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Context Collapse: When Social Contexts Converge Online

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Produced for @empowervmedia Edited & fact-checked by @jorgebscomm Context collapse flattens the usual boundaries we manage in everyday life, making it hard to tailor our message to each group.   (📷:colostate.edu) Context collapse occurs when formerly separate social contexts all come together into one audience space [1] [2] . In physical life we adjust our behaviour based on who we’re talking to (we speak differently to a boss than to old friends). But on social networks, those circles overlap. For example, a single Facebook post or tweet might be seen by your family, college friends, coworkers, and even strangers all at once. This is what Jessica Vitak calls “the flattening out of multiple distinct audiences” [1] . Because of this, information can suddenly spread far and wide (a casual comment intended for friends might end up reaching colleagues or acquaintances) [3] . 'Context Collapse' ▶️2m02s In practice, this mixing of audiences can be jarring. As one blogger v...
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Disinformation vs. Misinformation: A Psychological Primer

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Produced for @empowervmedia Edited & fact-checked by @jorgebscomm Emotions such as fear and outrage make us more susceptible to false news.   (📷:universityofcambridge) B efore diving into psychology, we must define our terms .  Misinformation  is misleading or false information that is spread, regardless of intent . It covers everything from honest mistakes to urban legends. In contrast, disinformation  is a form of misinformation that is created and shared on purpose  to mislead or manipulate people . In practice, experts often consider disinformation as a subset of misinformation, because it can be hard to know the originator’s intent . For example, a viral hoax about a miracle cure might be pure misinformation (someone misunderstood a fact), while an organised campaign spreading false health scares to sow panic would be disinformation. In either case, the core problem is that the information is false and can have harmful effects on people and society . ...
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Location: Australia
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Beyond “It Didn’t Age Well”: Media Literacy, Virtue Mirroring, and Judging Older Media

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Produced for @empowervmedia Edited & fact-checked by @jorgebscomm Deeper media analysis can foster a more nuanced understanding of both past and present content.   (📷:mylifesnotes) I n today’s online conversations, especially on social media, it is common to read that a beloved movie or show “didn’t age well”.  This phrase often marks the end of debate rather than inviting closer analysis. For example, a magazine notes that older Hollywood classics are full of “blatant examples of racism, misogyny and homophobia” . Viewers then use this as a catch-all reason to dismiss these works outright. But simply declaring content outdated or offensive undercuts any chance to understand why those stereotypes or attitudes appeared. It prevents us from asking questions about the story’s intentions, the creator’s context, or the norms of the time. In effect, saying “it hasn’t aged well” can be a way of avoiding the hard work of examining media critically. 'This didn't age well... (Th...
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Location: Australia
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The Network of Falsehoods: Sissela Bok on Lies and Trust

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Produced for @empowervmedia Edited & fact-checked by @jorgebscomm Bok argued that honesty is the “social glue” of trust.   (📷:irpp) S issela Bok’s starting point is simple but powerful: truth-telling is a vital social practice. She invites us to imagine a world where honesty is not the norm.  In such a world, “you could never trust anything you were told or anything you read” . You would have to verify every  fact yourself – an impossibly time-consuming task. Bok observes that even basic education assumes a degree of trust: if schoolbooks and teachers were known liars, learning would collapse . In her words, without trust, “you could never acquire the education you need… since such an education depends upon taking the word of what you read in your lesson books.” . This thought experiment makes it crystal clear  that we benefit enormously from living in a largely truthful world. 'Should You Always Tell The Truth? ' ▶️2m24s Bok formalises this as the Principle...
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Location: Australia
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The Evolving News Landscape: Insights from Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025

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Produced by @empowervmedia Edited & fact-checked by @jorgebscomm Understanding how people get news has never been more crucial.   (📷:foto.wuestenigel) T he Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025 shows a sharp shift away from traditional media toward social networks and video platforms for news . Across most countries, fewer people report regularly using TV, print, or news websites, while many more now rely on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and the like. For example, about one-third of respondents globally use Facebook (36%) or YouTube (30%) each week to get news.  Other social apps also play a major role: roughly 19% turn to Instagram and 19% to WhatsApp for news, and TikTok (16%) is already ahead of X/Twitter (12%). These many “mini-newspapers” on our phones and feeds mean news consumption is more fragmented than ever. In fact, the study notes that six different online platforms now reach at least 10% of people weekly with news – up from just two platforms a decade ago ....
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Location: Australia
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