Amidst overwhelming Epstein revelations, I've heard from many scientists, especially women, about the deafening silence from so many corners. Many ask "how could things be different?"
In this post, I answer with three metaphors, grounded in the science he tried to own
medium.com/p/61a537ee8e...
my favorite artist. had no idea about the robert moses connection. ugh!
Being a Luddite Is Cool and All, but Have You Seen the Hilarious Tapestries These New Looms Are Making? @mcsweeneys.net
nuo masks from the tujia minority group
jade funerary items
feels weird to go to chinese museums, see an ancient artifact, and go “oh i recognize that from genshin” or “that’s where the star rail codex entry is from” 😂
the turkish mechanism
"I don’t know what school was like before all of these tools, but I don’t necessarily feel like any of them really help me learn... [I like to do 🎨 assgnmts by hand, yet] these analog methods are completely ignored in favor of modern, technological approaches... It almost feels 'over-engineered.'"
A Minnesota woman observing ICE agents in her car was cornered on one-way streets. An agent approached, called her by name—citing facial recognition. Days later, her Global Entry and TSA privileges were revoked, with no explanation.
CS ArXiv recently banned “review and position” papers, but what are those? Do they include more generated content? Who is most affected by this change? @yanai.bsky.social and I dug into the data to find out!
Nearly 50% of Computers & Society papers might be censored, vs 3% of Computer Vision ‼️
me, emotionally writing an essay on the use of force by federal agents: ok but what if i packaged this in the most insane way possible www.theverge.com/policy/86857...
"The secret fear of the morally depraved is that virtue is actually common, and that they’re the ones who are alone."
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Here's a regular white guy (literally "Chad") not a protester. because, "It seemed pointless, or just a way for people to expiate their sense of guilt." Chad witnessed something shattering. And, that all changed in a moment.
Excellent article!
"Boredom feels like a trap not because it is a static experience, but because it is an all-encompassing way of being; a fog that dissipates attention and dissolves meaning." I liked this essay on boredom (and where it leads us) from @emptysetmagazine.bsky.social www.emptysetmag.com/articles/ent...
“Safety experts and tech critics have long condemned the Ring devices for security risks and privacy violations, not to mention their role in building the largest civilian surveillance network in US history.”
You cannot overstate how startling it is to see a politician just say the thing with clarity and poise. No fearful hemming. No overwrought qualifying down til it’s meaningless. No lingering sense that there is a loyalty to a donor class or an ideology of stasis that they’d never admit to.
you're telling me there's a SECOND semester???
imo linkedin right now is a better megaphone but bluesky norms would be better for junior folks to network and norm into the community if more ppl were here
not a feature, but a norm: something that made tw*tter great for early career is that you could watch conversations happening and also jump in yourself, because it was informal. the "making friends" aspect of social media
i'm giving a thumbs up while doing a front split stretch at my taekwondo studio. it's not all the way down but getting there? the angle is fairly obtuse. certainly a personal best!
front splits progress!
I'm so excited to launch this class and hopefully refine it over the next few years, and THANK YOU to everyone who suggested readings or gave feedback this past week. Feedback still welcome!
Curating the readings for this class is the most academic fun I've had in a while, and I hope it's clear that this class is a passion project for me. I really want this class to demonstrate how ideas from disability studies and the foundations of HCI can be in generative conversation.
I'm excited to share a complete draft syllabus for my new special topics class at CU Boulder, INFO 4871 Design for Accessibility.
data-and-design.org/classes/4871/
Should scientists apply to OpenAI's fund for research on AI & mental health? Should policymakers consider it a credible safety effort?
Avriel Epps & I see it as "grantwashing," and it's an insult to anyone whose loved one's death involved chatbots. We explain:
www.techpolicy.press/beware-of-op...
Screenshot of a paper entry: Fictional Failures and Real-World Lessons: Ethical Speculation Through Design Fiction on Emotional Support Conversational AI Authors: Faye Kollig, Jessica Pater, Fayika Farhat Nova, Casey Fiesler (There are tabs with "abstract" and "summary" and "summary" is selected.)
The ACM Digital Library, where a LOT of computing-related research is published (I'd say at least 75% of my own publications), is now not only providing (without consent of the authors and without opt-in by readers) AI-generated summaries of papers, but they appear as the *default* over abstracts.
group photo of lab members and guests sitting on / in front of a couch smiling for the camera
the @data-and-design.org and information visions (@peck.phd) labs celebrated the end of the semester together yesterday! thanks for a great 2025!
thanks!
I'd love to incorporate your favorite examples into my new Design for Accessibility class that I'm developing for spring.
I want students both to understand critical conversations in disability studies and also to put these ideas into action in their design practice
HCI accessibility folks: what are your favorite systems/design papers in accessibility?
I'm looking for examples that:
- meaningfully involve disabled co-designers
- produce artifacts informed by disability studies (either implicitly or explicitly)
- have an impact, whatever that might mean to you
Honored to serve on Mayor-elect @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social Transition Committee on Technology. For too long, too many New Yorkers have been left behind. NYC deserves governance that centers affordability, equity, and the public good-looking forward to the work ahead. www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news...
Did you know that Slices of Life is generally available for purchase now?? It is and boy will it make a great gift for the holidays! Get your orders in now!
Book: www.bulgilhanpress.com/store/p/slic...
Book & Print Bundle: www.bulgilhanpress.com/store/p/slic...
this week, i was so fortunate to have @kayserifserif.place as a guest speaker in my user-centered design class!
in her talk, katherine shared work from her creative practice as a programmer and poet, and from her professional work with @fathom.info
data-and-design.org/blog/2025/11...
