From Broken Bridges to Better Feeds
Insights on the human toll of failing infrastructure, “strategic ambiguity” in political discourse, why identity must be centered in political communication, and people-first algorithms.
The Hidden Costs of Neglect
In “All Roads Lead to Ruin: Acknowledging (and Addressing) Infrastructural Neglect,” a new BITAP publication, author Evan R. Jones shines a light on a problem that stays in the shadows: the disrepair of our roads, bridges, water lines, and everyday infrastructures. At first glance, these highways and pipelines might seem like mundane, purely technical concerns. But as Jones writes, “It is not ‘sexy’ to repair roads, airport runways, or highways. Maintaining the infrastructures of everyday life is not fun or attractive but physically dangerous and draining.” Failing to upkeep critical infrastructure can have dire human costs. From unsafe drinking water to fatal bridge collapses, our shared reliance on these systems means that inaction—intentional or not—will always catch up with us.
It is not ‘sexy’ to repair roads, airport runways, or highways.
“Even the simple act of visiting major news websites regularly presents the strong possibility of seeing an infrastructural disaster of some kind.” Poorly maintained systems affect everyone, but the impacts often fall hardest on the communities least able to recover from a crisis. While headlines may come and go, decaying infrastructure quietly continues its downward spiral, eventually leading to a long decline of roads, levees, trains, and more.
Jones calls for renewed attention and action at both the policy and grassroots levels. “Infrastructure is, in fact, technology as well as policy, practice, art, and science,” he writes, urging a more creative and inclusive approach to maintaining these lifelines.
Infrastructure is, in fact, technology as well as policy, practice, art, and science
Jones highlights that large-scale solutions, from federal funding to local community advocacy, will be necessary. There is a need to build stronger civic channels so that communities can push for and shape the improvements they need. On a larger scale, major investments in infrastructure are needed which must be undertaken equitably to address historical patterns of environmental racism and resource inequality. Infrastructure must be seen as more than just concrete—its redesign and reorientation must be part of a broader push for social and environmental justice. With enough collective will and awareness, we can ensure that our fundamental public technologies remain both safe and sustainable.
Unclear and Present Danger
“Let Me Be Perfectly Unclear: Strategic Ambiguity in Political Communication,” by authors Parker Bach, Carolyn Schmitt, and Shannon McGregor, challenges the assumption that clarity in public discourse is always advantageous. Instead, they highlight the ways political figures deliberately craft messages open to multiple interpretations—a communication style they term strategic ambiguity—to broaden their appeal and avoid accountability.
Communicators produce “polysemic” or multi-layered messages that resonate differently across ideological groups or “interpretive communities.” By leveraging that ambiguity, politicians and partisan media can reach broader audiences and avoid taking stances that might alienate some voters. Examples range from coded language in congressional newsletters—where terms like “globalist” subtly appeal to conspiratorial beliefs—to conservative satire sites like The Babylon Bee, which mocks or praises former President Trump in ways that let readers insert their own meaning.
Strategic ambiguity isn’t just a political quirk—it can shape how people interpret campaign rhetoric, media commentary, and more. Drawing attention to how it works offers a new lens for understanding modern political discourse: sometimes, what’s unsaid can be just as meaningful as what’s said.
Rethinking Identity in Political Communication
“Dialogue on Difference: Identity and Political Communication,” by Shannon McGregor and co-authors, argues that the study of politics is incomplete without a deeper look at how race, gender, and other identities shape our information environment. Despite the centrality of identity in every aspect of contemporary politics, many subfields and key journals treat it as peripheral or dismiss it entirely.
News routines, elite discourse, and political engagement can all obscure or amplify identities in subtle ways. Studies of media “objectivity” may overlook how newsroom norms often privilege White perspectives, while protest coverage can trivialize or criminalize issues that matter most to marginalized communities. By highlighting these blind spots, the authors show that taking identity seriously is not just an ethical imperative, but it can shed new light on fundamental questions about how power circulates through public life:
If political communication neglects to center identity, the subfield will remain discriminatory. And, it will fail to do what political communication research is supposed to do: answer key questions about the information environment in which politics takes place and democracy takes shape. These questions are inextricably bound to identity, and we risk irrelevance if we choose not to more fully answer them.
The authors urge scholars to embrace more diverse methods, question inherited assumptions, and build broader coalitions, ensuring political communication research keeps pace with the evolving landscape of identity and power.
A Presidency in Overdrive
In the New York Times round-up of President Trump’s first full month in office, Tressie McMillan Cottom offers a stark, critical perspective on several of the administration’s actions. Cottom repeatedly underscores the looming threat of dismantling both government operations and democratic norms.
On DOGE: Cottom describes Elon Musk’s mass firing of federal workers as “deregulation without democratic governance.” She warns that getting away with such indiscriminate cuts sets a dangerous precedent for the private sector, particularly after a decade in which American workers made only modest labor gains.
On Attacks on D.E.I.: Cottom suggests the administration’s broader agenda—especially the gutting of government personnel and critical grants—poses a more immediate threat than the “canary in the coal mine” demonization of D.E.I. She concedes that D.E.I. programs themselves can be hit-or-miss in their effectiveness, yet stresses that the administration’s targeting of them reveals how anti-government messaging can unify a politically powerful coalition.
On Dismantling U.S.A.I.D.: Cottom notes that moves to abolish the foreign aid agency align perfectly with Trump’s stated goal of stripping government to its core. She frames this as “shock, demoralization, chaos” intended to destabilize what Americans expect from public institutions.
On RFK Jr. Overseeing Health Policy: Granting RFK Jr. power over vaccines and public health issues represents a “mashup of Trump’s most dangerous strategies.” By combining anti-science sentiment, cronyism, and the stripping away of regulatory checks, she warns this shift could jeopardize lives, especially if a new pandemic threat arises.
On Transgender Policies: Cottom criticizes the administration’s moves to enforce a ban on transgender athletes and narrow definitions of gender, viewing them largely as “red-meat content” that fuels the culture wars. She is particularly alarmed by how such policies could embolden vigilantism or extreme surveillance of marginalized communities.
Cottom argues that Trump’s first month showcases a philosophy that sees government itself as the enemy; dismantling agencies, firing workers, and defunding regulatory frameworks are not mere bureaucratic tweaks but a deeper attempt to undermine democracy’s capacity to safeguard public welfare.
Rebranding boorishness as good
In a conversation with New York Times deputy opinion editor Patrick Healy, Tressie McMillan Cottom explained how President Trump’s outsize display of masculinity has become a formidable political strategy. She notes that while Trump has always wielded polarizing tactics, it is his deliberate focus on gender and identity that has reshaped both his core supporters and his governance style.
Cottom argues that Trump’s brand of masculinity involves rebranding traits such as aggression and dominance as virtues, effectively appealing to men who feel economically or socially vulnerable. These men see Trump as a “strongman” figure who blames cultural shifts on government institutions that protect or empower minorities and women. By positioning government as “the enemy” that safeguards outsiders, Trump fosters the perception that dismantling or delegitimizing public programs will restore men’s economic and social status. Cottom warns that this tactic does more than erode progressive reforms—it risks undermining faith in public institutions themselves.
Cottom also rejects the idea that Democrats can win by matching Trump’s hypermasculine theatrics. Attempting to “out-cowboy” him only concedes the premise he operates under: that sheer toughness is the solution to modern challenges. Instead of pivoting to a competing strongman style, Cottom asserts that the left must emphasize a positive role for government and address people’s anxieties through collective policy solutions like childcare and accessible education.
People-First Algorithms
The Knight-Georgetown Institute has recently released “Better Feeds: Algorithms That Put People First,” a comprehensive roadmap for improving the algorithms that shape our daily online experiences. Drafted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, technologists, and policy leaders, the report calls on platforms to move beyond short-term engagement metrics and focus on delivering meaningful, long-term value to users.
Unlike proposals that reduce user choice to either personalized feeds or purely chronological timelines, “Better Feeds” recommends a balanced approach built around three core pillars:
Design Transparency: The report urges platforms to openly detail the inputs and goals used in their recommendation systems, including the metrics that measure “long-term user value.” Platforms should also disclose how they reward product teams—so that short-term engagement doesn’t overshadow more important user-centered outcomes.
User Choices and Defaults: KGI’s experts endorse giving users simple, effective ways to customize their feeds, from selecting the kinds of content they want to see more of (or less) to toggling among various recommendation models. Significantly, the group argues that minors should by default receive recommendations aligned with their well-being rather than short-term clicks.
Long-Term Impact Assessment: “Better Feeds” underscores the value of continuous, robust testing of platform algorithms, including holding out certain users from design changes for 12 months or more. Publicly releasing anonymized findings and commissioning independent audits can help ensure accountability and foster user trust.
By adopting the guidance in this report, platforms can retain the benefits of personalization without compromising user well-being or social harmony. For policymakers, “Better Feeds” outlines step-by-step policy options in both U.S. and international contexts, offering a clear pathway to more transparent, user-centric algorithmic systems.
[🚨Updated Event Details🚨] Join CITAP for “Black Twitter: Talking Back and Transforming Television”
If you’re in the Triangle, don’t miss CITAP’s upcoming event on Wednesday, March 26 from 12:00pm-1:30pm for “Black Twitter: Talking Back and Transforming Television,” a conversation between Dr. Meredith D. Clark and Dr. Sherri M. Williams on the power of Black digital communities in shaping media, activism, and cultural discourse. RSVP here!
Clark, author of We Tried to Tell Y’All: Black Twitter and the Rise of Digital Counternarratives, examines how Black social media users have created vital spaces for resistance and storytelling. Williams, author of Black Social Television: How Black Twitter Changed Television, explores how Black Twitter has transformed the television industry by challenging traditional gatekeepers and shaping representation. Together, they’ll discuss the legacy of Black digital activism, the evolving role of social media, and the future of Black online communities.