How a news site uses social network mapping to reduce polarization

How a news site uses social network mapping to reduce polarization

Author: Zachary Elwood January 3, 2026 Duration: 1:03:08
Aemula is a new kind of news media platform that’s trying to tackle a big problem: the fact that the structure of our news media leads to various outcomes that amplify toxic polarization. Instead of the usual “engagement = more exposure” logic, Aemula flips the incentives. You read an article, then you tap a simple Support or Disagree button — and those signals build a living map of Aemula’s community: a 3D social network graph showing how readers, writers, and articles relate (without slapping on ill-defined partisan labels like 'left' and 'right' - labels that often unintentionally amplify us-vs-them, team-based thinking). Aemula creator Don Templeman and I discuss: Why left/right-type labels can be a misleading way to understand beliefs or categorize content; How Aemula uses social network analysis to map out relationships and ideological groupings in an objective, data-driven way; How Aemula’s social network can help define a sort of ideological center, and how promoting content from the widely supported regions of the network can help reduce polarization; How the blockchain aspect of Aemula makes it self-governing and therefore infinitely scalable ; How Aemula’s approach could matter even more in an AI world, where chatbots and LLMs need better sources than “Reddit + Wikipedia”. If you’ve ever felt like the incentives of the media ecosystem seem destined to drive us further apart — I think you’ll appreciate learning about Aemula's paradigm-shifting approach to the news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wonder what a professional poker player notices about your tells, or how an FBI interrogator knows when someone’s lying? People Who Read People: A Behavior and Psychology Podcast digs into these questions through conversations with a fascinating array of experts. Host Zachary Elwood sits down with people whose jobs depend on accurately interpreting others-from jury consultants and behavior researchers to sports analysts and deception detection professionals. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the practical frameworks these individuals use to make sense of why we act the way we do, moving beyond textbook theory into the messy, applied reality of human interaction. With over 135 episodes in the archive, this podcast offers a deep and varied library exploring the subtle signals, hidden motivations, and cognitive patterns that drive our daily lives. You’ll hear specific stories and case studies that reveal how understanding behavior plays out in high-stakes courtrooms, strategic games, and everyday relationships. It’s for anyone curious about the mechanics of social dynamics, self-awareness, and the art of observation. Elwood’s grounded, interview-led approach makes complex psychological concepts accessible and immediately relevant, building a resource that feels both insightful and genuinely useful.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

People Who Read People: A Behavior and Psychology Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Living without free will: A talk with physicist Daniel Whiteson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:22
A talk with Daniel Whiteson, a professor of physics and astronomy, about free will, with a focus on what the effects in one's life are when one doesn't believe in free will. Topics discussed: Our thoughts on why we think…
The news is deepening our divides. Does Tangle News have a solution? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:32
A talk with journalist Isaac Saul, founder of Tangle News (readtangle.com), which shares takes from across the political spectrum. I think Tangle is doing amazing work. I think the more Americans there are who read Tangl…