Psychology of Technology Institute

calling all followers interested in #DSA #platformgovernance #contentmoderation - I'm organising a webinar on the 6th February with a great panel (Ravi Iyer, Stevi Kitsou, Tommaso Chiamparino and Sander van der Waal) to discuss how the new framework for codes of conduct established by the DSA could be used to promote safer design practices for online platform. more relevant than ever in light of current political developments in the world of big tech - how could we move beyond just trying to moderate all the content we don't like, and instead try to proactively design safer and more inclusive online spaces? and could the DSA help us get there? more info & registration here! https://lnkd.in/dkHjPXUq

We’re excited to announce that Ravi Iyer, Managing Director of the Neely Center, will be presenting at a webinar exploring how DSA codes of conduct can shape safer and more ethical platform design practices. 📅 Date: Thursday, February 6, 2025 ⏰ Time: 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM PST | 16:30 - 17:30 CET 📍 Location: Online (Zoom details shared upon registration) Ravi will join a panel to discuss how platform design can address critical challenges like hate speech, online harassment, disinformation, and child safety—issues that go beyond content moderation. Joining him are leading experts in platform governance and policy: ✔️ Sander van der Waal, Research Director, Waag Futurelab ✔️ Stevi Kitsou, PhD Researcher in EU Law, Maastricht University ✔️ Tommaso Chiamparino, Policy Officer - Fundamental Rights, European Commission The webinar is open to all. Register to reserve a spot! 🎟️ Free registration: https://lnkd.in/gKJabz4U #NeelyCenter #NeelyDesignCode #DigitalSafety #TechEthics #DSACodesOfConduct 

AI and the Future of Digital Public Squares We’re excited to share a new paper coauthored by our Director, Nathanael Fast, and Managing Director, Ravi Iyer. In this article, Nate, Ravi, and their coauthors explore the transformative potential of large language models (LLMs) to create more inclusive and participatory online spaces. While LLMs hold immense promise—such as enabling deliberative dialogues at scale—they also pose challenges that could deepen societal divides. The paper highlights four key applications of LLMs to improve digital public spaces: ✔️ Collective dialogue systems ✔️ Bridging systems ✔️ Community moderation tools ✔️ Proof-of-humanity systems The authors, thought leaders at the intersection of civil society and technology, propose a forward-looking agenda for strengthening digital public squares and ensuring the responsible use of AI. Their goal? To foster innovation while safeguarding against the misuse of these powerful technologies. 📖 Check out their thought-provoking work and join the conversation about building a better digital future! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gWmZTHNx #NeelyCenter #NeelyDesignCode #NeelyIndices #NeelyAIIndex

🌟 Blast from the Past: Psych of Tech 2022 Highlights 🌟   Check out Amanda Lenhart’s talk from the Psych of Tech 2022 conference, held at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania on November 11-12, 2022, where she explores the unique challenges tech developers face in creating digital products for youth that prioritize health and well-being.   In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, do her insights still ring true today? How have things changed since then?   💡 Watch the full talk here: https://lnkd.in/g9j_3uN6   We’d love to hear your thoughts—how do these ideas resonate with today’s challenges in tech? Share your perspectives in the comments!   #PsychOfTech #PsychOfTech2022 #TechLeadership #TechEthics #NeelyCenter (cc: Nathanael Fast, Ravi Iyer, Amanda Lenhart)

Promoting Safer and More Inclusive Online Spaces   At the 2024 Online Safety Forum in Lagos, Nigeria, our partners at Search for Common Ground and Build Up ^ presented innovative design ideas to improve the global impact of technology platforms. Their work is especially vital in regions where civil society groups face challenges trusting governments to make fair content moderation decisions. During the session titled "Designing for Good: The Role of Prosocial Tech Design in Ensuring Safety and Cohesion," they highlighted several impactful strategies, including Neely Center’s Design Code for Social Media. The discussion underscored how thoughtful design can foster online safety, promote social cohesion, and build trust in digital spaces.   💡Check out the key takeaways from their report. How can we build (or rebuild!) our trust in governmental institutions? Do you think our approach could be effective? Share your thoughts in the comments!   https://lnkd.in/gmmgsAcr                  #NeelyCenter #NeelyDesignCode #OnlineSafety #TechDesign #TechEthics #EthicalLeadership 

What happens when we leave echo chambers behind? This past summer, Nathanael Fast and his colleagues gathered hundreds of first-time voters to discuss abortion, AI, climate change, and more. In a new op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle, Professor Nathanael Fast, director of the Neely Center, shares what these young people can teach us about promoting more productive, respectful political conversations. “By creating more spaces for intelligent and respectful discussion, we can begin to bridge divides and rebuild trust, one conversation at a time,” says Fast. Read full op-ed piece below and share your thoughts in the comments! https://lnkd.in/gnCw2TE8   #TechEthics #DeliberativeDemocracy #DeliberativePolling #Polarization #NeelyCenter

A big thank you to Carey Morewedge, Sandra Zarotney Keldsen, Hayley Houston, M.Ed., and their entire team at Questrom School of Business, Boston University for hosting the 8th annual Psychology of Technology conference! It was a fantastic gathering of thought leaders, academics, behavioral scientists, and technologists, all sharing innovative research and insights. We look forward to the meaningful collaborations that will emerge from this inspiring event. (Cc: Nathanael Fast, Ravi Iyer, Juliana Schroeder, Psychology of Technology Institute)

EY.ai Global AI Advisory Council to Guide AI Strategy We are pleased to share Nathanael Fast, director of the Neely Center, has been invited to join the newly formed EY.ai Global AI Advisory Council. This council is designed to guide EY's AI strategy and address the rapid technological and market shifts shaping AI today. With a focus across key domains — customer experience, talent, human behavior, and industry impact — Nate will contribute insights on ethical leadership in democratizing AI. Congratulations to Nate on this appointment and to the council’s mission of navigating the opportunities and challenges of this transformative field! 🎉   #NeelyCenter #NeelyIndices #NeelyAIIndex #NeelyDesignCode #TechEthics   (cc: Nathanael Fast, Ravi Iyer)   https://lnkd.in/ghwSCU_V

Neely Center Informing the European Union's Protection of Minors Recently, Ravi Iyer, Managing Director of the Neely Center, joined a panel with Buffy Wicks, California Assemblymember and Martin H., Head of Protection of Minors for the EU, to discuss policy approaches to protecting children online. The Neely Center also provided formal input into the upcoming code of practice for the Digital Services Act and participated in several workshops to support this work. A recording of the event is now available online. You are invited to check it out and learn more about these critically important conversations. https://lnkd.in/ga78JSke #NeelyCenter #NeelyDesignCode #NeelyIndices #KidsOnline #OnlineSafety (cc: Ravi Iyer, Nathanael Fast)

The 8th Annual Psychology of Technology Conference 2024 The Psychology of Technology Institute, in collaboration with the Digital Business Institute BU at Questrom School of Business, Boston University, was honored to host the 8th Annual Psychology of Technology Conference, titled “New Directions in Research on the Psychology of Technology,” on October 12-13, 2024. This year’s theme, “The Quantified Society,” brought together a diverse group of industry leaders, behavioral scientists, technologists, and AI experts dedicated to fostering a healthy psychological future as AI becomes an integral part of daily life. This year, conference speakers included Madeleine Daepp, Microsoft Research; Johannes Eichstaedt, Stanford University; Emily Saltz, Google Jigsaw; Glenn E., Civic Health Project; Tara Behrend, Michigan State University; Andrea Liebman, Swedish Psychological Defence Agency; Chloe Autio, Autio Strategies, and Dokyun Lee, Boston University, among others. The keynote was delivered by Luis von Ahn, CEO and co-founder of Duolingo. Please stay tuned for some of the recorded talks which will be made available soon! https://lnkd.in/grruPVkU #PsychOfTech #TechEthics #NeelyCenter (cc: Nathanael Fast, Ravi Iyer, Carey Morewedge, Sandra Zarotney Keldsen, Hayley Houston, M.Ed.)