Meet Our New Professor
Laurent Wang is a new assistant professor in the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations of the Moody College of Communication. His research focuses on the social and psychological uses and effects of social media, AI and other technologies. His work appears in leading journals in his field, such as Communication Research, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Journal of Advertising, Communication Monographs and New Media & Society. He’s earned grants from the National Science Foundation and the Washington Media Scholars Foundation and received prestigious research awards while a doctoral student. His current research investigates the effectiveness of message-based interventions designed to evoke human resistance to dataveillance and to combat feelings of privacy helplessness in algorithm-driven digital contexts.
Where are you coming to Moody College from?
From Santa Barbara, California, where I've lived for nine years while obtaining my B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Communication at UC Santa Barbara.
What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming fall semester?
I am looking forward to exploring all the fun activities and delicious restaurants in Austin, as well as connecting with the amazing UT community.
In plain terms, can you explain what “dataveillance” means?
Dataveillance is when companies monitor and track what people do online by collecting and analyzing their personal data. Every action we take online (e.g., liking a post, clicking a link, or watching a TikTok video for a few extra seconds) creates a digital footprint that companies can use to learn about us, predict our behavior and personalize what we see.
Your research tests the effectiveness of messages meant to warn people about this. How do you go about it?
I develop and test different types of persuasive messages targeting various psychological factors that motivate people to protect their online privacy. For example, one message may highlight the privacy risks present in today's digital environment to increase users' awareness of those risks. Another may describe simple, effective protective strategies to evoke hope and strengthen users' sense of agency. And another may frame companies' unethical data collection practices as violations of individuals' right to privacy, thus eliciting anger and activating resistance. The ultimate goals are to figure out which messages are most effective, for which audiences, under which conditions, and through which psychological mechanisms.
How is your research useful to everyday online users?
My research helps everyday online users better understand how digital technologies such as AI and social media influence their privacy decision-making. My work identifies why some people take steps to protect their privacy while others feel powerless or give up, and accordingly I develop communication strategies that empower them to make more informed privacy decisions.
How is your research of interest to scholars and marketers?
To scholars, my research advances theory by incorporating and testing novel psychological mechanisms in models of digital privacy decision-making. I also employ a diverse set of methodological (e.g., quantitative and qualitative approaches) and analytical (e.g., structural equation modeling, mixture modeling) techniques to deepen our understanding of privacy phenomena. To marketers, my work provides evidence-based insights into how consumers perceive personalization, transparency, and data collection, helping organizations design AI-enabled products and strategic communication practices that are more effective, trustworthy, and respectful of consumer autonomy.
This semester, Professor Wang will be teaching ADV318J: Intro to Integrated Brand Communication and continuing his innovative research at the intersection of marketing and consumer behavior in the age of artificial intelligence.
