My team @aclu.org is hiring a Learning & Development Specialist to help train staff (lawyers, organizers, etc.) on privacy best practices!
It's a two-year term limited $128k/yr position based in NYC. You're in the union & report directly to me. Please circulate/apply!
www.aclu.org/careers/appl...
I’m so excited to share this book with the world, and to continue the work of transforming data science into a more justice-oriented field!
This book has been over a decade in the making, reflecting my own journey from being an optimistic data scientist to becoming disillusioned by the harms of algorithms to finding a new source of hope about data science’s potential to improve society.
Algorithmic Realism demonstrates how to embed ethical principles into data science without relying on vague mandates. And it provides a path for data scientists to find a new identity in a future where a great deal of code is written by AI tools.
I'm thrilled to share that my new book is now available for pre-order!
*Algorithmic Realism: Data Science Practices to Promote Social Justice* presents a new vision for how data science can help create a more equitable world, alongside practical steps for data scientists to follow.
My latest for @techpolicypress.bsky.social: why Democrats need to take the data center backlash seriously—and why opposition to data centers can unify Democrats around a winning message.
www.techpolicy.press/the-public-i...
“We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns,” according to the document from Meta’s Reality Labs, which works on hardware including smart glasses.
This is one of the most sick statements I've seen from a tech company about how to get away with eroding privacy and civil liberties. Here's how Meta is strategizing about the release of new facial recognition glasses:
speaking of, I asked ChatGPT last week for some paper citations. It gave me 8 recommendations, none of which were real
omg, this is so wild!! Especially how stubbornly Gemini doubled down on my "book" existing. I wish I'd been able to get a second book out by 2022 lol
Last week, I joined @justinhendrix.bsky.social and Maddy Dwyer @cdt.org to discuss DOGE, AI, and government "efficiency" initiatives for the @techpolicypress.bsky.social podcast. It's a rather grim topic, but I enjoyed making sense of it with Justin and Maddy.
www.techpolicy.press/following-do...
Congrats, Andrew!!
I know!! Read your own story
This is such shoddy reporting by @washingtonpost.com that provides cover for AI hype and the Trump administration. It's incredibly clear that AI will make countless mistakes – and that the administration doesn't care.
There are many bad parts of Trump's new AI Action Plan, but the focus on accelerating data center development is going to be particularly damaging. Data centers aren't just bad for the environment in general -- they're also harmful to the communities they're located in.
Just because AI seems cool, that doesn't mean it's a reliable tool for making critical policy decisions. And with so many hallucinations, AI is probably slowing people down because they need to double check everything.
www.techpolicy.press/using-ai-to-...
Big tech promotes the story that since ChatGPT burst onto the scene, AI has been so popular it's rushed to meet the demand. The reality is different. A study by design scholars shows tech co's have had to push AI on its users with a variety of intrusive tactics.
How big tech is force-feeding us AI:
In our new policy brief for @datasociety.bsky.social, @mwoluchem.bsky.social and I break down the myths and industry talking points attached to data centers. Who benefits from unbridled data center growth and who is most at risk when such speculative ventures fail?
Excellent explainer on data centers @stpp-um.bsky.social to help communities understand them, their challenges, and policy options to manage their risks. Written by Terry Nguyen BA '25 @umfordschool.bsky.social and @benzevgreen.bsky.social, in partnership w/ Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition.
this is awful, I'm so sorry you had to go through that
Even as a longstanding critic of "tech for good" initiatives, this is the most appalling example I've ever come across. If "AI for good" can't include challenging the use of AI to facilitate genocide, then it's truly a bankrupt movement.
🙌
States and AI companies tout data centers as a boon for local economies, but what's the reality? This policy brief reviews the evidence: data centers are harmful for the environment and tax breaks are a bad deal for communities. @stpp-um.bsky.social
stpp.fordschool.umich.edu/research/pol...
This is a fascinating study and a valuable reminder not to rely on user surveys when evaluating the impacts of AI. My guesses to explain the results: users might 1) be susceptible to AI hype in framing their guesses of time saved and 2) systematically discount the time spent interacting with AI.
