iDPI at UMass Amherst

117. Alondra Nelson, Biden's Head of Science and Technology Policy, talks AI, Trump's research funding cuts, and how memes replaced Happy Days - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass A... Alondra Nelson is arguably the most important sociologist of science in America. She isn’t just a brilliant researcher of how race and racism has shaped public health in America, nor just a thoughtful...

Professor Alondra Nelson, Biden's former head of science and technology policy and one of the most brilliant sociologists today, joins Reimagining for what is one of our best ever episodes.

AI, race and medicine, Trumps' research cuts, and so much more.

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/117-...

GitHub - iDPI-Umass/superFreq: Software for social music discovery. Powering Freq. Software for social music discovery. Powering Freq. - iDPI-Umass/superFreq

just released the open source software powering Freq, superFreq, developed during my soon-to-end time at
@idpiumass.bsky.social

can’t believe I got to build this crazy thing at this job. now it belongs to you, world.

github.com/iDPI-Umass/s...

Talked to the Hindustan Times for a pair of articles about YouTube (today on the web, Sunday in print): www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/ar... www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/ar...

What Attacks on Wikipedia Reveal about Free Expression | TechPolicy.Press Ryan McGrady writes that you can learn a lot about a state's view on free expression by how it treats Wikipedia.

You can learn a lot about a state's view of freedom of expression by how it treats @wikipedia.org. Maybe we could use a "Wikipedia Liberty Index." www.techpolicy.press/what-attacks... Today in @techpolicypress.bsky.social

116. How should governments use technology? To build trust, says Eric Gordon - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst Eric Gordon has spent his career as an social scientists trying to understand how city governments can use technology to better engage their citizens. But he’s learned that technology doesn’t matter i...

Between DOGE and surveillance creep, US citizens might not have a lot of trust in how governments use technology.

This week, we're joined by Eric Gordon, who tells us about his new attempts to use technology to empower citizens and build trust in democracy.

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/116-...

113. Deleting Everything with Dan Saltman - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst Dan Saltman is the founder of Redact, one of the very few tools that lets you delete data across many of your social media accounts. So why are there so few projects that put users in control of their...

Dan Saltman's Redact tool lets you delete data from several social media platforms. So why are there so few other tools like it out there?

This week on Reimagining, we talk about the legal, technical, and market obstacles for middleware.

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/113-...

For years, YouTube didn't disclose how many videos it hosted. That fundamental-but-missing figure about one of the most important parts of our digital communication infrastructure is what launched our big @idpiumass.bsky.social YouTube project. But now there's an official number(ish)! [1/7]

112. Governing the Fediverse: Erin Kissane talks her groundbreaking study into how Mastodon is run (Part 2) - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst Part two of our interview with Erin Kissane is a deep dive into her work on the Fediverse. Why do people use it, how do they govern, and how can you, dear listener, get your own healthy Fediverse comm...

How does the Fediverse run? Who uses it? Why?

How could *you* run your own Fediverse community?

Erin Kissane (@kissane.bsky.social) dives deep into her massive study of governance in the Fediverse in part 2 of her interview on Reimagining the Internet.

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/112-...

A Taxonomy of Middleware: How User Tools Can Improve Social Media - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst Social media platforms have proven to provide users with a space to connect that is non-existent in the physical world. However, users struggle with mental health concerns, disinformation, and more. S...

Super excited to have my research, "A Taxonomy of Middleware: How User Tools Can Improve Social Media," published on the @idpiumass.bsky.social (initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure) website!

Check it out with the link below: publicinfrastructure.org/2025/04/23/a...

111. How Facebook Stoked Civil War in Myanmar, with Erin Kissane - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst In part one of our interview with researcher, designer and, in her own words, “ancient Internet person” Erin Kissane, we look at what happens when a platform swallows a whole society’s media landscape...

Meta in Myanmar: Erin Kissane (@kissane.bsky.social) talks on Reimagining about Facebook's ICC-worthy negligence when its platform was used to stoke civil war, ethnic cleansing, and other human rights violations.

110. Is there hope for democracy in a social media-driven world? Nathan Schneider sees it every day. - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst Nathan Schneider has spent roughly 15 years as a journalist and academic trying to understand democracy in the 21st century through Occupy Wall Street, cooperatives, the blockchain, and currently, fed...

Is there hope for democracy in a social media-driven world? @ntnsndr.in sees it every day.

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/110-...

Freq out On building social media for music community with music community

Wrote a bit about Freq, a project I've been working for years. Which means writing about my dream to build tools for music community with real music communities, that reality that I'm a musician not a software developer, and the weird personal history that got me here.

Freq out On building social media for music community with music community

Freq: out!

The new music recommendation/blogging app from iDPI, created by Mike Sugarman, is now in beta release, with invitations available via Mike's wonderful blog post about creating this new platform: low-frequency.beehiiv.com/p/freq-out

109. Evelyn Douek, please tell us what is going on with the First Amendment and social media - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst The TikTok ban decision passed down by the Supreme Court late last year is a clear violation of First Amendment precedent, but President Trump’s refusal to enact it as law is a constitutional crisis i...

What the hell is going on with social media and the First Amendment? And the TikTok ban? And the courts? And... well... the constitutional order?

This week on Reimagining the Internet, the brilliant Evelyn Douek (@evelyndouek.bsky.social) helps us understand at least some of that really well.

Quote by Author Ryan McGrady “When you find a way to look at how people are really using the web, a lot of it still feels like the early internet. It's expression, communication, connection. Fundamentally, it's a place where regular people share themselves and do wonderful things."

Our research has been featured in the BBC! The study challenges the dominant narrative that YouTube is primarily a space for viral content. Instead, the vast majority of videos serve as personal archives, quiet conversations, & tools for everyday communication. Read here: tinyurl.com/mr23sb6z

How a computer that 'drunk dials' videos is exposing YouTube's secrets YouTube is about to turn 20. An unusual research method is unveiling statistics about the platform that Google would rather keep secret.

The BBC just published an excellent dive into Ryan's (@antisomniac.bsky.social), Kevin's (@ze.vin), and Ethan's (@ethanz.bsky.social) random sampling work on YouTube, with visualizations based on data pulled from from Kevin's fantastic TubeStats project.

www.bbc.com/future/artic...

How a computer that 'drunk dials' videos is exposing YouTube's secrets YouTube is about to turn 20. An unusual research method is unveiling statistics about the platform that Google doesn't want you to know.

YouTube is almost 20 years old and more popular than ever, but there's still a ton we don't know about it. The BBC's @thomasgermain.bsky.social has a story about our work at @idpiumass.bsky.social to uncover some of those YouTube fundamentals. www.bbc.com/future/artic...

108. Internet of Gifts: The 5th Annual Reimagining Holiday Special - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst Ho ho ho, five years of Reimagining the Internet holiday specials! For this year's edition we're spreading holiday cheer by showering our dear listeners with gifts. From good Wikipedia rabbit holes to...

For our fifth annual Reimagining the Internet Holiday Special, we're putting on our Santa hat and giving gifts!

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/108-...

Recap: Interntional Conference on Computational Social Science - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst A few weeks ago, several hundred academics, students, and professionals gathered at the University of Pennsylvania for the 10th International Conference on Computational Social Science: two-and-a-half...

Ryan McGrady (@antisomniac.bsky.social) and now-lab-album Kevin Zheng (@ze.vin) attended the 10th International Conference on Computational Social Science last month to present on some of their YouTube research. Ryan recapped some of what they saw:
publicinfrastructure.org/2024/09/23/i...

107. How could a PBS of the Internet cultivate a more human web? Laurel Schwulst on a lighter weight Internet (Good Web) - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst For the final episode of our Good Web series, artist, designer, and educator Laurel Schwulst joins Mike to talk through her proposal for a PBS of the Internet. She describes how a PBS-like body that i...

How could a PBS of the Internet help create a more human web? Laurel Schwulst joins our final Good Web episode to talk about how fostering a more creative Internet enriches users and betters all of our lives online.
publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/107-...

106. What You Need to Know About Web Accessibility with Lola Odelola (Good Web) - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst Building a Good Web doesn't just mean making the current Internet a nicer place, but making an Internet that everyone can use. This week Lola Odelola (Lola's Lab, formerly of Bocoup) joins the Good We...

A Good Web isn't just a nicer web, but one that's accessible to all who want to take part. This week on our Good Web series, Lola Odelola talks about accessibility fundamentals and the fascinating process the W3C uses to develop standards
publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/106-...

105. Slow and steady: how Are.na became the Good Web for artists, designers, and researchers who love unusual connections. - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst At 13 years old, Are.na boasts a healthy, creative community and stable finances while rejecting many of the hallmarks of popular social media platforms such as a focus on video, endless push notifica...

Slow and steady: how became Are.na the Good Web for artists, designers, and researchers who love unusual connections

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/105-...

104. MetaFilter turns 25 this month, a shining beacon of the Good Web. Reluctant owner Jessamyn West tells us how rusty tech and vibrant community keeps it vital. - Initiative for Digital Public Infra... Metafilter contains the seeds for everything from Twitter to Reddit to comments sections on blogs, and it's older than podcasts, the blog boom, Facebook, and well, basically everything online. Owner J...

MetaFilter turns 25 this year, as a shining beacon of the Good Web.

Reluctant owner Jessamyn West (@librarian.bsky.social) sat down with Mike (in person!) to talk about how moderation, community governance, and a very old backend have kept it alive.

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/104-...

103. How did Vermont's favorite civic social network turn into a climate disaster response network overnight? Michael Wood-Lewis Tells Us About His Local Good Web - Initiative for Digital Public Infra... Michael Wood-Lewis from Front Porch Forum joins us for this second (maybe third?) appearance to help us kick off our Good Web series, where we're highlighting the successful people building a better, ...

How did Front Porch Forum turn into a climate disastser response network overnight? Michael Wood-Lewis tells us it was built on years of making the site the best tool for Vermont neighbors possible.

This week on Reimagining, the Good Web.

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/103-...

102. Cory Doctorow Coined "Enshittification." He Sees 4 Ways to End It. - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst To kick off our Good Web series, Cory Doctorow joined us for a deep dive into his enshittification theory, and how regulation, labor power, competition, and user self-help will make it a thing of the ...

Cory Doctorow coined the term "enshittification." This week on Reimagining, he tells us 4 viable ways to end it.

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/102-...

101. Reframing Digital Safety with Diana Freed: For Survivors and Youth, The Biggest Threats Come From Everyday Tech - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst CW/TW: Intimate partner violence, child exploitation Diana Freed has spent the past several years radically reframing the threat model in cybersecurity with groundbreaking research into how domestic a...

What's the biggest cybersecurity threat to survivors of intimate partner violence and youth?

Diana Freed joins Reimagining to tell us about her groundbreaking research into how abusers use everyday technology, and what she's doing to help survivors

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/101-...

Counting Feminicide: Data Feminism in Action Why grassroots data activists in Latin America count feminicide—and how this vital social justice work challenges mainstream data science.What isn't counte

OPEN ACCESS LINK! Here's the direct open access link where you can download chapters and read the whole book for free: direct.mit.edu/books/book/5...

100. A Better Internet for Humans with Ethan Zuckerman and Mike Sugarman - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst For the 100th episode of Reimagining the Internet, Ethan and Mike sit down for a conversation about a human-scale Internet, the threat of an LLM ouroboros destroying our online commons, and Ethan's fa...

100 episodes of Reimagining the Internet! We really had no idea we'd be doing it this long.

For this special episode, Ethan and Mike got together in person to talk through their ideas about making an Internet that's actually nice for humans to use.

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/100-...

99. Do You Want to Use Data to Fight for Justice? Catherine D'Ignazio Wrote the Book For You - Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst A fearsome feminist movemnet has sprung up in response to an epidemic of feminicide in South America, achieving change thanks in large part to an innovative data activism campaign. Cathering D'Ignazio...

Catherine D'Ignazio (@kanarinka.bsky.social) wrote an incredible book on feminist data activism, so you know we had to interview her. "Counting Feminicde" is out now on @mitpress.bsky.social.

publicinfrastructure.org/podcast/99-c...