I discussed at the University of Vienna my experience collaborating with the European Commission on the Digital Services Act (DSA). I highlighted five critical lessons learned about accessing data from major online platforms to study systemic risks.

The study investigates the role of religious users in online political discourse around abortion during Italy’s 2022 election. Despite representing only 1.08% of users, they generated significant engagement, often discussing religious themes and restrictive policies. Their relationship with right-wing parties is complex, revealing selective support aligned with moral values.

How do visuals shape political discourse? In a recent work for PolarVis I have developed an interactive Power BI report to explore how environmental-related images influenced public reactions during the 2021 German federal elections. Images are powerful tools for persuasion. They can evoke strong emotions, simplify complex ideas, and rapidly spread messages across vast networks.

Over the past decade, one of the central strands of my research has focused on the rise and diffusion of anti-gender traditionalism across digital platforms. By introducing computational methods and digital trace data—still relatively new in this field—I have examined how anti-gender movements, from grassroots cultural resistance in Italy to the transnationalization of CitizenGo’s conservative

I’m happy to share that our new article, “Waves of Attention to Racial Injustice on Social Media: Extrajudicial Police Killings in the United States as Focusing Events”, is now published open access in Social Science Computer Review. The study addresses a crucial yet underexplored question: Why do some victims of police violence become powerful symbols