in Philadelphia neighborhoods
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center says the meaning of “antifa" is being constructed in real time via public discourse. “When you use the word antifa, you’re creating the sense that it actually does exist, normalizing the language of ‘antifa,’ without knowing what the reference is,” she said. “It is becoming a ‘devil term’ on the right—a term that is used to encapsulate everything you’re afraid of.”
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