Monthly Archives: December 2019

Oxford Internet Institute of Junk Science etc.

#spygate, anti-social media, Big Tech, OII, ,

The UK-based Oxford Internet Institute (OII) claiming to be “dedicated to the social science of the Internet” is actually an ordinary propaganda mill, despite its Oxford brand. Since 2016, it brought its pseudo-scientific research to bear on multiple topics of public debate related to the internet and social media in the US and other countries. 

Oxford Internet Institute produced junk science rejecting actual scientific evidence that Big Tech services harm adolescents’ mental health. This junk science was used in an advertorial published by Facebook in the Telegraph, UK. The Computational Propaganda Project of this “Institute” (ComProp) played a key role in creating the social media component of the Russia Hoax in November 2016.

This post contains supporting material for the article The Russia Hoax Was Aided by NGOs Peddling Junk Science in the American Thinker, December 31, 2019. Continue reading Oxford Internet Institute of Junk Science etc. →

Social Media vs Freedom of Speech

anti-social media, L2, ,

Hate speech and misinformation on social media are real issues. However, these issues are caused by the structure and mechanics of the social media platforms, which express the business models and philosophy of companies operating them (Google YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter).

Freedom of speech allows anyone to say anything, but no one is required to listen. Before social media, people usually spoke to specific audiences that had agreed to listen to them. A reporter or radio host spoke to the people who bought the newspaper or tuned in to the radio station. A preacher spoke to people who went to his church or house of worship. Members of a social club chose to speak and listen to each other. People spoke freely in the company of their family, friends, or other important relationships. As an exception, a village idiot could yell on top of his lungs in public, but nobody cared. Continue reading Social Media vs Freedom of Speech →

Oxford Internet Institute Lies about Teens Health

Big Tech, OII, tech against kids,

In early 2019, the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) produced and published studies, in previously reputable journals, rejecting the association between Big Tech services and a significant decline in adolescents’ mental health: Orben & Przybylski (2019), Orben & Przybylski (2019), Orben, Dienlin, & Przybylski (2019). OII is funded by Big Tech, leftist foundations, and multiple foreign governments.

As stated by Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge, these studies share the same defect with an earlier paper by OII. They incorrectly assume a linear association between Big Tech services’ use and the health outcome, when the association is non-linear. Negative health outcomes are associated with heavy or typical Big Tech services use.

Continue reading Oxford Internet Institute Lies about Teens Health →

Powers of the American Presidency

uncategorized,

“The executive Power shall be vested in a

President of the United States of America.”

Article II of the Constitution

Over the last three years, the Democrats – MSM – Lawfare complex have tried to convince us that Lt. Col. Vindman or other Executive branch officers are entitled to adjudicate decisions of President Trump. Of course, they are not. Before the 2016 elections, there were no doubts about it. The quotes below come from Benjamin Wittes, writing in the Lawfare Blog, May-July 2016.  Lawfare is the brain behind the resistance strategy, per sundance. Continue reading Powers of the American Presidency →