As a reminder, this is part of a series of write-ups based off a class I’m teaching at Tufts University called Data and Power: Deconstructing Surveillance. If you would like more of a description of what the class is, check out the post from Week 1. …

How should data scientists think about their role in society? To what ends should this specific set of skills be used? If data science is to make a positive influence on the world, what should be avoided and what should be pursued? These questions and attempts at answering them are…

These days, there are only so many stories that I can read about the so-called “frontiers” of technology before I have to take a break and reground myself. There is only so much masculine bravado, social ignorance, and blatant indifference to quality of life that one person can take. The…

Just to set an emotional container for these reflections, there are nuances and complexities in the way any of us exist in the world. These reflections are not meant to be overly targeted, call out, or paint STEM-inclined folks with any broad brush. Some ideas may apply, others may not…

“As long as people sincerely believe they can change things by voting, they stay calm. They don’t burst into the House chamber. They talk and they organize and they vote. But the opposite is also true if people begin to believe that their democracy is fraudulent, that voting is a…

You may have heard the words “surveillance capitalism” thrown around lately, but it also may not be obvious what that means. We’re going to briefly explain what surveillance capitalism is, and reflect back on what that means for our lives. This theory is based…

It has been a tragic saga, for people who are familiar with the ways that social media platforms and companies operate, to watch government regulatory sessions with Big Tech companies. For many young people, this began with U.S. lawmakers’ questioning in Congressional hearings; sessions that revealed the lack of understanding…

Last night’s ceremonies ushering in new Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney-Barrett are drawing parallel ire and adoration from distinct sides of the partisan aisle. Fox has a slew of stories that paint Republicans as the innocent victims of Democratic hate and anger, while sites like Huffington Post condemn the decision…

For the almost six months past, the world has been living through the nightmare of the coronavirus pandemic. This is news to nobody. …