Notices by J. Nathan Matias 🦣 (natematias@social.coop), page 2

@ntnsndr I think so. There’s a precursor to this in the water, railroad, and mining politics of California, which I think is partly where tech got these ideas. I used to think myself a bit arcane for reading so much 18th century and early 19th century progressive history but this country seems more and more headed toward contemporary versions of problems a previous generation thought they solved

I have stumbled across the part of Google Books and Amazon that is just completely full of dozens (if not hundreds of) AI-generated conspiracy books about how every possible topic in the universe is related to the repression of men and the power they could have if they only gained more muscles, liberated their minds, and educated themselves with content no human has put time into.

(send help)

This extraordinary story by 60 Minutes puts a face to the experiences of content reviewers who train AI, do content moderation, and carry out other microtasks at scale for large companies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZS50KXjAX0

There are two lawsuits from content moderators active in Kenya:

- Daniel Motaung's case against Sama *and* Meta https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64541944
- Mercy Mutemi's lawsuit with 165 moderators against Sama & Meta: https://www.codastory.com/authoritarian-tech/social-media-authoritarian-tech/mercy-mutemi-meta-lawsuit/

In both cases, courts have ruled that Meta can be sued directly. So we can expect more details on these cases in the coming years.

Alexandra Gonzalez & I have spent the last year reviewing research on the mental health of content reviewers.

Scientists have known since the 1960s this work has substantial mental health consequences. In the meantime, global demand has expanded with generative AI. But research to measure mental health impacts and support moderators has been thin.

Grateful for everyone who's working to improve this dreadful dilemma that has harmed so many people over the decades.

https://citizensandtech.org/research/moderator-mental-health/

Participatory tech accountability researchers:

This is a great short-term opportunity to advise Amnesty International on integrating more participatory research into their work, with a particular focus on work alongside Rohingya, Tigrayan, and LGBTI groups:

https://careers.amnesty.org/jobs/vacancy/participatory-approaches-research-consultant-4004/4032/description/

🚨 Very cool R&D JOBS at the BBC. 🚨

Civic Participation & Digital Inclusion:
https://careers.bbc.co.uk/job/Salford-Research-Lead-Civic-participation-and-digital-inclusion%2C-Responsible-Innovation-Centre%2C-BBC-R&D-M50-2HQ/805936602/

Algorithm personalization in the public interest (this will be so amazing): https://careers.bbc.co.uk/job/Salford-Research-Lead-in-personalisation-in-the-public-interest%2C-Responsible-Innovation-Centre%2C-BBC-R&D-M50-2HQ/805936402/

Measuring value & social impact: https://careers.bbc.co.uk/job/Salford-Research-Lead-Measuring-public-value-and-social-impact%2C-Responsible-Innovation-Centre%2C-BBC-R&D-M50-2HQ/805936502/

Thanks for sharing, @billt!

If you're going to unsubscribe from the Washington Post this weekend for the conduct of Jeff Bezos, I encourage you to consider redirecting that money to a different newspaper—local or national— rather than taking the money out of journalism entirely <3

Last week, I got a deeply worrying and frustrating message that the EV chargers in my neighborhood would have their software shut down — with about 10 days notice.

Enel X had decided to leave the North American market, which means leaving us in the lurch. Today, a group of us together with Consumer Reports, have asked the FTC to investigate the company's behavior, in our personal capacities.

https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/research/consumer-reports-u-s-pirg-and-60-self-reported-owners-of-juicebox-ev-chargers-call-on-the-ftc-to-investigate-enel-x-after-abruptly-discontinuing-sales-and-support-of-its-ev-chargers/

Hundreds of thousands of EV chargers are about to lose key safety & management functions with Enel X Way abruptly leaving North America.

New: Juice Rescue ⚡🔌🚗 is a community effort to organize technical and policy efforts to keep them working with full functionality.

Please amplify and let people know— huge numbers are facing safety risks, skyrocketing power bills, and other risks. Our Discord group, open source software, and advocacy effort can help.

https://juice-rescue.org/

👀

https://cornellsun.com/2024/09/23/pro-palestinian-international-student-says-he-faces-deportation-after-second-suspension/

Many thanks to those leading the researcher support consortium & all who supported the launch, including the IDDP at GWU, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Coalition for Independent Tech Research, Freedom House, the Center for Democracy & Technology, the Center for an Informed Public, the Knight First Amendment Institute, the Center for Media Engagement, and many others.

Our statement: https://citizensandtech.org/2024/09/standing-up-for-researchers/

Today, CAT Lab is adding our voice and our commitment to the Researcher Support Consortium, a collective endeavor provides resources to academic institutions to protect and support scholars facing coordinated attacks.

https://researchersupport.org/

On Sept 15, Guatemalans celebrate independence from Spain. This evening, we ate tamales infused with raisins, olives, peppers, & prunes.

In the US , many mythologize history as a ratchet of inevitable progress secured by enduring movie moments. Latin American history doesn't offer the same illusions.

When I mark 09/15, I remember layers of growth & loss in the flawed quest for human dignity & freedom. In my history are oppressed & oppressors, and each of us must wrestle with who we will be.

Ten years ago, a coalition of Reddit, Imgur, and Twitch promised to collaborate with external scientists, even as they faced social pressure for failures in online safety. I was one of the scholars whose name they used to whitewash their reputation.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/aug/18/reddit-imgur-twitch-derp-social-data

I think we're seeing a decline in the idea that Code is Law. It was an interesting idea while it lasted, and there are still a *lot* of unaccountable infrastructures that are effectively making & enforcing private legislation. But technology is ultimately managed by people, and those people are subject to laws.

If you want a just society, there's no getting around politics; you need good laws and trustworthy governments to carry them out.

cc @luis_in_brief

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/03/world/americas/brazil-starlink-elon-musk-x.html?utm_source=press.coop

@luis_in_brief yeah, this is less a response to Lessig directly as it is a response to how people think and talk about that aspect of Lessig's writing.

Musk's attempt to rebuff Brazilian law because he has satellites is obviously naive—in interesting ways.

And yes to your other points. I too would be very interested to read more of a summary and review about speech law and Latin American political history. It's something I wish I understood more.

In general, I think the open social web could benefit a *lot* from marketing & recruitment.

All successful, sustaining communities depend on efforts to recruit, support, and retain newcomers, yet it often seems like the Wikimedia Foundation is the main/only big open network that has prioritized this. I would gladly donate to support more work recruiting/supporting newcomers if I knew how to give.

Open Social Web / fediverse folks: with Elon Musk's fight with the Brazilian government likely to result in X being down in Brazil, there's an opportunity to invite more folks to the fediverse.

Is anyone working on plans to recruit and welcome people here, while ensuring their safety & quality of community? It's an obvious opportunity that can be planned for.

cc @jaz @Gargron

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/30/nx-s1-5096220/brazil-suspends-x-elon-musk

This weekend I learned about the life of Joseph Priestley, the chemist, philosopher, & co-founder of unitarianism who may also have inspired utilitarianism.

Priestley, who Bentham attributed (maybe wrongly?) the phrase the “greatest happiness of the greatest number,” also faced persecution. When his home & lab were burned, he moved to the US and spent his last days in Northumberland Pennsylvania — where I rode my bicycle this weekend on my way to see family.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12130922002