The race for the White House is over, and the Republicans have been swept into power with
historic gains in Congress and control of the executive branch.
What will their policy priorities be and how will the new political landscape mold the direction of
the new Trump administration? What will the Democrats, now a minority opposition party, do?
Can they adapt to a winning strategy in time for the midterms in two years?
If you are covering American politics, how do you make sense of all the changes? How do you
know what issues are going to drive decisions in Washington, D.C.? What can polling tell us about
what happened? Where did the polls fall short? What will pollsters be looking at moving
forward?
We have an expert who can help.
Kevin Wagner, Ph.D., is Florida Atlantic University’s renowned political science expert and co-
executive director of Florida Atlantic University Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab (PolCom Lab) —the university’s extensive and nationally covered polling operation.
View profile View some of Kevin Wagner's recent media here:
ABC News Florida Atlantic University professor of political science Kevin Wagner says Florida’s shift started several years ago and it’s due to a variety of factors. "Certainly, there was some pretty good evidence that we had people moving from states like California and New York looking for a more conservative environment, and they brought their politics with them when they came to Florida," Wagner said. "That influx of more conservative voters certainly mattered. It's not the only thing that mattered." WINK Some voters believe the 60% mark is too high to make constitutional changes. For the threshold to change, it has to be put on the ballot for voters to decide and would need at least 60% of the vote. “Getting 60% of the voters to agree on anything is really hard and when it’s something that’s highly contested. It makes it even harder,” Florida Atlantic University Political Science Professor Kevin Wagner said. THE PINNACLE GAZETTE Political analysts point to various factors contributing to Florida’s Republican shift. Kathryn DePalo-Gould, a political scientist from Florida International University, aptly stated, “It’s now so solidly Republican it is crimson.” This sentiment was echoed by Kevin Wagner from Florida Atlantic University, highlighting how previously competitive races have now become predictable Republican wins. Indeed, Trump’s haul of 61 out of 67 counties stands as a testifier to this changing political tide. Looking to connect? He is here to answer all your questions and is available for interviews.
Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
The metaverse, a space where the lines between physical and digital realities blur, is rising among younger populations. As of March, 33% of teens own a virtual reality (VR) device and 13% use it weekly.
With the metaverse offering richer emotional experiences, youth may be particularly vulnerable to significant harm in these immersive spaces, underscoring the need to explore potential risks.
Unfortunately, research of online victimization in the metaverse is sorely lacking. A new study by Florida Atlantic University , in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, is one of the first to examine the experiences of harm in the metaverse among youth in the United States. Using a nationally-representative sample of 5,005 13 to 17 year olds in the U.S., researchers focused on their experiences with VR devices, including 12 specific types of harm experienced, protective strategies employed, and differences in experiences between boys and girls.
Results of the study, published in the journal New Media & Society, found a significant percentage of youth reported experiencing various forms of harm in these spaces, including hate speech, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, grooming behaviors (predators building trust with minors), and unwanted exposure to violent or sexual content. The study also revealed notable gender differences in experiences.
Among the study findings: 32.6% of youth own a VR headset (41% of boys vs. 25.1% of girls) More than 44% received hate speech/slurs (8.9% many times); 37.6% experienced bullying; and 35% faced harassment Almost 19% experienced sexual harassment; 43.3% dealt with trolling; 31.6% were maliciously obstructed; and 29.5% experienced threats More than 18% were doxed (publicly revealing someone’s personal information without their consent); and 22.8% were catfished (creating a false identity online to deceive someone, typically for romantic purposes) Nearly 21% faced unwanted violent or sexual content; 18.1% experienced grooming or predatory behavior; and 30% were targeted for factors like weight, sexual preference, sexual orientation or political affiliation Boys and girls experienced similar patterns of mistreatment, but girls experienced sexual harassment and grooming/ predatory behavior more frequently than boys. Boys and girls were equally as likely to be targeted because of their voice, avatar, race, religion or disability. “Certain populations of youth are disproportionately susceptible to harm such grooming, especially those who suffer from emotional distress or mental health problems, low self-esteem, poor parental relationships and weak family cohesion,” said Sameer Hinduja, Ph.D., first author, a professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice within FAU’s College of Social Work and Criminal Justice, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, and a faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University. “Due to the unique characteristics of metaverse environments, young people may need extra attention and support. The immersive nature of these spaces can amplify experiences and emotions, highlighting the importance of tailored resources to ensure their safety and well-being.” Findings also reveal that girls employed in-platform safety measures significantly more so than boys such as “Space Bubble,” “Personal Boundary” and “Safe Zone.”
“We found that girls are more likely to select avatars designed to reduce the risk of harassment and to use in-platform tools to maintain a safe distance from others. Additionally, both boys and girls feel comfortable leaving metaverse rooms or channels like switching servers in response to potential or actual victimization, although overall, youth tend to use these safety features infrequently,” said Hinduja. Among the recommendations offered to youth by the researchers include: Using platform-provided safety features to restrict unwanted interactions and infringements upon their personal space. It is also essential that youth understand and take advantage of the safety features available within metaverse experiences, including blocking, muting, and reporting functionalities. Continued research and development in these areas to determine how to meet the needs of users in potential or actual victimization contexts Streamlining platform reporting mechanisms to ensure swift action is taken against perpetrators Age-gating mechanisms for metaverse environments where mature content and interactions proliferate Encouraging parents and guardians to take the time to familiarize themselves with available parental control features on VR devices and metaverse platforms to set boundaries, monitor activities, and restrict certain features as needed. An active mediation approach is ideal, where they engage in open and supportive dialogue with children about their metaverse experiences. The integration of updated, relevant, and accessible digital citizenship and media literacy modules into school curricula to provide youth with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate VR and other emerging technologies safely and responsibly Consideration by content creators of the ethical implications of their metaverse creations, ensuring that they promote inclusivity, respect, and discourage any form of harassment. They should strive to make their virtual experiences accessible to users from diverse backgrounds, languages, cultures and abilities. “VR concerns of parents and guardians generally reflect and align with their historical anxieties about video games, excessive device use, its sedentary nature, cognitive development, and stranger danger,” said Hinduja. “There remains so much promise with these new technologies, but vigilance is required when it comes to the unique challenges they present as well as the unique vulnerabilities that certain youth users may have. As such, it’s ‘all hands on deck’ to build a safer and more inclusive metaverse as it continues to evolve.” If you're looking to know more - let us help.
Sameer Hinduja, Ph.D., is a professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic University and co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center.
He is recognized internationally for his groundbreaking work on the subjects of cyberbullying and safe social media use, concerns that have paralleled the exponential growth in online communication by young people. He has written seven books, and his interdisciplinary research is widely published and has been cited more than 18,000 times.
Simply click on Sameer's icon now to set up an interview today.
The years of high inflation appear to be over as inflation is now in line with the Federal Reserve’s target, though prices will likely remain permanently elevated, according to the Monthly Inflation Report produced by Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business. The Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCEPI), the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation, grew at a continuously compounding annual rate of 2.1% in September, up from 1.4% the prior month. Overall, PCEPI inflation has averaged 1.8% over the last three months and 2.1% over the last year.
“The good news is that the period of high inflation appears to be in the rearview mirror. The bad news is that prices remain permanently elevated,” said William J. Luther, Ph.D., associate professor of economics in FAU’s College of Business. “The PCEPI is about nine percentage points higher today than it would have been had inflation averaged 2% since January 2020. This unexpected burst of inflation transferred wealth from savers and employees to borrowers and employers.” Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, remains elevated. Core PCEPI grew at a continuously compounding annual rate of 3% in September. It has averaged 2.3% over the last three months and 2.6% over the last year. High core inflation is partly due to housing services prices, which grew at a continuously compounding annual rate of 3.8% in September. “If the Fed were committed to price stability, it would have helped bring prices back down to a level consistent with pre-pandemic inflation,” Luther said. Fed officials have projected another 25 basis points worth of rate cuts this year, a much smaller change than is required to return the policy rate to neutral. Since the data shows inflation is back on track, Luther says they should move more quickly.
“As it stands, Federal Open Market Committee members intend to take some time reducing the policy rate to neutral, with policy likely to return to neutral sometime in 2026,” Luther said. “They might move more quickly if the economy shows signs of contraction or reduce the pace of rate cuts if they become concerned that inflation will pick back up.” William Luther, Ph.D., an assistant professor in FAU’s Economics Department, has expertise in economic growth, monetary policies, business cycles and cryptocurrencies. Luther’s research has obtained media interest across the nation, including recent coverage by The Wall Street Journal, Politico and Florida Trend.
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