Sign in

Matt Motyl

@mattmotyl.bsky.social
1.7K followers 414 following 70 posts

Trust & safety expert, political psychologist, behavioral data scientist, recovering academic, pun and dog lover.

PostsRepliesMedia
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
The number poorly written laws that will not survive judicial review and/or not actually address the very real harms on tech platforms is astounding. It's almost as if stirring lawmakers and the public into a moral panic over a crisis leads to poorer policymaking.
010
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
This is one of the best pieces I've read on screen time, social media, and kids/adolescents -- harms exist, but it's much more nuanced than the loudest voices claim, and the evidence-based solutions are not the crude bans recommended by many of those loud voices theconversation.com/screen-time-...
share.google
Screen time guidelines for kids and adolescents have shifted as research paints a more nuanced picture
Studies increasingly show that how kids are using screens is more important than the exact amount of time they’re spending on them – and parents and caregivers tend to know what’s best for their famil...
000
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
As a follow-up to the excellent paper, I made a companion video that summarizes many of its points with a number of additional analogies, examples, and more jokes than would be appropriate for a formal policy paper. youtu.be/eet3Arqic6I @knightgtown.bsky.social
youtu.be
Why Your Social Media Feed Feels Broken — And How to Fix It
YouTube video by Ground Truth with Matt Motyl
010
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
I am a member of the the Expert Working Group on Recommender Systems at the Knight-Georgetown Institute (@knightgtown.bsky.social). We published a white paper on how recommendation systems work, go awry, and what the existing data say how to build better algorithms kgi.georgetown.edu/research-and...
kgi.georgetown.edu
Better Feeds: Algorithms That Put People First – Knight-Georgetown Institute
020
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Meta and TikTok let harmful content rise after evidence outrage drove engagement, say whistleblowers. Fascinating deep dive 👇 www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Meta and TikTok let harmful content rise after evidence outrage drove engagement - whistleblowers
Companies allowed more harmful content on user’s feeds, knowing their algorithms ran on outrage, BBC hears.
13210
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Integrity Institute @integrity-inst.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Members submitted input to the @oversightboard.bsky.social on Meta’s non-consensual AI sexualized impersonation. AI-generated imagery is among the most harmful forms of digital abuse. Meta needs stronger enforcement pathways & better remediation for victims. ▶️ Read our analysis: bit.ly/4uBjjSH
bit.ly
Response to Meta's Non-Consensual AI Sexualized Impersonation Under Oversight Board Review — Integrity Institute
By Theodora Skeadas, Sarah Amos, Leah Ferentinos, Gabe Freeman, Rupi Sureshkumar, Sofia Bonilla, Matt Motyl, Aniket Ajagaonkar, and April Lat Integrity Institute members weigh in on the Oversight Bo...
132
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Andrew Przybylski @shuhbillskee.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
If you read one thing about the internet today please make this is. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Meta and TikTok let harmful content rise after evidence outrage drove engagement - whistleblowers
Companies allowed more harmful content on user’s feeds, knowing their algorithms ran on outrage, BBC hears.
052
Reposted by Matt Motyl
European Digital Media Observatory @edmo-eu.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
❓What #data do #VLOPSEs collect? How are they structured + used? How can #researchers best utilize #dataaccess under Art. 40 of the #DSA? 👉 Our new report by @jeffallen.bsky.social @mattmotyl.bsky.social + S. Gurley provides valuable answers for academic + civil society researchers: loom.ly/gQa-FjQ
Platform Datasets: Challenges, Insights, and Examples for Researchers 
under Article 40 of the DSA
075
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Alissa Cooper @alissacooper.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
Want to hear about how to build better feeds? Join @mattmotyl.bsky.social and I at 11:00 ET today!
031
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
Want to know how we can make social media a better place with fewer annoying and/or harmful content? Check out this brand new report I had the honor of co-authoring with a bunch of fellow experts on social media recommendation systems at the Knight-Georgetown Institute!
061
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Following the latest wave of tech layoffs in recent weeks, more employees have shared their exceptional performance evaluations conducted in the weeks prior to being laid off on the alleged basis of poor performance. I share more on this in my latest YouTube video. youtu.be/iJPBsL4w-U0?...
youtu.be
How Tech Companies are Deceiving Us About Their Layoffs
YouTube video by Unmoderated Insights
000
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Matthew Facciani @matthewfacciani.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
It was a small trial, but a new vaccine against pancreatic cancer shows promise. Now would be a good time to increase funding for cancer research instead of the opposite! www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...
nbcnews.com
mRNA vaccines show promise against pancreatic cancer in early trial
Fewer than 13% of people live more than five years after diagnosis. In a small trial, half of the participants mounted a lasting immune response against their cancer cells.
08415
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
The tech layoffs continue, and the companies are trying to present them as performance-based. There's just one problem: they're not actually performance-based. I wrote a piece summarizing some of the data on this and telling my story from back in 2022. open.substack.com/pub/mattmoty...
031
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
I interviewed the former head of youth safety at Meta, Twitter, and Google, @vaishnavi.bsky.social , on how to best promote online safety for youth. If you're curious, our conversation is here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6096...
youtube.com
Industry Leading Expert's Top Tips on Making Social Media Safer for Young People
YouTube video by Unmoderated Insights
030
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
I interviewed @kurtjgray.bsky.social on some of his fascinating research on using AI to understand morality and to moderate generative AI tool output. Oh, and surveying dead people, having sex with robots, and a bit on his latest popular book on outrage in politics www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhBr...
youtube.com
AI's surprising insights into human morality
YouTube video by Unmoderated Insights
030
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 11/01/2025
One of my friends runs a political psychology YouTube channel and invited me to come on to discuss the role of social media in activism, and whether it amounts to more the slacktivism. Check it out here: youtu.be/y-3ErmkatX8?...
youtu.be
Social media is getting worse, but it is useful to activists (ft. @UnmoderatedInsights )
YouTube video by Political Psych with Abby
010
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
I interviewed clinical psychologist and professor Christopher Ferguson about his research on how social media affects the well-being and mental health of teenagers. I finally found time to edit out some of our particularly bad jokes to spare you all; see the good stuff here: youtu.be/_koKKVAF5_Q
youtu.be
Debunking Social Media Myths: A Deep Dive with Dr. Christopher Ferguson
YouTube video by Unmoderated Insights
020
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 05/11/2024
Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger is reporting Russian actors made bomb threats at some polling locations. Investigation says threats non-credible. www.usatoday.com/story/news/p... Get out and vote, folks.
usatoday.com
Georgia secretary of state blames polling place bomb threat on Russians
The bomb threat was one of several attacks in the key swing state of Georgia blamed on Russians.
010
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 05/11/2024
Some of my election & civic integrity tech, political science, and social psych friends and I will be livestreaming our own election and social media monitoring war room analogous to the war rooms we worked on at some of the world's biggest tech companies. Starts at 3p PT youtube.com/live/64dQ1er...
youtube.com
YouTube
Share your videos with friends, family, and the world
010
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 05/11/2024
My Super Bowl has arrived. Will there be more or fewer tackles and fumbles today than during that other Super Bowl -- the one with lots of guys wearing tight pants and chasing after a misshapen ball?
010
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Andrew Przybylski @shuhbillskee.bsky.social · 11/10/2024
In part two of our series, Dr. @mattmotyl.bsky.social and I explore practical steps to address the challenges of social media’s impact on mental health. If you care about #digitalwellbeing, join the conversation and help support teens online! www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGHa...
youtube.com
Surprising Effects of Social Media on Teen Mental Health with Professor Andrew Przybylski (Part 2)
YouTube video by Unmoderated Insights
075
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Andrew Przybylski @shuhbillskee.bsky.social · 10/10/2024
Curious about how social media impacts mental health? Dr. @mattmotyl.bsky.social and I dive into the research and noise in part 1 of our series. Join us unpacking this critical and misunderstood topic for those in the #digitalwellbeing space. www.youtube.com/watch?v=klas...
youtube.com
The Surprising Effects of Social Media on Mental Health and Teens with Professor Andrew Przybylski
YouTube video by Unmoderated Insights
01310
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 23/09/2024
After the second assassination attempt on Trump along with stories of people like @noupside.bsky.social being targeted by ideological extremists, I put together this brief video on political polarization, social media, and the rising acceptability of political violence. youtu.be/REpGv3POEwo?...
youtu.be
Understanding the Alarming Rise of Political Violence
YouTube video by Unmoderated Insights
140
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 04/09/2024
Is generative AI really hijacking democracy? In this video, I review the sensational fears some have expressed about the impact of GenAI on elections, and examine the role its played in the 50+ elections that have already happened in 2024. youtu.be/3IW4qBmj7g0
youtu.be
The Surprising Truth About AI's Impact on Elections
YouTube video by Unmoderated Insights
030
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 16/08/2024
Is all the sensationalizing of the potentially catastrophic harms of impressive genAI tools distracting us from addressing the real threats to elections? I offer my take in my latest piece (with Spencer Gurley) at Tech Policy Press today. www.techpolicy.press/dont-let-gen...
techpolicy.press
Don’t Let Generative AI Distract Us from the Real Election Risks in Tech | TechPolicy.Press
AI tools primarily facilitate old harms on existing platforms that have yet to address known vulnerabilities, write Matt Motyl and Spencer Gurley.
040
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Aaron Rodericks @aaron.bsky.team · 14/08/2024
Good read from Del from the perspective of T&S as preventative healthcare. Got a long road ahead to get all these systems in place here, but incrementally the goal is continuous improvement.
2236
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 14/08/2024
I created a data visualization of the tech layoffs broken out by month and company. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8Id...
youtube.com
Tech Layoff Timeline by Company from January 2022 to August 2024
YouTube video by Unmoderated Insights
000
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 05/08/2024
What are the most politically polarized countries in the world? How has this changed since 1900? youtu.be/nkocAXiqanE
youtu.be
Most Politically Polarized Countries 1900 to 2024
This bar chart race shows political polarization of 203 countries from 1900 to 2024. Chapters:0:00 - 19000:28 - World War 11:06 - World War 21:44 - Berlin Wa...
000
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 05/08/2024
🚀 New Report! Are meaningful online connections rising or falling? It's complicated. 🔹 60% of US adults report meaningful connections. 🔹 Older, educated, & wealthy = more connections. 🔹 Facetime/WhatsApp > Pinterest/YouTube. Dive in: psychoftech.substack.com/p/meaningful...
psychoftech.substack.com
Do people still have meaningful connections on social media?
We examine how people’s connections with others online may have changed over 1 year marked by an influx of AI chatbots & unconnected content
000
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 17/07/2024
Affective polarization has been increasing for decades. Here's my latest piece on how we are moving from political animosity and insults to political violence towards all, not just public officials mattmotyl.substack.com/p/how-polari...
020
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 05/07/2024
Happy 4th of July, folks! mattmotyl.substack.com/p/fixing-the...
mattmotyl.substack.com
Fixing the Web Independence Day Edition
Happy 4th of July!
010
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 28/06/2024
🚨 In 2023, social media giants laid off thousands of trust & safety experts. In 2024, the layoffs continue. The result? A surge in harmful content. Read more on the consequences and what it means for the future: open.substack.com/pub/mattmoty... #SocialMedia #TrustAndSafety
open.substack.com
Fixing the Web by Laying Off the Fixers?
The tech layoffs continue, perfectly timed to increase the risk of threats to the elections 4 billion people are voting in this year
030
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Guy Patrick Banim @guybanim.eurosky.social · 05/06/2024
One of the most ambitious regulatory regimes, 🇪🇺 #DSA, gives extraordinary power to act to ensure platform algorithms platforms ensure #electoralintegrity 👉 www.techpolicy.press/we-worked-on... @jeffallen.bsky.social @mattmotyl.bsky.social @techpolicypress.bsky.social @johnnyryan.bsky.social
techpolicy.press
We Worked On Election Integrity At Meta. The EU – And All Democracies – Need to Fix the Feed Before It’s Too Late | TechPolicy.Press
Matt Motyl and Jeff Allen say the EU can show the world that we can choose safer elections, and a better internet.
021
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 05/06/2024
Real-time working on Miro boards is my ADHD brain's kryptonite. Why, yes, just show me a screen with a bunch of interesting questions, a dozen colorful cursors moving around, a dozen people writing interesting thoughts on sticky notes, and then having someone talking in the background.
media.tenor.com
Woah Wow GIF
ALT: Woah Wow GIF
000
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Andrew Przybylski @shuhbillskee.bsky.social · 13/05/2024
"If we’re going to make the online world safe for young people, we can’t just go in guns blazing with strong beliefs and a one size fits all solution - we really need to make sure that we’re sensitive to having our minds changed by data" #digitalwellbeing www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Internet use linked to higher wellbeing, global study suggests
The Oxford study comes as concern about the impact of internet use prompts laws in many countries.
0167
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 12/05/2024
My naive American observation on my first trip to Europe (particularly the Munich airport): It is extraordinarily quiet here. There aren't dozens of competing voices shouting over the loudspeaker system. It's so much more peaceful than basically any American airport I've been through.
250
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 12/05/2024
I'm on my way to Brussels to present some of my work on data transparency and safety on internet platforms at the European Digital Media Observatory. I'm super excited about that, but I'm dually excited because this is my first trip to Europe.
010
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 05/03/2024
Did social media have a nightmare year (for users)? I examined changes in users' experiences across 20 of the largest platforms over the past 12 months and wrote about the findings here. psychoftech.substack.com/p/how-have-s...
psychoftech.substack.com
How Have Social Media Experiences Changed from 2023-2024
I examine usage of and user experiences of social communication services over survey waves conducted between 2023 & 2024.
000
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 06/02/2024
How is social media use related to loneliness? In my latest analysis of the USC Neely Center’s Social Media Index survey, I shed light on this question psychoftech.substack.com/p/social-tec...
psychoftech.substack.com
Alone together? How social technology is influencing human connection and loneliness
We examine loneliness and social connectedness of users on different social media platforms, as well as beliefs about how social media affects connection.
010
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 22/01/2024
Do you want to know the most (and least) effective ways to protect children’s safety online? We at the Integrity Institute assembled this guide on protecting children's safety, that may be helpful in preparing for the upcoming Senate hearings with tech CEOs. integrityinstitute.org/blog/child-s...
integrityinstitute.org
Child Safety Online — Integrity Institute
Integrity Institute delineates the best practices we advocate for Child Safety across all digital platforms
012
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 11/01/2024
Who uses AI chat tools? Why do they use them? Do users find these tools useful? Harmful? If these questions keep you awake at nights, come check out my latest analysis of data from a nationally representative panel survey of ~9900 US adults. psychoftech.substack.com/p/tracking-c...
psychoftech.substack.com
Tracking Chat-Based AI Tool Adoption, Uses, and Experiences
We examine how widely adopted chat-based AI tools are, why people use them, and how users feel about them.
000
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Andrew Przybylski @shuhbillskee.bsky.social · 10/01/2024
"Short term cost cutting can be very expensive. Billion-dollar regulatory and legal fines make headlines and dent company coffers." Excellent reflection and perspective shared by @mattmotyl.bsky.social www.techpolicy.press/the-unbearab...
techpolicy.press
The Unbearably High Cost of Cutting Trust & Safety Corners | TechPolicy.Press
If products grow harmful enough, people will seek less noxious alternatives, say Matt Motyl & Glenn Elllingson.
065
Reposted by Matt Motyl
Glenn Ellingson @geewiz.bsky.social · 04/01/2024
Here @mattmotyl.bsky.social and I lay out the business case for trust and safety (also known as integrity) work. T&S is not just about dodging monumental government fines, it's also essential to ad-based business models, and for long-term customer satisfaction and growth, without which.....
techpolicy.press
The Unbearably High Cost of Cutting Trust & Safety Corners | TechPolicy.Press
If products grow harmful enough, people will seek less noxious alternatives, say Matt Motyl & Glenn Elllingson.
021
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 06/01/2024
Big Tech chose to disproportionately lay-off experts in combating harmful content on their platforms in order to save a buck. In this piece, @geewiz.bsky.social and I document how extraordinarily expensive this decision was and continues to be in the long-run www.techpolicy.press/the-unbearab...
techpolicy.press
The Unbearably High Cost of Cutting Trust & Safety Corners | TechPolicy.Press
If products grow harmful enough, people will seek less noxious alternatives, say Matt Motyl & Glenn Elllingson.
021
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 13/11/2023
How has social media use changed over the past 6 months? How have user experiences changed in that time? Are some platforms improving? I answer all of these in my latest report on the Social Media Index on substack. open.substack.com/pub/psychoft...
open.substack.com
043
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 07/11/2023
Nearly 90% of those polled (in a sample from 16 countries) stated that they wanted governments and regulators to address hate speech and disinformation on social media platforms. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
020
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 03/11/2023
Billy Brady: Content algorithms optimize engagement by exploiting learning biases (favoring prestigious, ingroup, moralized, and emotional content)
042
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 02/11/2023
I'm attending the Psychology of Technology Institute conference in LA the next few days, and I'd like to livetweet it on here. Is livetweeting here liveblueskying? Or, live-BSing, for short?
230
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 30/10/2023
Fascinating and important new research shows that virtually all large language models exhibit social identities biases, like liking fellow group members and expressing hostility towards people in other groups. This can be reduced by removing biased training data arxiv.org/pdf/2310.158...
arxiv.org
010
Matt Motyl @mattmotyl.bsky.social · 25/10/2023
74% of the most viral misinformation on the Israel-Hamas war on X (Twitter) were shared by verified blue checkmark accounts. variety-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/variety....
001