August 20, 2025

Driverless vehicles need overarching, impartial regulation, Co-Director says

Politico

The ongoing federal government’s staffing reduction is leaving a gap in industries that need support from regulation, including driverless cars, TPL Co-Director Ryan Calo said. In an article in Politico examining autonomous vehicle regulation, Calo spoke out against the changing landscape. “[The Transportation Department] is taking away existing regulations that would stand in the way […]

August 19, 2025

Co-Director talks Amish, crypto and more in “5 Questions”

Politico

In a conversation with Politico, Co-Director Ryan Calo discusses how we can rethink our interactions with technology. The “5 Questions” feature covers Calo’s thoughts on technology adoption, what surprises him and what shaped him. Read the full article here: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/digital-future-daily/2025/07/18/5-questions-for-ryan-calo-00462703

August 2, 2025

Interdisciplinary collaboration welcomes expert in tech accessibility

Tech Policy Lab

On June 5, the Lab welcomed Jonathan Lazar, PhD, LLM, a professor of informatics at the University of Maryland, to a special Tech Policy Discussion. In an event co-sponsored with Society + Technology at UW and CREATE, the Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences, Lazar discussed his passion for accessibility and […]

June 20, 2025

Co-Director calls out risks of TikTok extension

NPR

Co-Director Ryan Calo weighed in on a recent episode of NPR’s “All Things Considered” about Trump granting a new reprieve to TikTok. President Trump signed an executive order on June 19 granting TikTok a 90-day reprieve from enforcement of The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which Congress passed with bipartisan support last year […]

June 7, 2025

‘Technology for the People’ emphasized how technology can bridge–not break–social relationships

UW Communication’s Center for Journalism, Media, and Democracy

Crossposting the UW Communication’s Center for Journalism, Media, and Democracy (CJMD)’s article about “Technology for the People,” a Society + Technology at UW (S+T) salon co-hosted with CJMD. On April 12, 2025, Society + Technology at UW co-hosted ‘Technology for the People,’ a salon that brought together prominent voices from all three UW campuses in the technology, […]

May 25, 2025

Duo critically analyzes AI claims in new book

GeekWire

Faculty Associate Emily Bender’s new book, “The AI Con,” takes a critical look at AI marketing and is highlighted in GeekWire’s Bot or Not? series. In the interview, Bender and her co-author Alex Hanna, the Director of Research at the Distributed AI Research Institute, discuss why it’s so important to be thoughtful about the claims around […]

May 24, 2025

Team’s research finds tech workers growing disillusioned

GeekWire

A recent study co-authored by UW student affiliate Vannary Sou found that layoffs in the tech industry have caused increasing feelings of discontent among workers. “The Cruel Optimism of Tech Work: Tech Workers’ Affective Attachments in the Aftermath of 2022-23 Tech Layoffs” was presented at CHI 2025 in Japan. The research looked at how workers […]

May 15, 2025

Impact of AI on hiring process includes bias, team research finds

Brookings

If you’re looking for a job, chances are that you’re going to intersect with AI whether you like it or not. It’s become a standard piece of the hiring and interview process for many companies. So what does this mean about how your candidacy is perceived? Co-Director Aylin Caliskan and PhD student Kyra Wilson published […]

Lab marks 10 years of impact

Tech Policy Lab

The Tech Policy Lab’s recent 10 Year Celebration was a bit of a family reunion.  The event on May 5 brought together multiple generations of TPL affiliates: alumni, students, co-directors, faculty, and current and former staff. They came together from around the state to celebrate the 10th birthday of the program that has and continues […]

May 9, 2025

AI impact on language is growing, Faculty Associate says

The Atlantic

Faculty Associate Emily Bender weighs in on the influence AI is having on language in a new article in The Atlantic. “The Great Language Flattening” highlights how the widespread usage of tools like ChatGPT is creating a “sameness” across writing styles. People are seeing patterns and picking up on them and in turn using them […]