Oxford Events, the new replacement for OxTalks, will launch on 16th March. From now until the launch of Oxford Events, new events cannot be published or edited on OxTalks while all existing records are migrated to the new platform. The existing OxTalks site will remain available to view during this period.
From 16th, Oxford Events will launch on a new website: events.ox.ac.uk, and event submissions will resume. You will need a Halo login to submit events. Full details are available on the Staff Gateway.
Social media algorithms are thought to amplify variation in user beliefs, thus contributing to radicalization. However, quantitative evidence on how algorithms and user preferences jointly shape harmful online engagement is limited. I conduct an individually randomized experiment with 8 million users of an Indian TikTok-like platform, replacing algorithmic ranking with random content delivery. Exposure to “toxic” posts decreases by 27%, mainly due to reduced platform usage by users with higher interest in such content. Strikingly, these users increase engagement with toxic posts they find. Survey evidence indicates shifts to other platforms. Model-based counterfactuals highlight the limitations of blanket algorithmic regulation.
Dr Kalra is an applied microeconomist researching the digital economy and AI in under-regulated environments. Broadly, Aarushi’s research examines how social identity drives exclusion both online and offline, and analyzes its impact on economic development. Aarushi is a co-founder of Bahujan Economists, a platform for social science researchers from historically marginalized castes, and communities in India. Dr Kalra is currently a Postdoctoral Prize Research Fellow at Department of Economics and Nuffield College, Oxford University. Aarushi completed her PhD from Brown in 2025.
