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Alex Engler

@alexengler.bsky.social
1.7K followers 411 following 169 posts

Towards a healthier information ecosystem and a stronger democracy. Executive Director @penn-mediated.bsky.social @upenn.edu Alum: DemTech at NSC; AI Policy at OSTP; Brookings; Urban Institute; Taught at UChicago & Georgetown

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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 3h
@penn-mediated.bsky.social is at the #CJ2026 and would love to chat with folks. Come to our workshop where you can run your own LLM audit (today at 3:30) or I'm giving a talk tomorrow on the broader needs for scientific and longitudinal monitoring of LLM politics (in Parallel Talks 1 at 1:30).
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Ryan Enos @ryanenos.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
AP NORC: Trump approval at 31 points. A majority of Americans, 51%, *strongly disapprove*. AFAIK, strong disapproval crushing overall approval by 20 points is unprecedented. There is no political downside to opposing authoritarianism.
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Totally surreal to announce I've been targeted by my first China-aligned threat actor, as an AI policy leader. Sometimes little moments of recognition like this really make you feel like you've made it www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I feel strongly enough about improving research communication that i hired an undergrad to make fun of me on the gram this is going to be very, very uncomfortable follow along: www.instagram.com/p/Dd4NovSAK6x/
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Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy (MEDIATED) @penn-mediated.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Do algorithms drive online polarization? A review by Duncan Watts and coauthors finds the evidence is inconclusive. What users seek out matters too, though platforms aren't off the hook. infodem.upenn.edu/research-com...
infodem.upenn.edu
Research Compendium - Center on Media, Technology and Democracy
News, announcements, and insights from the Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy.
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Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy (MEDIATED) @penn-mediated.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Our MEDIATED research seminars are back! Syracuse Prof Emily Thorson shows that contrary to popular belief, Americans have a genuine interest in public-interest journalism! For more empirically backed optimism about the state of our media and politics, follow Emily’s work!
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Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The Knight Institute has supported the Associated Press and the New York Times in related suits, and we will support CNN, MS NOW, and Politico in court, too. knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
knightcolumbia.org
Knight Institute To Support Banned News Organizations in Court
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I am a signatory of this letter calling for researchers and evaluators to have access to AI models, with meaningful guarantees of their independence, as an essential transparency and accountability mechanism. aievaluatorforum.org/initiatives/...
aievaluatorforum.org
AI Evaluator Forum
The AI Evaluator Forum advances the rigor, credibility, and impact of independent AI evaluations that serve the public interest.
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J. Nathan Matias @natematias.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Exciting Research Director position for someone with the (maybe impossible) combination of scientist, engineering manager, fundraiser, and administrator. If that's you, this is an amazing way to have an impact! wd1.myworkdaysite.com/recruiting/u...
wd1.myworkdaysite.com
Research Director - Penn Center for Media, Technology, and Democracy
University Overview The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school co...
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Friends, countrymen, lend me your shares! We are hiring a *𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫* to lead a *𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦* as we build Penn MEDIATED into the first† public-facing data science institute for the information ecosystem (think the Urban Institute or CSET, but for media and information technology).
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Ryan Enos @ryanenos.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
My take is that having a Muslim immigrant preside over ceremonies commemorating 9/11 in New York City is one of the beautiful things about America.
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Friends, countrymen, lend me your shares! We are hiring a *𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫* to lead a *𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦* as we build Penn MEDIATED into the first† public-facing data science institute for the information ecosystem (think the Urban Institute or CSET, but for media and information technology).
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
If the media is going to insist that politicians denounce their supporters who make extremist statements, I have a suggestion for someone a bit more important than a Twitch streamer.
campaign-trails.ghost.io
Denouncing Extremists
One of the media's favorite activities is demanding that Democratic politicians denounce individuals on their side who have made extreme statements. This is a pattern that stretches back to the 1992 ...
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Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
This new system appears to be “designed to fail.” If allowed to proceed, it’s likely to delay the distribution of ballots, cause confusion and chaos, and lead to both disenchantment and further distrust in election results. All to solve a non-existent problem of so-called “non-citizen voting.”
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Jake Johnson @jakejohnsonmn.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
At the beginning of this campaign, I made a pledge to hold a free, public, in-person town hall meeting in each of the 21 counties in our district, never prescreening any audience members or their questions. Today, I fulfilled that promise, holding #21 in West Concord, Dodge County.
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I just finished this and definitely recommend the essay. A compelling narrative of information ecosystem developments since 2020, and a call for more serious reform proposals (which I strongly agree with, more to come soon). Here's the two paragraph conclusion, which I found thought provoking
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Tech Policy Press @techpolicypress.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Join Tech Policy Press for a live podcast recording via ZOOM webinar on the Meta settlement on Thursday at 11 am EDT. Featuring Knight-Georgetown Institute's Alissa Cooper, Tech Justice Law's Meetali Jain, and Emory Law's Matthew Lawrence. Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Dark navy Tech Policy Press promotional graphic for a live podcast recording titled 'Assessing the Landmark Meta Settlement.' Text reads: Join Tech Policy Press for a live discussion on what the deal means for platform accountability going forward. Speakers: Alissa Cooper, Executive Director, Knight-Georgetown Institute (KGI); Meetali Jain, Executive Director, Tech Justice Law (TJL); Matthew B. Lawrence, Professor of Law, Emory University School of Law. Hosted by Justin Hendrix, CEO and Editor, Tech Policy Press. Thursday, August 27, 2026, 11:00 AM ET, virtual. Scattered blue, red, teal, and blush circles fill the right side.
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Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
We're hiring legal fellows to work on cutting-edge cases relating to free speech, press freedom, and new technology. Please send good people our way! knightcolumbia.org/page/legal-f...
knightcolumbia.org
| Knight First Amendment Institute
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
In my first piece in 3 years (!), Danaé Metaxa and I write for @carnegieendowment.org on why we need a new paradigm of scientific research for AI—longitudinal monitoring—to ensure the public has a meaningful say in the societal role of LLMs. carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
carnegieendowment.org
We Need Ongoing Monitoring of AI and Political Information
Monitoring is essential so that policymakers and the public can understand—and have a say in—how AI systems affect politics.
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Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Some coverage in CBS News www.cbsnews.com/news/dei-pol...
cbsnews.com
DEI policies brought no financial penalty for companies that kept them, study finds
Companies that stood by their diversity efforts faced no detectable impact from investors or shoppers, researchers found.
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Soumaya Keynes @soumayakeynes.ft.com · 21/08/2026
The Economist has published @dacemoglumit.bsky.social's response to their critical column and it is spiky www.economist.com/letters/2026...
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Jake Johnson @jakejohnsonmn.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Data centers are part of a larger story of extracting value from our communities and sending it into the pockets of billionaires who don’t even live here.
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
I learned a lot from @bankston.bsky.social's long post on the debate over the AI Preferences technical standard, and strongly recommend it. It is among the most essential issues for the future of the internet and access to information. cdt.org/insights/wil...
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
In my first piece in 3 years (!), Danaé Metaxa and I write for @carnegieendowment.org on why we need a new paradigm of scientific research for AI—longitudinal monitoring—to ensure the public has a meaningful say in the societal role of LLMs. carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
carnegieendowment.org
We Need Ongoing Monitoring of AI and Political Information
Monitoring is essential so that policymakers and the public can understand—and have a say in—how AI systems affect politics.
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FactCheck.org @factcheck.org · 19/08/2026
RFK Jr. Falsely Claims New Evidence Supports Splitting MMR Vaccine www.factcheck.org/2026/08/rfk-...
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Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy (MEDIATED) @penn-mediated.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Check out this amazing 2-year postdoc position with rockstars Danaé Metaxa and @friedler.net to work on public interest audits of AI here at UPenn! metaxa.net/postdoc
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Deen Freelon @dfreelon.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
My lab @ UPenn is hiring a postdoc to start in early 2027. I'm looking for someone with expertise in social identities, computational methods, and political communication: www.asc.upenn.edu/news-events/...
asc.upenn.edu
Call for applications: Postdoctoral researcher in social identity, politics, and computational methods
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Last week to apply for our open half-time / remote flexible Research Analyst position!
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Eileen Guo (is on leave for rest of 2026) @eileenguo.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
W/ith @giselilla.bsky.social + @cargocultscientist.bsky.social, I delved into the origins of the “censorship-industrial complex” idea, how it went from the fringes of the online right to a driver of Trump2 policy, + what it means for the Internet. www.technologyreview.com/2026/08/07/1...
technologyreview.com
How ideas of a vast censorship network moved from the online fringe to Trump policy
Narratives about a “censorship-industrial complex” spread in right-wing circles for years; then they took hold of Washington. What—and who—is behind them?
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
"America, in other words, isn’t illiterate. It’s postliterate." Tough but interesting long read on the American erosion of literacy www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
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John Sands @iohn.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
A new survey from @knightfoundation.org and @ssrsresearch.bsky.social reveals a disquieting decline in how free Americans feel to use the freedoms protected by the #FirstAmendment without government interference or punishment. 🧵
knightfoundation.org
Knight Foundation-SSRS Poll: Americans Feel Free Expression is Eroding - Knight Foundation
For more than two decades, Knight Foundation has commissioned research to better understand Americans’ lived experience with the First Amendment and free expression. As the country marks its 250th ann...
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Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
People potentially subject to the nyc pied-à-terre tax are being treated with 1% of the administrative hostility of SNAP and Medicaid applicants, and they’re throwing 100x the fit
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Maria Antoniak @mariaa.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Wonderful talk by @sjgreenwood.bsky.social about @paper-feed.bsky.social! Custom feeds on Bluesky are unique resources for researchers interested in recommendation algorithms #IC2S2 Featuring many Bluesky friends like @graze.social @devingaffney.com @kissane.myatproto.social @aendra.com
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Not (A.) I. @aerialeverything.cryptoanarchy.network · 31/07/2026
I truly believe that the next trend in AI-generated fuckery will be the manipulation of operational images, such satellite images & medical scans—technical visual documents whose default (para)empirical status can be leveraged. Google playing its part in recreationally extinguishing the evidentiary.
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I wrote this lead and despite *knowing* it's very dumb I still really like it.
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
@katestarbird.bsky.social is my hero. @ic2s2.bsky.social
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Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy (MEDIATED) @penn-mediated.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
We're thrilled to welcome three new Knight Fellows (joining us this fall) to our community of researchers studying the information ecosystem and its impact on democracy - Postdoc Thomas Chamberlain; Postdoc Burak Ozturan; and PhD Student Jacky Liang. infodem.upenn.edu/blog/#knight...
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Great paper from Duncan Watts: LLM-based content reranking improves personalization & aligns video recommendations more closely to users’ prior viewing. Very interesting tho unclear if there is significant deployment of LLM-based recommenders systems at present? infodem.upenn.edu/research-com...
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Jobs! (part-time, but still, jobs!) Would especially love to find a motivated young scholar for our Research Analyst posting - recommendations and shares welcome.
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
The @npr.org politics podcast yesterday spent an episode on why the US keeps getting into foreign wars -- naming Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran -- that it can't win without saying the word "Republican." Again, this is the _politics_ podcast. @tamarakeithnpr.bsky.social ya'll need to do better
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Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy (MEDIATED) @penn-mediated.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
How did the narrative “DEI is discrimination against white people” gain traction? Well, new research from Matt Levendusky has the answer and our research compendium covered it and lots more! 🧵
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
After three years of quiet work and debate, Congresswoman @sarajacobs.house.gov introduced the Sectoral AI Governance Act (SAGA), looking to empower federal agencies to better regulate AI. sarajacobs.house.gov/news/press-r...
sarajacobs.house.gov
Rep. Sara Jacobs Introduces Bill to Hold AI Accountable For Breaking the Law | U.S. Congresswoman Sara Jacobs Of California's 51st District
The Official U.S. Congressional website of Congresswoman Sara Jacobs
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
How is knowingly benefiting from rank and obvious corruption on your behalf and to your immediate benefit distinguishable from cheating? I understand the red card was a bad call. I understand it's FIFA's decision. I understand USMNT didn't ask. Still. Seems pretty much like cheating.
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Absolutely fascinating research although it will very much depress you to learn the degree to which Dems abandoned the public debate over racial justice issues
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Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy (MEDIATED) @penn-mediated.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
We are delighted to announce that Penn MEDIATED is now a member of the @thegni.bsky.social! It's an honor to be a part of the community advancing a free and democratic technological future, and we are enthused to contribute Penn’s science of the information ecosystem to GNI’s vital discussions.
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Global Network Initiative @thegni.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
📣 GNI is pleased to welcome the Penn Center on Media, Technology and Democracy (Penn MEDIATED) to its academic constituency as a member. globalnetworkinitiative.org/gni-welcomes...
globalnetworkinitiative.org
GNI Welcomes New Member: Penn MEDIATED - Global Network Initiative
GNI is pleased to welcome Penn MEDIATED to its academic constituency as a member.
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
An awkward ED thing is you write more staged quotes for PR purposes but I AM ACTUALLY honored that @penn-mediated.bsky.social has joined @thegni.bsky.social And we're grateful to Jason Pielemeier, Montserrat Legorreta, and all the GNI selection folks for their support!
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Trying to quickly describe reasoning models without being overly credulous Currently: "...models that iterate through several steps and approaches to respond to a prompt, often called reasoning models." thoughts?
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Alex Engler @alexengler.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Writing about automated content moderation - it's amazing how many papers were focused on toxicity, with the comparison point being the Perspective API The sunsetting of the API means a loss for reproducibility And, this will probably be the case for many papers based on commercial LLMs
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Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy (MEDIATED) @penn-mediated.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
🤔 How often will an AI search engine cite AI slop? This answer and more in our updated LLM & Civic Discourse dashboard: (1/5) infodem.upenn.edu/llm-civic-di...
infodem.upenn.edu
LLM Civic Discourse - Center on Media, Technology and Democracy
News, announcements, and insights from the Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy.
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