Michelle Amazeen

mitpress.mit.eduContent ConfusionWe often blame social media for the rampant problem of disinformation, but mainstream news media is also at fault. Not only do news outlets disguise paid con...

18 Nov 2025

🎉 Excited to share that Content Confusion publishes today! It dives into how news orgs & advertisers—including fossil fuels—blur journalism & ads, fueling disinfo & distrust. Available now! Use code MITP30 today for 30% off at MIT Press. Thanks for the support! 🙏 mitpress.mit.edu/978026255360...

status.newsCBS' DraftKings GambleCBS' owned stations will carry DraftKings branding through Election Night, Status has learned, a sponsorship that has stirred concern inside the company.

Hmmm. Ramaswamy’s despicable ad is funded in part by DraftKings. I wonder if CBS News will report that? popular.info/p/the-corpor...

Michelle Amazeen@commscholar.bsky.social

Incredible: CBS stations will put DraftKings branding alongside election coverage—making the news look like a casino and fueling #ContentConfusion. Will CBS News investigate its sponsor’s alleged practices and legal challenges? Elections aren’t a betting market. www.status.news/p/cbs-draftk...

status.newsCBS' DraftKings GambleCBS' owned stations will carry DraftKings branding through Election Night, Status has learned, a sponsorship that has stirred concern inside the company.

truthinadvertising.orgCampaign 2020: The Rise of the Influencer Election - Truth in AdvertisingPolitical candidates are jumping on the #InfluencerMarketing bandwagon.

Preparing for my Political Campaigns class this week and discussing political ads. This is one of the readings I've assigned. I'm surprised at how well it has aged. Are there any specific influencer campaigns we should view? #Election2026 #PoliSky #Commsky truthinadvertising.org/blog/campaig...

@caadcoalition.bsky.social

Wow! Selena Gomez (the actress and singer!) is interested in my book #ContentConfusion!!! 🤪 🤪 🤪 Can't wait to tell my daughter!!! #BookSky #AcademicSky #CommSky #AI

Michelle Amazeen reposted

CAAD_Coalition

When advertising looks like journalism, corporate PR gets mistaken for public-interest reporting. That is Big Oil’s native-ad playbook. And Big Tech is now using it to sell AI data centres. Read Michelle A. Amazeen's new piece on the blog. buff.ly/xYFnOF1

buff.lyThe Datacenter Playbook: How Big Tech Is Copying Big Oil’s Native Advertising TacticsWe've seen this story before. A struggling region needs economic relief. An industry arrives with promises of jobs, tax revenue, and progress. Sleek, editorial-style content – indistinguishable from journalism – celebrates the arrival of prosperity. Local concerns about environmental damage, strain on infrastructure, and resource depletion get buried beneath narratives of regional rescue.

spr.lyA Conversation with Expert & Author Amy Westervelt"Brought To You By" Explore how corporations use science disinformation for profit and how to counter it and repair democracy.

Looking forward to having a discussion Oct. 1 w the amazing @amywestervelt.bsky.social about her new book. Great opportunity for the @bostonu.bsky.social community to hear from one of the leading #climate reporters. RSVP ⬇️

Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability@bu-igs.bsky.social

Join us Oct. 1 for a conversation with Amy Westervelt on her new book "Brought To You By: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Conned the Public, and Broke Democracy". Moderated by @commscholar.bsky.social RSVP ⬇️ spr.ly/63326BGdnzQ

pointsourcenews.orgPoint Source NewsTracing fossil fuel disinformation.

18 Sept

Important new investigative news team exposing the influence of the fossil fuel industry on climate action. Check them out and give them a follow ⬇️

Point Source News@pointsourcenews.org

Welcome to Point Source. We’re a new outlet that aims to unearth stories about the fossil fuel industry’s power and influence. pointsourcenews.org

Michelle Amazeen reposted

Cameron S. Kay

@cskay.bsky.social

14 Sept

We’re excited to announce that the 2027 edition of the SPSP Misinformation & Belief Science Preconference will be held virtually on Tuesday, February 9th! 🧵 1/3

28 Aug

Thanks to @stephenpimpare.bsky.social & @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social for the interview about #ContentConfusion. Curious about how to navigate media deception? Listen here: newbooksnetwork.com/content-conf... #commsky #booksky #academicsky

Michelle Amazeen reposted

Emma Monk

@monkemma.bsky.social

22 Aug

Replying to @monkemma.bsky.social

These marathons were one of his defining achievements. And the British media pretended there was no evidence they happened. That it was just something he 'claimed' to have done... Now try and tell me their hounding was about "getting to the truth" RIP Jason 😢 26/26

🚨New study alert!🚨 Our latest research, just published in Environmental Communication, reveals how native ads from energy companies fuel #ContentConfusion, and what actually works to counter it. 🧵

Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability@bu-igs.bsky.social

Fossil fuel companies greenwash through misleading native ads. Research by Arunima Krishna, Michelle Amazeen, and Chris Wells found these ads increase misperceptions. The solution: call out the ad as paid content and cite regulatory sanctions. Read more: spr.ly/63324B1KOkj

View full thread

That means visible corrections, regulatory enforcement, and public awareness of industry track records to help people navigate #greenwashing and make informed choices about #energy and #climate. 🌎 6/7

tandfonline.comBeyond the Greenwash: Understanding and Mitigating the Impact of Misleading Native Advertisements from Fossil Fuel CompaniesNative advertisements are paid ads that are designed and formatted to mimic the organic content of the platform on which they are published. We investigated the impact of fossil fuel company-sponso...

Led by Arunima Krishna w/ @chriswells.bsky.social. Thanks to @bu-igs.bsky.social & @comatbu.bsky.social. Read the full study here ⬇️ (50 free eprints available). Once those run out, just reach out and I'll send you a copy. 7/7 www.tandfonline.com/eprint/AQCHP...

Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability@bu-igs.bsky.social

View full thread

A simple comment saying "Are you sure this is a real news story? It sounds like an ad" didn't reduce misperceptions. But pairing it with a reference to regulatory action against the company? That worked. 🙌 4/7

💡 Key insight: When transparency is paired with accountability, people resist misperceptions. We need more than media literacy—we need systemic tools for fighting #ContentConfusion. 5/7

Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability@bu-igs.bsky.social

✳️ When we exposed people to native ads from fossil fuel companies about energy transitions & natural gas, they developed stronger misconceptions than those who didn't see them. #Greenwashing works—for the industry. 2/7

@matthewfacciani.bsky.social

Following @leticiabode.bsky.social & @ekvraga.bsky.social's "observational correction," we tested three comment-based correction strategies to reduce misperceptions by adding context to misleading posts. One approach stood out as significantly more effective than the others...🏆 3/7

Michelle Amazeen reposted

Matthew Facciani

8 July

New study finds the most effective prebunking messages increased people's awareness that they could be misled, and that awareness reduced belief in misinformation. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

journals.sagepub.comApprehensive or Motivational Threat? Examining the Effects of Inoculation, Threat Generation, Counterarguing, and Information Processing on Disinformation Belief - Michelle A. Amazeen, Arunima Krishna...Using a nationally representative U.S. adult sample (n=1,150), this study compares technique-based and primarily fact-based forewarning messages on threat perce...

5 Aug

Thrilled to be in New Orleans at #AEJMC26. Come say hello if you’re here too!

10 July

One of my faculty colleagues has been impersonated with a new journal publishing an article in their name that they did not write. Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions on how to address this?

8 July

🚨New paper🚨w/@comatbu.bsky.social colleagues on building resilience to #misinformation: Both fact- and technique-based inoculations work, & apprehensive threat (anxiety about being persuaded) is the key mechanism. Published #OpenAccess in Science Communication. Link in replies. #Commsky #Sciencesky

doi.orgSage Journals: Discover world-class researchSubscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

8 July

doi.org/10.1177/1075...

11 June

Sending condolences to #ica26 passengers from the cancelled DL211 flight whose rebooked flight on #DL9901 was again CANCELLED for a second night in a row. 😭😩😭

Michelle Amazeen@commscholar.bsky.social

Extending our #ICA26 visit to Cape Town because #Delta flight DL211 was CANCELLED. Waiting for Delta to step up and take care of its 450 stranded passengers. No water. No dinner.

10 June

And now the #fossilfuel ads are alongside the NYT Wordle too! h/t @whitneybauck.bsky.social @joshvoorhees.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/whit... #ClimateSky #CommSky

Michelle Amazeen@commscholar.bsky.social

I’m pleased to be among the experts quoted in this damning article from @tjjordan.bsky.social and @joeygrostern.bsky.social at @desmog.com exposing how elite news media have been complicit in promoting policies that undermine international climate goals. #ClimateSky #CommSky

9 June

Extending our #ICA26 visit to Cape Town because #Delta flight DL211 was CANCELLED. Waiting for Delta to step up and take care of its 450 stranded passengers. No water. No dinner.

6 June

TJ Jordan@tjjordan.bsky.social

POV: You just listened to a podcast by @nytimes.com about climate activism, but it's sponsored by America's most powerful fossil fuel lobby. My latest for @desmog.com with @joeygrostern.bsky.social: www.desmog.com/2026/06/04/t...

journals.sagepub.comClimate Action and Native Advertising: How Fossil Fuel Companies Present Environmental Commitment in American and British News Media - Chris Wells, Michelle A. Amazeen, Sara Weinberg, 2025Confronting severe economic challenges in the twenty-first century, many news media are forging new relationships with advertisers, including the focus of this ...

6 June

It gets worse…not only do elite news outlets amplify these messages, but they also CREATE the messages on behalf of the fossil fuel industry, an issue I cover in my open-access book, #ContentConfusion, and in this recent journal article: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... #ClimateSky #CommSky

6 June

I'm happy to email a pdf to anyone who cannot access this article.

4 June

Another #ICA26 PSA: Looking for gifts from local artisans? You must visit the Water Shed. Fabulous shopping and you can grab a delicious lunch at the cafe upstairs while there!!

Michelle Amazeen@commscholar.bsky.social

🚨ICYMI🚨 For those arriving at #ICA26 via CPT, order transport directly from Uber app. Watch out for people outside of baggage claim wearing Uber lanyards offering rides. **Seemed dodgy** Go to P1 parking garage across street from baggage claim for Uber pick-up area.

Fun running with Marriott peeps today for #GlobalRunningDay. Looking forward to seeing #ICA26 colleagues tomorrow! #RunningWithPresidents

Michelle Amazeen@commscholar.bsky.social

For those of you already at #ICA26, I spotted this in the Westin elevator. Hope to see some of you for a run in the morning! #GlobalRunningDay

Thanks for the #ICA26 Local Host Committee Cape Town round up esp Ronald Irwin for best coffee shop list. The Loading Bay is fabulous!

link.icahdq.orgInternational Communication Association

ICYMI #ICA26: link.icahdq.org/communities/...

@victorpickard.bsky.social

2 June

For those of you already at #ICA26, I spotted this in the Westin elevator. Hope to see some of you for a run in the morning! #GlobalRunningDay

Michelle Amazeen reposted

Victor Pickard

28 May

@commscholar.bsky.social wrote a moving tribute to the late John Lent, a meticulous and steadfast critical scholar (famous for his trailblazing work on comics) who edited (one with Amazeen) two important books on the intellectual history of critical communication research: medium.com/@mamazeen/in...

medium.comIn Memory of John A. LentSeptember 8, 1936 — May 16, 2026

28 Apr

🙏 Thank you to Dr. Yayu Feng for her review of #ContentConfusion (@mitpress.bsky.social) calling it a must-read for anyone examining how financial pressures & new business models reshape #journalism – rigorous, data-driven, & ethically urgent. Full article in comments. #booksky #journosky #commsky

tandfonline.comEthics Across the Media Ecosystem: Native Advertising, Platform Power, and the Work of RepairPublished in Journal of Media Ethics: Exploring Questions of Media Morality (Vol. 41, No. 2, 2026)

28 Apr

Full article: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Michelle Amazeen reposted

The Media, Inequality & Change Center

@miccenter.bsky.social

23 Apr

If you missed @commscholar.bsky.social's book talk at @asc.upenn.edu, you can watch it online here: buff.ly/nuANNZ2 And check out the book, Content Confusion: News Media, Native Advertising, and Policy in an Era of Disinformation here: buff.ly/iDLP68g

buff.lyNews Media, Native Advertising, and Policy in an Era of Disinformation with Michelle A. AmazeenEnjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtube.comNews Media, Native Advertising, and Policy in an Era of Disinformation with Michelle A. AmazeenYouTube video by Annenberg School for Communication

23 Apr

I'm pleased to share the video of my latest book talk at the University of Pennsylvania's Media, Inequality & Change Center @miccenter.bsky.social. Thanks to @victorpickard.bsky.social for the opportunity. #ContentConfusion @mitpress.bsky.social #booksky #commsky #journalismsky

Victor Pickard@victorpickard.bsky.social

@commscholar.bsky.social's excellent book talk with us at the @miccenter.bsky.social is now up online. Check it out and read the book! www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UNO...

buff.lyCoverage of the Fossil-Fuel Industry ‘Doesn’t Have to Be This Way’Michelle Amazeen says oil and gas money is fueling conflicts of interest.

21 Apr

Hey #academicsky: What do you wish you had known before taking parental leave, esp. if you were TT faculty? Asking for a friend. 😉

Michelle Amazeen reposted

Covering Climate Now

@coveringclimatenow.org

20 Apr

@laurenwatsonjourno.bsky.social interviewed BU professor Michelle Amazeen (@commscholar.bsky.social) about her recent analysis of Iran war media coverage published by @caadcoalition.bsky.social. Read the interview at @columjournreview.bsky.social

Michelle Amazeen reposted

MIT Press

@mitpress.bsky.social

17 Apr

The war in Iran is “our latest reminder of the importance of independent, skeptical coverage of energy policy,” says @commscholar.bsky.social, “and it makes the commercial ties between newsrooms and fossil-fuel advertisers an urgent public concern.”

cjr.orgCoverage of the Fossil-Fuel Industry ‘Doesn’t Have to Be This Way’Michelle Amazeen says oil and gas money is fueling conflicts of interest.

cjr.orgCoverage of the Fossil-Fuel Industry ‘Doesn’t Have to Be This Way’Michelle Amazeen says oil and gas money is fueling conflicts of interest.

15 Apr

Thank you to @laurenwatsonjourno.bsky.social at @columjournreview.bsky.social for discussing my book #ContentConfusion from @mitpress.bsky.social and how the #FossilFuel industry is corrupting journalism.

CAAD_Coalition@caadcoalition.bsky.social

"It doesn’t have to be this way. We’ve made these choices as an industry, and we can make different ones. It won’t be easy, but the moment to act is now." @commscholar.bsky.social concludes in the @columjournreview.bsky.social

docs.google.comNative Ad Watch: Submit a Native AdvertisementNative advertising is a covert marketing practice where an ad imitates—or appears “native” to—the platform on which it appears. In the context of digital news, native advertising appears on publisher ...

15 Apr

If you've seen native advertising from the fossil fuel industry, please share it with us for our Native Advertising Observatory: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... #commsky #journosky #climate

web.uri.eduCrises in Mediated Communication SymposiumThursday, April 9th – Friday, April 10thAtrium 2 Over three decades of digital media, our cultural environment has shifted considerably: information, entertainment and media forms are created and cons...

7 Apr

Speaking at the Crises in Mediated Comm Symposium @URI on 4/9-4/10. I'll join @reneehobbs.bsky.social, Paul Mihailidis, and Scott Kushner to discuss “Journalism, Advertising, and Propaganda in the Age of AI.” Excited for 2 days tackling #ContentConfusion. #commsky web.uri.edu/harrington/e...

Michelle Amazeen reposted

Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability

@bu-igs.bsky.social

1 Apr

Prominent newsrooms now produce sneaky native ads that look like their regular reported content. To fight back against this form of climate misinformation, Michelle Amazeen (spr.ly/63325B6msAR) has launched a public tip line where readers can report any native ads they encounter. ⬇️

spr.lyPreviewing Native Ad Watch: Exposing Fossil-Fuel InfluenceSince the U.S. and Israel began bombing Iran on February 28, 2026, energy access has been front-page news. As Europe and other regions scramble for oil and gas amid price spikes, fossil-fuel dependence has been made painfully visible, just as it was when Russia invaded Ukraine.

desmog.comBBC Under Fire for Producing Paid ‘Propaganda’ for Saudi ArabiaThe BBC has been accused of creating “propaganda films” for Saudi Arabia, the state behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, DeSmog and The Guardian can reveal. The broadcaster has accepted m...

30 Mar

The BBC and other legacy news outlets that make content on behalf of big oil and petro states are complicit in creating #ContentConfusion about the track record of the fossil fuel industry.

DeSmog@desmog.com

🔴 NEW - BBC Under Fire for Producing Paid ‘Propaganda’ for Saudi Arabia Campaigners have raised “serious concerns” about the broadcaster promoting a regime that is a “proven killer of journalists”. 📝 @writesbright.bsky.social

caad.info Climate Action Against Disinformation | Previewing Native Ad Watch: Exposing Fossil-Fuel Influence

24 Mar

With energy prices rising, renewables deserve our urgent attention—not dismissal. I explore how big oil has compromised legacy media's independence and why we need stronger oversight to protect public information. #climate #commsky #journalismsky caad.info/analysis/ins...

CAAD_Coalition@caadcoalition.bsky.social

New on caad.info: @commscholar.bsky.social AKA Dr. Michelle Amazeen introduces Native Ad Watch for readers like you to submit examples of sponsored content for analysis! caad.info/analysis/ins...

asc.upenn.eduContent Confusion with Michelle A. AmazeenThe Media, Inequality & Change Center will be joined by Michelle A. Amazeen, Associate Dean of Research at Boston University’s College of Communication, to discuss her new book, Content Confusion: New...

19 Mar

I’ll be speaking about my new book, #ContentConfusion ( @mitpress.bsky.social), at the Media, Inequality & Change Center ( @miccenter.bsky.social) at UPenn on Thu, Mar 26 at 12:00 PM. If you’re in Philly, I’d love to see you there! Details & registration: buff.ly/gN1TdYW #booksky #commsky

The Media, Inequality & Change Center@miccenter.bsky.social

Please join us and @commscholar.bsky.social on 3/26 @ 12pm in ASC Room 500 to discuss her newest book Content Confusion. The book covers the practice of "native advertising" that blurs the line between journalism and ads, fueling disinformation and distrust. Register here: buff.ly/gN1TdYW