In the News - March 23, 2026

This regular column links to the most significant stories about Webster University or that quote Webster faculty and staff members.

Smith Discusses Social Media and the Dead Internet Theory

Julie Smith was interviewed on KMOX about Australia’s new social media ban for children and teens, and the difficulties the country will have to enforce the new law. 

She also discussed India’s new law that gives website and social media providers three hours to remove any post that might break the country’s rules about online content. 

Smith discussed a new trend among Gen Z of eliminating social media apps from phones and having social media-free time periods. 

She discussed the “dead internet theory” which says that bots, rage baiting and targeted advertising have made it so the internet is no longer as engaging as it used to be, causing many to cut down on their daily interactions. 

Richards Interviewed About the Extreme Weather Exhibit in the Kooyumjian Gallery

Kristina Richards was interviewed by FOX 2 KTVI News about the latest exhibit in the Kooyumjian Gallery. The exhibit features the works of three internationally-recognized weather photographers. Running alongside that exhibit are photos from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that show off weather photos that have run in the newspaper during the past two decades.

Belo Discusses the Iranian War

Professor Dani Belo was interviewed on KMOX about the U.S./Israeli attacks on Iran. https://www.audacy.com/podcast/total-information-am-2922c/episodes/international-relations-professor-reacts-to-us-attack-on-iran-the-reason-to-go-to-war-can-be-justified-2632b

He also was interviewed on KSDK and KMOV. The KSDK story was shared on the national wires. MissouriNet paraphrased parts of Belo’s KMOX interview for their print story. 

Capt. Khork's Death in Kuwait Covered by Multiple News Organizations.

Multiple news organizations ran stories identifying one of the six soldiers killed in a missile attack in Kuwait was Webster University student Cody Khork. 

• The St. Louis Post Dispatch 
• KMOV 
• FOX 2/KPLR 11 
• STLPR 
• YAHOO! News 
• KSDK (Clip not online)
• KTRS Radio (Clip not online)