Research
Carl's published research of the Internet and social media
We find that the widely held focus on ‘fake news’ is overblown. Data analysis of content targeting Germany, Italy and France found the news stories used to be overwhelmingly from reputable sources. Information operations frequently involve tactics not easily fact-checked: the selective amplification of reputable, mainstream media stories to fit an agenda, harassment, abuse, emotional manipulation and poisoning of channels of communication.
Warring Songs: Information Operations in the Digital Age
A research pamphlet presenting new evidence on the shift in political participation and debate to online spaces.
The Rise of Digital Politics
A chapter reviewing the evidence of the relationship between violent beliefs and violent behaviour, ideas and action.
Radical Beliefs and Violent Behaviour
Chapter on an opportunity that social media research presents: the ability to research phenomena quickly enough to intervene within those phenomena themselves.
The Rise of Real-time Research
Research on the scale, nature and network of conversations related to gambling that now happen across a number of different spaces within the digital world
Gambling and Social Media
A NESTA working paper presenting a new method for identify 'under the radar' social action as it occurs on social media.
Social Action on Social Media
How social media research is transforming social science
Vox Digitas: Understanding Digital Voices
2013 briefing paper on the rise of crypto-currencies and the regulatory and legal challenges that they pose.
Heads up: Bitcoin
Paper arguing that police forces are inundated with both vital and useless information on social media.
@Metpoliceuk
Academic journal article written with former Director of GCHQ, Sir David Omand, coining 'SOCMINT' - social media intelligence.
Introducing Social Media Intelligence
Research paper surveying the skills of young people to critically assess the content they encounter online.
Truth, Lies and the Internet
Research paper on the role of conspiracy theories as a 'radicalising multiplier'.
The Power of Unreason
This report presents a new technical process that has been trialled to identify online marketplaces and websites involved in the trade of a selection of CITES-listed animals and plants.
Detecting Online
Environmental Crime
Work using natural language processing and machine learning to analyse the number of derogatory, hateful Tweets about Muslims.
Islamophobia on Twitter
A chapter reviewing the impact, major events, character and nature of the 2015 General Election on Twitter
The General Election on Twitter
Chapter co-authored with Ipsos MORI on social media research methodology and representative research.
Addressing Quality in Social Media Research
A paper co-authored with Ipsos MORI presenting a new methodology for representative attitudinal research on social media.
The Road to Representivity
Research of how social media is changing trust in institutions, and suggesting a new way it can be researched.
A Question of Trust
Book chapter on a new methodology for detecting events and achieving situational awareness using social media data.
Detecting Events on Social Media
Review of technologies and methods for social media intelligence for counter-terrorism.
Social Media Intelligence
Paper describing the widespread impacts of the digital revolution to the opportunities and challenges faced by the police.
Policing in an Information Age
Academic journal article calling for 'digital literacy' education for young users of the Internet.
Digital Fluency
Major academic research project understanding the difference between violent and non-violent radicalisation.
The Edge of Violence
Published masters' dissertation on whether negotiation with terrorists is possible, and in the strategic interests of the West to do.