The Virginia Tech media relations office has the following experts available for interviews this week surrounding issues in the news. To schedule an interview, please contact mediarelations@vt.edu.

U.S. Supreme Court hears landmark social media cases today
“The cases before the U.S. Supreme Court are potentially the most consequential First Amendment cases of the 21st century,” says communications expert Cacye Myers. “Texas and Florida passed laws that address how social media platforms can regulate content and users based on what they post. While each state’s law is different in scope, the impact is roughly the same. Both state laws limit the power of social media companies in curating content, which is a major part of how social media works. The Supreme Court’s decision could impact what users see online and how much control social media companies have over their platforms.”

Super Tuesday, RNC chair ouster, government shutdown: political experts look ahead
Donald Trump continues to dominate the GOP presidential primaries, yet former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley refuses to quit, even after defeat in her home state. “By staying in the race, she is positioning herself as the alternative to Trump, which may provide useful, depending on what happens in Trump’s legal battles,” says political expert Caitlin Jewitt. Also ahead, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is resigning to make way for new leadership handpicked by Trump, and 20 percent of the federal government could shut down Saturday if Congress can’t reach a deal. Political expert Karen Hult can address what’s at stake in those developments.

West coast storms impact ‘lost winter’ across U.S.
The recent major storms on the west coast and the lack of snow across the upper midwest are connected. Drew Ellis, a climate science and meteorology expert in the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech, explains that this year’s El Niño means the moisture-directing sub-tropical jet stream is more frequently positioned over the southwestern and southern United States. “More broadly, heavier rain events are symptomatic of climate warming – the capacity of the air to hold moisture increases exponentially with an increase in air temperature. So, we are generally seeing greater precipitation volatility in recent years,” he says.

Most effective strategies for tax season
Navigating tax season can be a source of stress for many individuals. Virginia Tech finance expert Jesse Lineberry shares ways to stay ahead on tax season to avoid being overwhelmed as the April 15 deadline approaches.

AI and the spread of fake news sites
With national elections looming in the United States, concerns about misinformation are sharper than ever, and advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have made distinguishing genuine news sites from fake ones even more challenging. AI programs, especially Large Language Models (LLMs), which train to write fluent-reading text using vast data sets, have automated many aspects of fake news generation. The new instant video generator Sora, which produces highly detailed, Hollywood-quality clips, further raises concerns about the easy spread of fake footage. Virginia Tech has experts who can talk about how this technology works, what the legal challenged are to regulating it, and how you yourself can tell if a “news site” is fake. More here.

Podcast: Emerging technology impacts the way we travel
Zheng "Phil" Xiang talks about the intersection of technology and tourism on the latest Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” podcast. He shares the significant technological shifts in the tourism industry over the past decade, including the influence of social media and artificial intelligence on trip research. He also details the ways that new technologies like augmented reality have enabled consumers to experience and learn about new places before they actually embark on their trip.

New episodes will debut each Tuesday. Expert researchers are also available for media interviews. To listen and learn more, click here.

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