Podcast Episodes

"Don't tell me what to think" : Why we push back against truth

Why do people reject information meant to help them?

In this episode of UnSpun, we explore psychological reactance — the instinct to resist control — and how it shapes our reactions to fact-checks, co…

Published on an hour ago

Invisible weapons: How media makes you a casualty in a hybrid war

In today’s wars, the battlefield is more than land, sea, or air—it’s information.

This episode of UnSpun examines how media has become both a weapon and a target in the age of hybrid warfare. From Rus…

Published on 1 week, 6 days ago

From Knitting Codes to Encrypted Chats: The Evolution of Resistance Communication

In this episode of UnSpun, we trace the invisible architecture that keeps truth alive when communication is forbidden.

From Phyllis Latour Doyle’s coded knitting in Nazi-occupied France to encrypted m…

Published on 4 weeks ago

Is nationalism the new religion?

In this episode of UnSpun, we examine a phenomenon hiding in plain sight — the rise of civil religion. From stadium memorials that look like worship services to presidents who sound like preachers, f…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

Who Decides What Counts as Hate Speech? From Henry Ford to Late Night TV

What exactly is “hate speech”—and who gets to decide?

This episode of UnSpun traces the shifting definitions of hate speech across a century of mass media. From Henry Ford’s antisemitic newspaper in t…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Law and Order: When safety becomes suppression

Law and Order” — it sounds reassuring. But what does it really mean?

In this week’s episode of UnSpun, we unpack how those three words have been used across centuries — from 1500s England to 1960s Ala…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

Divided We Scroll: How Wedge Issues and Purity Tests Keep You Distracted and Ineffective

“You either agree with us… or you’re out.”

Ever felt like saying the wrong thing—even gently—could get you exiled from your community, your party, your friend group?

In this episode of UnSpun, Dr. Stu…

Published on 3 months ago

The real threat from AI is truthiness

Have you ever believed a video, article, or photo—only to realize it was completely fake? Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney are making it cheaper and easier than ever to create convinci…

Published on 3 months, 4 weeks ago

Hijacking hashtags to control the conversation: How minor politicians make themselves stars

Politicians don’t just post online—they surf the trends. In this episode of UnSpun, Dr Sturg explores agenda surfing: hijacking trending topics to gain attention, distract from controversy, or push …

Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Riots or Rights? How Media Shapes Your View of Protests

Ever wonder why the same protest looks peaceful on one news channel and chaotic on another? In this episode of UnSpun, Dr. Sturg looks at how media coverage frames public demonstrations. Learn about …

Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago