Refereed Conference Presentations, and Pre-and-Post Conferences
Elena, M., Caplan, R., Vaidhyanathan, S., Gerrard, Y., and Roberts, S.T. (2020). Life Between Worlds: Navigating Big Tech Partnerships, Funding, and Consulting, Association of Internet Researchers.
Caplan, R. (2020). “Platform or Podium: Tiered Structures Within Private Platform Governance.” The Rise of Platforms, ICA Post-Conference. Washington, D.C: May 29.
Caplan, R. (2019). “Demonetized: How YouTube Creators Make Sense of the Shifting Rules of Their Platform.” International Communications Association, Washington D.C: May 24-28.
Caplan, R., and Gillespie, T. (2018). “Demonetized: The Shifting Terms of Labor in the Platform Economy.” The Platformization of Cultural Production. Toronto, ON: October 8-9.
Caplan, R. (2018) “No Trust, Just Verify: Governance and Standards-Making in the Fake News Debate.” Law & Society. Toronto, ON: June 7-10.
Marwick, A., and Caplan, R. (2017). “Get Laid or Die Trying: Pick Up Artists, the Manosphere, and Online Misogyny.” International Communications Association, May 25-29, San Diego, CA.
Caplan, R. (2016).“The Algorithm Revisited: Algorithmic Isomorphism and the Facebook NewsFeed.” Algorithms in Culture. University of Berkeley, California.
Napoli, P., and Caplan, R. “2014). When Media Companies Insist They’re Not Media Companies.” Telecommunications Policy Research Council. Arlington, VA: George Mason University, September 30-October 1, 2014.
Caplan, R.(2014). “Assessing the Health of Informed Consent.” National Communications Association. Chicago, IL.
Caplan, R. (2014). “Building a Framework for the Context of Open Data.” (2014). Annenberg-Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute. Oxford, UK.
Caplan, R. (2014). “Learning Immaterial Labor: Cognitive Capitalism 2.0.” (2014). Media Ecology Association. Toronto, Canada.
Caplan, R. (2013). “Lost in Translation: Reviewing the Stored Communications Act in Practice.” Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC). Washington, DC, August 8, 2013.
Caplan, R., and Hockenberry, M. “Digital App Autopsy and Artifact-Altering Technologies.” Workshop on Values in Design – Building bridges Between RE, HCI, & Ethics. 13th IFIP TC13 Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (INTERACT 2011), Lisbon, Portugal, September 6, 2011.
Conference Organizing, Moderator, and Hosting
2021
Organizer and co-host for The First Annual Platform Governance Research Network: Network Day, Platform Governance Research Network, virtual conference, March 25-26.
Organizer and co-host of the “Against Platform Determinism Workshop: Part 2” held at the Center for Media, Technology, and Democracy at McGill University, March 3.
Host and panelist for “Digital Technology and Democratic Theory” with Lucy Bernholz, Rob Reich, Seeta Peña Gangadhraan, and Archon Fung at Data & Society Research Institute Databite No. 141, January 21, 2021.
Moderator for “How did we get here? Where do we go next?” a panel at UNC-CITAP with Tressie McMillan Cottom, Alice Marwick, Deen Freelon, Daniel Kreiss, Shannon McGregor, Francesco Tripodi, Rachel Kuo, and Becca Lewis, January 19, 2021.
Organizer and co-host of the “Against Platform Determinism Workshop,” held at Data & Society Research Institute, on January 14, 2021.
2020
Host, and moderator for “Origins of Trust and Safety with Alexander Macgillivray and Nicole Wong” Data & Society Research Institute Databite No. 134, July 2020.
Organizer and host for Small-Group Session (SGS) with Devon Powers on “Futureforcasting” at Data & Society Research Institute, December 22, 2020
Organizer and host for Small-Group Session (SGS) with C.W. Anderson on “Fake News is Not a Virus” at Data & Society Research Institute, October 22, 2020
Organizer and host for Small-Group Session (SGS) with Evelyn Douek on “The Rise of Content Cartels” at Data & Society Research Institute on July 14, 2020.
Co-organizer and co-host for Small-Group Session (SGS) with American Economic Liberties Project with Zephyr Teachout, Sarah Miller, and Matt Stoller, at Data & Society Research Institute, July 15, 2020
2017
Organizer and host for Small-Group Session (SGS) with Cameron Hickey at Data & Society Research Institute, December 18, 2017.
Co-organizer and host for Post-Truth and New Realities: Algorithms, Alternative Facts, and Digital Ethics, a conversation between Maurizio Ferraris and Martin Scherzinger, co-hosted by Data & Society and New York University, April 25, 2017.
2016
Organizer for Who Controls the Public Sphere in an Era of Algorithms? Data & Society Research Institute. March, 2016.
Selected Invited Talks and Panel Participation
2021
Invited presenter at ADM+S News & Media Research Symposium on a panel titled “Automated Content Curation and Problematic and ‘Borderline’ Content” given at Queensland University of Technology, September 30, 2021.
Invited speaker at 360/Open Summit: Speakers 2021, The Atlantic Council, June 22-24, 2021.
Invited discussant for a paper discussion by Marion Fourcade and Henry Farrell, hosted by Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, January 22, 2021.
2019
Invited Presentation, “A Chance to Define Ourselves’ The Struggle for Influence in Platform Governance. Can Social Media Be Fixed? UCLA Law School, February 15, 2019.
Panelist with Monroe Price, Jessa Lingel, and Felix Wu. “Rethinking Social Media.” Cardozo Law School.
2018
Panelist. Moderating Online Content with the Help of Artificial Intelligence. Council on Foreign Relations. Washington, DC, November 14, 2018. [video]
Keynote talk, “Content Standards and Their Consequences: How Platform Power is Shaping Global Communications Policy.” Electronic Resources & Libraries. Austin, TX, March 5, 2018.
Panelist with Gary King, Alondra Nelson, Siva Vaidhyanathan, and Bruce Schneier. Facebook and Democracy. American Political Science Association. Boston, MA, August 30, 2018.
Invited Presentation, “Gaming the Algorithm: Don’t just hate the players, hate the game.” Data & Society Media Workshop. New York, NY.
2017
Invited Presentation, “From the Newsroom to the NewsFeed.” Library Journal TechKnowledge Conference. October 18, 2017.
Invited Presentation “Who Makes Rules Online? Governance of Media Through Algorithms.” The New York Times Summer School, Fordham University. New York, NY, August 2017.
Invited Presentation, “Demythifying Algorithms and Challenging So-Called Structureless Spaces,” The 21st Annual BCLT/BTLJ Symposium on Platform Law: Intermediary Liability, Consumer Protection, and Beyond. University of Berkeley, CA, April 20 & 21, 2017.
Panelist for University of Virginia Media Panel with Siva Vaidhyanathan, Robyn Caplan and Julia Ticona. University of Virginia Club, Yale Club Library, January 12, 2017.
2016
Roundtable Discussion on Ethics in Technology. With Robyn Caplan, Patrick Lin, Keith Abney and Ryan Jenkins. Center for Design Research, Stanford University, December
Invited Presentation, “Who Controls the Media? Accountability in Algorithmically Shaped News and Dissemination.” Microsoft Corporation, Seattle, WA, September 27, 2016.
Panelist on Big Data and Discrimination. With Solon Borocas, Hanna Wallach, Robyn Caplan, Ben Casselman, and Meredith Broussard. Wagner School of Public Policy New York University, April 29th, 2016. 2016
Panelist on Online Harassment. With Sydette Harry, Robyn Caplan, Mitu Khanadaker Kokoris, and Caroline Sinders. FACETS Conference, MAGNET NYU, May 7-8 2016.
2014
Invited Presentation, “Open Data: Communicating Impact and Facilitating Feedback.” Rise Conference on Civic Innovation, Philadelphia, PA, October 24, 2014.
Competitive Workshops
2018
The Platformization of Cultural Production. University of Toronto. October 7-9. Presenter.
2017
Lessons from the Field Workshop. Data & Society Research Institute, Data & Society Research Institute, October 30. Discussant.
Media Manipulation and Propaganda Workshop, Data & Society Research Institute, May 19. Discussant.
Harmful Speech Online. Workshop convened by Berkman Center for Internet Society, Institute for Strategic Dialogue, and the Shorenstein Center for Media, Politics, and Public Policy. Harvard University, June 29-30, 2017.
Digital Technology and Democratic Theory. Convened by Rob Reich, Lucy Bernholz, and Hélène Landemore. Stanford University, May 4-7, 2018. Presenter and discussant.
Fighting Fake News. Workshop convened by Yale University’s Information Society Project & the Floyd Abrams Institute for Freedom of Expression. Yale Law School, March 7, 2017.
2016
Eclectic Paper Workshop. Data & Society Research Institute. Author/Presenter Isomorphism Through Algorithms: The Facebook NewsFeed and the News Media Industry. Presenter.
Science of Justice Conference. Department of Justice. Washington D.C., June 12, 2016.
The Police Data Initiative Year of Progress: Building on the President’s Call to Action to Leverage Open Data to Increase Trust Between Police and Citizens. The White House. Washington D.C., April 22, 2016.
2014
The Milton A. Wolf Seminar for Media and Diplomacy – Triumphs and Tragedies: Media and Global Events in 2014. Center for Global and Communication Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, the Diplomatic Academy, and the American Austrian University. Vienna, Austria. Presenter.
The Annenberg-Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute. Center for Global and Communication Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and Oxford University. Oxford, UK. Presenter.
Open Data Roundtable: Department of Commerce. The GovLab at New York University and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, White House. June, 18th. Note-taker and organizer.
Bridging the Gap Between Policy and Technology Speak. Transparency Camp. Washington D.C. Presenter.
Media Coverage and Interviews
2021 Interviewed by Marty Moss-Coane in “What to do About Facebook” for Whyy.org/NPR https://whyy.org/episodes/what-to-do-about-facebook/?fbclid=IwAR3Gxpzzpj4IY-8MtWUKtePuy857nwaWb6ykO2zCtumVVdhpTvl9RhqgShg
2021 Research cited by Mike Masnick in “Facebook’s Latest Scandals” for TechDirt https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20210929/17352047662/facebooks-latest-scandals-banality-hubris-messiness-humanity.shtml
2021 Quoted by Will Oremus in “Facebook keeps researching its own harms – and burying the findings in The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/16/facebook-files-internal-research-harms/
2021 Interviewed by Mathew Ingram and for “Facebook ‘transparency report’ turns out to be anything but’ for the Columbia Journalism Review https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/facebook-transparency-report-turns-out-to-be-anything-but.php
2021 Research cited in “Facebook, Twitter: Platforms or Media Companies?” for the Hindustan Times https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/facebook-twitter-platforms-or-media-companies-101612476121092.html
2021 Research cited by Kaitlyn Tiffany in “Reddit’s Work-Around for Vaccine Misinformation” for The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2021/09/reddits-workaround-vaccine-misinformation/620165/
2021 Interviewed by J. Khadijah Abdurahman and Amari Tulloch for the We Be imagining Podcast from Columbia University on platform governance.
2021 Research cited by Becca Lewis for Business Insider
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-ban-wasnt-censorship-it-was-an-editorial-decision-2021-1
2021 Quoted by Shwanika Narayan and Roland Li in “Internet crackdown on Trump” for the San Francisco Chronicle https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Bay-Area-internet-companies-crack-down-on-Trump-15862099.php
2020 Quoted by Kaitlyn Tiffany in “Why QAnon Left Reddit” in The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/09/reddit-qanon-ban-evasion-policy-moderation-facebook/616442/
2020 Research cited and interviewed by Shira Ovide in “YouTube’s Factory Workers Are Angry” in The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/13/technology/youtube-economy.html
2019 Quoted by Damien Cave. (March 31). “Countries Want to Ban ‘Weaponized’ Social Media. What Would That Look Like?” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/31/world/australia/countries-controlling-social-media.html
2020 Quoted by John Last in “No, Someone wasn’t fined for sharing a car in Yellowknife” for CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/fact-check-covid-19-fine-yellowknife-1.5533623
2020 Quoted by Chris Mills Rodrigo in “As misinformation surges, coronavirus poses a challenge” in The Hill https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/490257-as-misinformation-surges-coronavirus-poses-ai-challenge
2019 Quoted by Sara Harrison in “Instagram now fact-checks, but who will do the fact-checking? In Wired https://www.wired.com/story/instagram-fact-checks-who-will-do-checking/
2019 Research cited by Subramaniam Vincent in “Why Facebook left up the ‘Drunk Pelosi’ Video but YouTube Took it Down” in Slate Magazine. https://slate.com/technology/2019/06/facebook-twitter-pinterest-youtube-content-moderation-rules-guide.html
2019 Quoted by Billy Curry and Tamsin McMahon for The Globe and Mail https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-social-media-giants-pledge-joint-action-on-online-hate-at-summit-with/
2019 Quoted by The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/world/asia/ardern-social-media-content.html
2019 Quoted by The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/31/world/australia/countries-controlling-social-media.html
2019 Quoted by James Vincent. (February 27). “AI won’t relieve the misery of Facebook’s human moderators.” The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/27/18242724/facebook-moderation-ai-artificial-intelligence-platforms
2018 Quoted by Anna Hensel. (October 10). “Are Facebook, Twitter, and google ready for the midterms?” VentureBeat.com. https://venturebeat.com/2018/10/10/are-facebook-twitter-and-google-ready-for-the-midterms/.
2018 Quoted by Jason Koebler (August 10). “Deplatforming Works.” Vice Motherboard. https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/bjbp9d/do-social-media-bans-work.
2018 Quoted by Olivia Solon (April 10). “Congress wants to 'inflict pain’ on Mark Zuckerberg. Is he ready for it?” The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/10/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-testimony-senate-house-questioning
2018 Quoted by Olivia Solon (March 24). “’A grand illusion:’ seven days that shattered Facebook’s façade.” The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/24/cambridge-analytica-week-that-shattered-facebook-privacy
2018 Featured in documentary by Bob Abehouse, “Facebook, Russian trolls, and the new era of information warfare,” Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/blogs/americas/2018/01/facebook-russian-trolls-era-information-warfare-180131135425603.html
2017 Quoted by Ethan Chiel. (December 12). “Can Facebook and Google Be Disrupted.” NYMag. http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/12/facebook-and-google-have-grown-too-big-for-disruption.html
2017 Quoted by Jennifer Valentino-DeVries, Jeff Larson, and Julia Angwin. (December 5). “Facebook Allowed Political Ads That Were Actually Scams and Malware.” ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/facebook-political-ads-malware-scams-misleading.
2017 Featured in video by NBCNews. (Nov 28). “Can Anyone Trust Facebook?” https://www.nbcnews.com/think/video/can-anyone-trust-facebook-1105188931792.
2017 Quoted by Megan Rose Dickey. (April 30). “Algorithmic Accountability,” TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/30/algorithmic-accountability/.
2016 Quoted by Associated Press. (December 15). “Facebook Finally Gets Serious About Fighting Fake News.” Syndicated across multiple news outlets. https://www.ap.org/ap-in-the-news/2016/facebook-finally-gets-serious-about-fighting-fake-news.
2016 Quoted by Zana Cimili and Raphael Satter for Associated Press. (December 2). “In Macedonia’s fake news hub, teen shows AP how it’s done.” Syndicated across multiple news outlets. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/12fc49ad3b694f35b5c4a08513ec8d33/macedonias-fake-news-hub-teen-shows-ap-how-its-done.
2016 Quoted by William Turton. (November 14). “We Need to Stop Taking Facebook’s Word for It.” Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/we-need-to-stop-taking-facebooks-word-for-it-178895618
2016 Quoted by Farhad Manjoo. (June 26). “Facebook, a News Giant that Would Rather Show Us Baby Pictures.” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/30/technology/facebook-a-news-giant-that-would-rather-show-us-baby-pictures.html
2016 Quoted by Farhad Manjoo. (May 12). “Facebook’s Bias is Built in and Bears Watching.” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/12/technology/facebooks-bias-is-built-in-and-bears-watching.html?_r
Video editorial for NBC’s Think vertical.
If you’d like to contact me for press or speaking engagements, email robyn[at]datasociety[dot]net.
