University of Michigan: Twitter data reveals partisan divide in understanding why pollen season’s getting worse. “Two things are clear from a University of Michigan analysis of nearly 200,000 Twitter posts between 2012 and 2022. One, people are really good at identifying peak pollen season: The largest volume of tweets about pollen often lined up with pollen counters hitting their biggest […]

Refactored Analysis of TikTok's Content Moderation

The #TikTok CEO's comments seem to confirm my suspicion: the #platform is designed to deliver #content without adequately filtering for #extremistviewpoints during its rapid-fire serving process. While a faster #review is technically possible when a #video is uploaded, the current #moderationprocess is clearly insufficient before #content is served to the public.

This #system works exactly as #badactors need it to. They abuse the platform to spread #radicalizedcontent, and #TikTok appears to do little about it. This is less a failure of #proactive effort and more a consequence of the platform's core #design.

The Algorithmic "#RabbitHole"

The system's priorities appear to be purely #political and #engagement-driven. If a user engages with one piece of #extremistcontent—even through an unrelated #hashtag—the #algorithm starts pushing a flood of similar extremist material to them. This creates a confusing array of user profiles that engage with conflicting #ideologies (e.g., both #extremistright and #extremistleft content), making it difficult to pin down a person's exact #politicalalignment.

I believe the #AI is designed to profile every possible vulnerability—#loneliness, #desperation, #politicalviews—to keep users #engaged for as long as possible. The system operates without any discernible #ethicallogic. If ethical guardrails exist, the #AI certainly doesn't appear to be learning in a safe or positive way.
https://www.ted.com/talks/shou_chew_tiktok_s_ceo_on_its_future_and_what_makes_its_algorithm_different?fbclid=IwY2xjawNMJHxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpe_32vhUBup2q9JgJ5EXh7mN4NDXxRQQ_MC5m9g_RF2IcYGIwnXB6Wc09gI_aem_WbzHkJqzEFEySlER6tmtLg

Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance – Sunday Morning Wrap-Up

Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance

Sunday Morning Wrap-Up

By Joyce Vance, Sep 14, 2025

This was a week punctuated by the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which seemed to sweep all the other news we’d been following off the table.

Debates about political violence and the First Amendment emerged rapidly. In one of the key pieces I wrote this week, I reacted to the violent murder in real time, arguing that political violence is never the answer, even for those who, like me, reject Kirk’s views as repugnant.

If you missed that piece on Wednesday, I hope you’ll read it now.

If you missed any of this week’s other columns, here’s your weekly wrap-up:

• The Week Ahead: We looked at some remarkable comments by a key advisor to Chief Justice Roberts, reviewed Trump’s threat to go into Chicago with the National Guard (he’s since reconsidered and now seems to be looking at Memphis, a blue dot in a red state, and hence an easier target for expanding his use of police powers), and discussed an issue that dropped almost entirely off the radar screen in the wake of Kirk’s murder, Trump’s failure to release the Epstein files.
• Substack Live with Heather Cox Richardson: Monday, I got together for an almost hour-long chat with the eminent (and incredibly fun) historian who writes Letters from an American, and I left feeling both smarter and more certain than ever that as Americans, we can use our history and traditions to outlast the foes of democracy we are facing. The prescription is hard work, no sugar coating, lots of commitment.
• Affirmed: E. Jean Carroll Case: The Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the $83.3 million verdict Carroll won in her defamation case against Trump; the one where he denied he’d sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room and denigrated her as “not his type,” although in a deposition, he subsequently misidentifed a photo of her at the time as his second wife, Marla Maples. The court wrote a lengthy opinion. This piece summarizes key points to be aware of as the appeal moves towards the Supreme Court, which can choose to hear the case or let the lower court’s opinion stand.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Sunday Morning Wrap-Up – Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance

#2025 #America #CivilDiscourse #DonaldTrump #Education #Health #History #JoyceVance #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #Opinion #PoliticalViews #Politics #Resistance #Science #Substack #SundayWrapup #Trump #TrumpAdministration #UnitedStates

Charlie Kirk in his own words: ‘prowling Blacks’ and ‘the great replacement strategy’ | Charlie Kirk shooting | The Guardian

Charlie Kirk in his own words: ‘prowling Blacks’ and ‘the great replacement strategy’

The far-right commentator didn’t pull his punches when discussing his bigoted views on current events.

• Charlie Kirk shooting – follow the latest updates
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• A video, a pastor and a tense meeting: timeline of arrest

Chris Stein, Thu 11 Sep 2025 20.56 EDT

Charlie Kirk, the far-right commentator and ally of Donald Trump, was killed on Wednesday doing what he was known for throughout his career – making incendiary and often racist and sexist comments to large audiences.

If it was current and controversial in US politics, chances are that Kirk was talking about it. On his podcasts, and on the podcasts of friends and adversaries, and especially on college campuses, where he would go to debate students, Kirk spent much of his adult life defending and articulating a worldview aligned with Trump and the Maga movement. Accountable to no one but his audience, he did not shy away in his rhetoric from bigotry, intolerance, exclusion and stereotyping.

Here’s Kirk, in his own words. Many of his comments were documented by Media Matters for America, a progressive non-profit that tracks conservative media.

Editor’s Note: This is a tough post to read, if you go to the article and read the quotes. They are anti-immigration, racist, sexist, and more, very harsh words. Read to know the words. If you need to speak with someone about it, talk to your family, your friends, or health professional. The Truth is sometimes very harsh, but we cannot hide the Truth.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Charlie Kirk in his own words: ‘prowling Blacks’ and ‘the great replacement strategy’ | Charlie Kirk shooting | The Guardian

#2025 #America #CharlieKirk #Comments #DonaldTrump #Education #Health #History #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #Opinion #PoliticalViews #Politics #Quotes #Resistance #Science #TheGuardian #Trump #TrumpAdministration #UnitedStates

Don’t miss our next Connecting #Generations Thought Leader Talk.

@zackg_politics from the University of #Oxford will discuss how concerns for relatives can influence #politicalviews and the impact of this on #intergenerational #politicaldivides.

Join: https://bit.ly/CG_Thought_Leader_Zack_Grant

#politics #politicsUK #voting #generalelection #politicalstudies #intergenerational #demography #population

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WITHIN TEMPTATION's SHARON DEN ADEL Isn't Afraid Of Being Criticized For Voicing Her Political Views

https://blabbermouth.net/news/within-temptations-sharon-den-adel-isnt-afraid-of-being-criticized-for-voicing-her-political-views

#WithinTemptation
#SharonDenAdel
#PoliticalViews
#SocialJustice
#HumanRights
#FreedomOfSpeech
#Diversity
#Inclusivity

It's a good thing most women don't want to date Trump voters

https://www.salon.com/2023/11/28/its-a-good-thing-women-wont-date/

#Salon #TrumpVoters #DatingPreferences #Women #Relationships #PoliticalViews #Politics #News