Thread by @taylor_owen

VERY excited to share something I have been working on... The Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy @mediatechdem @MaxBellSchool @mcgillu will examine how our media and technology infrastructure shape democracy and public life. mediatechdemocracy.com [Thread]

Our aim is to create public-facing work that informs urgent public and policy debates organized around three core research streams:
1⃣Tech Governance
2⃣ Information Ecosystems
3⃣ Media & Journalism

While we are launching the site today we have been building the team and research projects over the past year. Lots more exciting announcements in the coming weeks, but wanted to introduce a few things we have been working on: mediatechdemocracy.com/projects

The Media Ecosystem Observatory @MediaEcosystem is a partnership with @PeejLoewen & @derekruths to combine large scale information ecosystem monitoring with political behaviour survey research. Info and research papers here: mediaecosystemobservatory.com

During the election, the MEO team ran the Digital Democracy Project with the @ppforumca mediaecosystemobservatory.com/Digital-Democr… and partnered with @lizdubois on the Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge digitalecosystem.ca

Here is an example of one of our recent papers published in the Harvard Misinformation Review misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/the-ca… with findings summarized here:

https://twitter.com/MediaEcosystem/status/1257716623215144960?s=20

Tech-Informed Policy @tip_mcgill is a collaboration with @derekruths that provides rapid response policy briefs written by computer scientists and technology developers for policy makers techinformedpolicy.ca/about/

We have written briefs on Contact Tracing Apps mediatechdemocracy.com/work/differenc…
& mediatechdemocracy.com/work/evaluatio…, on Facial Recognition Technology policy in Canada
mediatechdemocracy.com/work/facial-re… &
mediatechdemocracy.com/work/facial-re…
And are currently working content moderation AI

The Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression is a three year collaboration with the @ppforumca to develop policy options to address the harmful impacts of digital technologies on Canada’s democratic institutions and public life. @egreenspon mediatechdemocracy.com/projects/democ…

The first year of the commission focuses on online hate, is chaired by former Chief Justice of Canada Beverley McLachlin, and includes @JameelJaffer @AmiraElghawaby @Adodek @RickAnderson Jean La Rose and Julie Caron-Malenfant as commissioners

@MediaTechDem has contributed research to the commission from @lex_is @ananny @robyncaplan @nasma_ahmed @cjtenove @HeidiTworek and a Citizens Assembly is being run by @petermacleod @masslbp

https://twitter.com/ppforumca/status/1263836174101237760

We are doing a wide range of work on platform governance with @CIGIonline & @resetdottech. This includes helping to build a platform governance research network & an int'l civil servant working group to facilitate collaboration amongst policy makers
mediatechdemocracy.com/projects/platf…

We are working on Facial Recognition Policy in Canada with the @RULeadLab, and are developing projects on kids and tech, surveillance tech, and the relationship between journalism and platforms.

We have worked on two podcasts, Attention Control and #BigTechPodcast, and are developing a new series on parenting and technology - all in collaboration with the amazing @stuartcoxe @kathleengoldhar @AnticaLTD mediatechdemocracy.com/podcasts

Via these projects we are collaborating w/ @gabriellelim @aihanguyen @OddLetters @luke_stark @sbanetweiser @jamesbridle @alexlusco @alexmcclelland @lex_is @ananny @robyncaplan @HeidiTworek @nasma_ahmed @rgorwa @lizdubois @AengusBridgman @PeejLoewen @EricMerkley @dskok + many more

and a wide range of centres and institutions doing important work in this space, including: @AdaLovelaceInst @datasociety @hiig_berlin @TowCenter @RULeadLab @munkschool @SFU_DDI @digitaljustlab @ppforumca @ndlmcgill @the_logic

We are fantastically lucky to learn from a remarkable advisory board. Seriously, just look at this group! @ananny @emilybell @whkchun @IgnacioCofonve @BiellaColeman @carlykind_ Dawn Nakagawa @mutalenkonde @mariaressa @derekruths @anyaSIPA Ben Scott @CraigSilverman @jonathansterne

And FINALLY as part of our launch we are thrilled to announce a two-part Beaverbrook Lecture on the topic of surveillance capitalism. Part I by @shoshanazuboff on “The Future of Surveillance Capitalism” (shoshanazuboff.com/book/) on Nov 23, 12:00 EST. Reg: bit.ly/37mCEPB

And Part II by @doctorow on “How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism” (onezero.medium.com/how-to-destroy…) on Nov 30, 12:00 EST. Reg: bit.ly/3ohygr8. Registration for both are free and open to the public

Lots more news to come, but for now, learn more about our @mediatechdem work and sign up for our newsletter here 👉mediatechdemocracy.com And a HUGE thank you to @SonjaSolomun our Research Director who has built all of this with me.