Data & Society Research Institute

Still hiring for a researcher (ideally aspiring PhD students) interested in mixed-methods research about digital platforms, precarious work, and sustainable development. New link here: https://lnkd.in/evxxqRT7

In the face of company obstruction of research, Congressional inaction on basic governance of tech, and disagreements in the research community over social media's role in kids' mental health, Surgeon General Murthy last week called for warning labels on social media sites. Dr. J. Nathan Matias and I write in Tech Policy Press about how the lack of independent research and hard accountability have brought us to this point.

On July 18 at 1 p.m. ET, D&S Research Analyst Joan Mukogosi (author of the forthcoming report Establishing Vigilant Care: Data Infrastructures and the Black Birthing Experience) will speak with Mary E. Fleming, MD, MPH, FACOG and Ijeoma Uche, MPH about the decline of Black maternal health amid advancements in clinical technologies, and the implications of an increasingly data-driven response to the Black maternal health crisis. Learn more and RSVP to join us online: https://lnkd.in/etjYTepw

Happy to be quoted in this article that pulls no punches: “The tech giant and its partners say they expect to harness fusion by 2028, an audacious claim that bolsters their promises to transition to green energy but distracts from current reality. In fact, the voracious electricity consumption of artificial intelligence is driving an expansion of fossil fuel use — including delaying the retirement of some coal-fired plants” https://lnkd.in/g73HJDAa

As long as tech companies continue to inhibit research on any terms but their own, we can't know the real impact social media platforms have on kids’ mental health, write D&S Executive Director Janet Haven and J. Nathan Matias in Tech Policy Press. Without independent research, social media warning labels — as US Surgeon General Murthy called for last week — simply won’t cut it. “It’s no secret that tech companies cannot and will not govern themselves to society’s benefit. In a situation like this, the government needs to govern, and ensure safety for all — particularly kids. It’s essential that they do so from a robust evidence base, one that informs meaningful solutions and accountability for harms.” https://lnkd.in/duT4GBNN 

The explosive rise of generative AI is a double-edged sword: huge potential, but also ethical landmines. We hosted a global discussion with leading AI thinkers to navigate this complex landscape. Head over to this article to read key takeaways and insights from the event on balancing risks and benefits of GenAI, the impact on the Global South, environment and creative industries, and power dynamics and control of AI technologies. #GenerativeAI #Policy #QueenMary Public Policy Programme || The Alan Turing Institute Harvard Data Science Initiative

Which existing laws can be applied to AI? How should they be applied to new AI uses? The experts have answers. Join us and Governing for Impact tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET for a discussion with Dr. Alondra Nelson and CFPB Director Rohit Chopra, and a panel on AI. https://lnkd.in/e_7GwXUm

BTW: Episode 7 of Technically Optimistic is available now! This week EC’s Raffi Krikorian and special guests explore tech in the global south, more specifically India. They delve into the pros and cons of the massive tech boom that created a mass amount of jobs but also brought along social issues, including poverty, oppression of women, and class stratification. Guests include caste and technology scholar Murali Shanmugavelan; anthropologist Sareeta Amrute; Manu Chopra, CEO of Karya; Pratik Rajurkar, educator and co-founder of Polymath AI; and the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, Amandeep Singh Gill. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. 🎧

Vital Voices was proud to host Rewriting the Code: Women Transforming AI for a Better Tomorrow, with Vital Voices Council Member, Jag Gill.   With the conclusion of New York Tech week, we urge leaders to pursue ethical tech practices in the face of AI discrimination for women and minorities.   Our moderator posed the question, "When we have AI systems that are trained on male resumes and then you implement such a system to recruit, you discriminate against women. What does this mean for the future of work?"   What solutions do you see as women continue to advocate for sustainable tech practices?   Thank you to our panelists Jag Gill, Manira Alva, Janet Haven, Camille François and S. Mona Sinha for lending your expertise to this impactful conversation #NYTECHWEEK #Techweek #vitalvoices

You can now watch the recording of yesterday's The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine workshop on Broadening Stakeholder Participation, part of a series of workshops around Human and Organizational Factors in AI Risk Management, sponsored by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). And a note of gratitude to everyone on the Labor Processes panel for your sparkling contributions: Krystal Kauffman, Dr. Christina Jayne Colclough, Tom Kochan, and Veena Dubal! This is hopefully just the first of many conversations https://lnkd.in/gHTq4kFk