{"links":{"self":"http://dataportal.arc.gov.au/NCGP/API/grants/DE260100984"},"data":{"type":"grant-details","id":"DE260100984","attributes":{"code":"DE260100984","administering-organisation":"Queensland University of Technology","announcement-administering-organisation":"Queensland University of Technology","scheme-name":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","grant-status":"Active","funding-commencement-year":2026,"years-funded":3,"project-start-date":"2026-04-13","anticipated-end-date":"2029-04-12","grant-summary":"Strengthening Public Opinion Formation Amid Digital Threats. Online public opinion formation is broken, and research on how to fix it is urgently required. This project investigates how people form opinions online by analysing discussions about key flashpoints like climate change and immigration on mainstream social media platforms. It is the first cross-platform study of opinion formation that uses an innovative mix of relational content analysis, interviews, citizen science workshops and AI/LLM-assisted analysis. It reclaims the promise of online communication for constructive public conversations and resilient opinion formation by developing, among others, a civic literacy module designed to equip citizens of all ages with critical tools for navigating digital opinion formation.","funding-current":532238.00,"funding-at-announcement":528013,"investigators-current":[{"title":"Dr","firstName":"Katharina","familyName":"Esau","roleName":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","roleCode":"DECRA","isFellowship":true,"orcidIdentifier":"0000-0001-7450-6010 "}],"investigators-at-announcement":[{"title":"Dr","firstName":"Katharina","familyName":"Esau","roleName":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","roleCode":"DECRA","isFellowship":true,"orcidIdentifier":"0000-0001-7450-6010 "}],"organisations-current":[{"organisationName":"Queensland University of Technology","roleName":"Administering Organisation","state":"QLD"}],"organisations-at-announcement":[{"organisationName":"Queensland University of Technology","roleName":"Administering Organisation","state":"QLD"}],"field-of-research":[{"isPrimary":true,"code":"4701","name":"Communication and Media Studies","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"470101","name":"Communication Studies","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"470102","name":"Communication Technology and Digital Media Studies","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"470107","name":"Media Studies","type":"FOR20"}],"socio-economic-objective":[{"code":"220301","name":"Digital Humanities","type":"SEO20"},{"code":"220502","name":"Internet, Digital and Social Media","type":"SEO20"}],"international-collaboration":["Germany","Italy","Wales"],"lief-register":[],"achievement-summary":null,"national-interest-test-statement":"Opinion formation processes are severely threatened by mis- and disinformation, and by destructive polarisation, especially online, and particularly on social media platforms. Previous research has shown that argument-based persuasion, as well as the perception of a strong majority, shape opinion, but we know little about how these dynamics interact and the conditions that enable constructive debate and considered opinions to thrive. With a ground-breaking mixed-methods approach, including conversations with citizens and AI-assisted analysis, this project contributes to a new understanding of resilient democratic opinion formation in today's digital society, which will help build better online spaces. The empirical results are translated into publicly accessible reports, providing a foundation for policy-making and informing platform governance. It will generate new knowledge on citizens' perspectives on crucial issues and investigate which factors shape their opinions over time. This crucial study of opinion formation will educate Australian communities about the dangers and opportunities of public online discussions, develop a civic literacy module, and provide recommendations for policy-makers, media professionals, platform operators, and community managers. In the long term, it will strengthen our democracy to address complex social problems, such as climate change and immigration, which require a constructively engaged and supportive public to act sustainably."}}}