Report on Activities 2016–2017 Data & Society is a research institute focused on the social and cultural issues arising from data-centric technological development. 2016–2017 About Data & Society In the 2016-17 year, Data & Society enjoyed a We are delighted to watch our research mature period of rapid growth, expansion, and evolution and our network grow. Data & Society conducts research and in all areas of our work. We are profoundly grateful Over this year, as we watched our field deepen to all the supporters, advisors, and partners who and expand, we also recognized the need to builds the field of actors in order to ensure have allowed us to fulfill our research and bridge and translate between our work and new field-building mission. communities and sectors. Expect more details that knowledge guides debate about the This report represents a short moment of regarding our commitment to engagement reflection on the incredible momentum we have work in the year to come. implications of data-centric and automated generated together. Our increasing reputation for established This report represents a short moment technologies as these intersect with people, expertise gave us the opportunity to advance the public conversation about the many potential of reflection on the incredible momentum organizations, cultural norms, and society. solutions and potential harms springing from complex sociotechnical developments. Just a few we have generated together. notable developments from this year include: This report presents an overview of institutional highlights from the fiscal year The Board, advisors, and staff of Data & Society spanning from May 2016 to May 2017. • Formalizing two new research initiatives, graciously thank our funders and partners for the Future of Labor and Media Manipulation/ their continued support. Looking forward, Disinformation, and bringing coherence and we will continue to foster research that provides complementary research streams to our broader new frames for the evolving public debates around theme of accountability in algorithmic systems; topics such as disinformation in media, the human elements of AI, and the emerging field • Advancing our field-building work strategically of precision medicine. through increasing the value and depth of our Thanks to our supporters and allies, we can fellowship program; continue to produce original research that grounds • Convening experts in diverse fields including informed, evidence-based public debate while computer science, biohacking, edtech, artificial cultivating a unique network of researchers and intelligence, accountability, online trolling, practitioners ready to anticipate great challenges conceptual art, and journalism; with vivid insight and direction. • Strengthening our organizational management structures, human resources capacity, governance, and funding; • Strengthening our communications and engagement capacity, with researchers and recent fellows speaking in major public fora from SXSW to the Sage Bionetworks Assembly—and publishing multiple op-eds in the New York Times and Harvard Business Review. 2 Data & Society Report on Activities 2016–2017 3 Research Field-Building Data, Human Rights, and 7 How Youth Navigate the 16 Privacy and Low-SES Populations 20 Human Security News Landscape Fairness in Precision Medicine 21 Intelligence and Autonomy 8 Measuring Cyberstalking and 17 Digital Domestic Abuse Across Fairness, Accountability, 22 Algorithms and Publics 9 the Lifespan and Transparency in Machine Learning (FATML) 10 Media Manipulation Libraries and Privacy 18 Data Ethics for Computational 22 12 Future of Labor Reframing Privacy 19 Research Enabling Connected Learning 14 Research Initiative Research Project Upcoming Research Creative Practices Rich connections between our themes 7 16 20 and research-based art practices 23 Thanks Programs Fellowships People Supporters Small Group Sessions • Weekly Wednesdays • Meet the 2016–2017 class of Board • Staff • Researchers • Databites • Workshops and Conferences 24 Data & Society Fellows 32 Advisors • Affiliates 38 48 4 Data & Society Report on Activities 2016–2017 5 Research Research Initiative Data, Human Rights, and Human Security Leiden University, and the International Data Background Responsibility Group on the privacy implications of Research at Data & Society is shaped by Data can provide real-time awareness technology use by Syrian refugees in Greece. about disaster, violence, or protest. cross-cutting themes: Featured Outputs Yet practitioners, researchers, and Tech Companies Should Speak Up for Refugees, Automation Not Only High-Skilled Immigrants From social implications of automation to manipulation of algorithmic systems, policymakers face unique challenges many of our research efforts track and inform broader conversations about how data- and opportunities when assessing HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW, 16 MAY, 2017 driven systems, automation, and machine intelligence impact people and society. technological benefit, risk, and harm. AUTHOR: MARK LATONERO Accountability The Data, Human Rights, and Human Who should be accountable? Accountable to whom? Understanding how powerful, Tech folk: ‘Move fast and break things’ doesn’t work technological systems can be governed is a core concern that shapes many of Security initiative asks: How can these when lives are at stake our research efforts. technologies be used responsibly to THE GUARDIAN, 2 FEBRUARY, 2017 assist people in need, prevent abuse, AUTHORS: KEITH HIATT, MICHAEL KLEINMAN, MARK LATONERO Values and Ethics Concern about what is ethical, just, and appropriate influences how our different and protect them from harm? research efforts approach trade-offs, conflicting values, and social implications. Victims Are Not Virtual: Situation assessment of Notably, many initiatives focus on privacy, social justice, and equity and fairness. online child sexual exploitation in South Asia Team What follows is a high-level overview of our larger research projects that either UNICEF PAPER, 30 NOVEMBER, 2016 Mark Latonero launched, or were strengthened and expanded over the 2016–17 fiscal year. AUTHORS: MARK LATONERO, MONICA BULGER, BRONWYN WEX, For a full range of outputs over the course of 2016–17, please visit our website EMMA DAY, KAPIL ARYAL, MARIYA ALI, KEITH HIATT (www.datasociety.net). Project Human Rights, Data, and Migration An App to Save Syria’s Lost Generation? As data-driven technologies and digital ecosystems FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 23 MAY, 2016 Research Initiative Upcoming Research increasingly intersect with migrants, refugees, and AUTHOR: MARK LATONERO Data, Human Rights, and Human Security 7 Privacy and Low-SES Populations 20 the displaced, what are the social impacts, consequences, Intelligence and Autonomy 8 Fairness in Precision Medicine 21 and tradeoffs? This project bridges the knowledge gap Algorithms and Publics 9 Fairness, Accountability, and 22 surrounding technological interventions, and addresses Featured Talks Media Manipulation 10 Transparency in Machine Learning a diverse set of themes—movement, economic inclusion, Fighting for Freedom: The Search for Weapons Future of Labor 12 (FATML) integration, asylum, identification, information seeking, and Warriors to End Slavery in Supply Chains Enabling Connected Learning 14 Data Ethics for Computational Research 22 rights, health, and social support. In early 2017, researcher Mark Latonero presented Data Responsibility: Helping Refugees Research Project at the International Data Responsibility Group Annual in a Digital Age How Youth Navigate the News Landscape 16 Conference at The Hague, the Tech and Human Rights RIGHTSCON, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 30–31 MARCH, 2017 Measuring Cyberstalking and Digital 17 Conference at Grinnell College, and at RightsCon in SPEAKER: MARK LATONERO Domestic Abuse Across the Lifespan Brussels, where he spoke on panels “Tech and Slavery Libraries and Privacy 18 in Global Chains” and “Private Sector Data and the Reframing Privacy 19 Refugee Crisis.” The project’s next output is a report in collaboration with Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, 6 Data & Society Report on Activities 2016–2017 7 Research Initiative Research Initiative Intelligence Algorithms and and Autonomy Publics Background Background Upcoming Research When Media Companies Insist They’re Not The Intelligence and Autonomy The Algorithms and Publics Media Companies and Why It Matters for Mapping Human Communications Policy initiative develops grounded, initiative maps how the public sphere Infrastructures of AI SSRN, 18 MARCH, 2016 qualitative research to inform the is currently understood, controlled, AUTHORS: PHILIP M. NAPOLI, ROBYN CAPLAN design, evaluation, and regulation Background and manipulated in order to spark of AI-driven systems. Mapping Human Infrastructures of AI is a a richer conversation about what Related Project series of ethnographically-informed studies of Platform Accountability intelligent systems in which human labor plays interventions should be considered to Team an integral part, and will explore how and why support the ideal of an informed The Platform Accountability project explores how the constitutive human elements of artificial the concept of the “public interest” in media policy Madeleine Clare Elish and engaged citizenry. intelligence are often obscured or rendered has been reconfigured through algorithmic and Tim Hwang invisible. The research will produce empirical data-driven technologies currently underpinning work examining these dynamics in order to fa- news media