Today’s guests have written a study about the Google Search engine, and the subtle – and not-so-subtle – ways in which it shows its bias, and in many ways perpetuates tired old stereotypes. Orestis Papakyriakopoulos is a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Policy. His research showcases political issues and provides ideas, frameworks, and practical solutions towards just, inclusive and participatory algorithms. Arwa Michelle Mboya is a research assistant at the MIT Media Lab. She is a virtual reality programmer and researcher who investigates the socio-economic effects of enhanced imagination.
How can you can improve your privacy in your everyday use of web browsers, email, text messaging and other apps? Our guest is David Sherry, the chief information security officer here at Princeton. He’s responsible for shoring up security at this Ivy League campus of more than 15,000 people. He has 20 years of experience in information security management. He can -- and often does -- speak publicly about how he manages to herd all those cats to make Princeton safer for technology. But today, he’s agreed to provide tips that anyone can use to improve their privacy in their own digital lives. ...
While we're using electronic gadgets, apps, platforms and websites, they are often using us as well, including tracking our personal data. The premiere episode of our new podcast features Arvind Narayanan, associate professor of computer science here at the Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science. He is a widely recognized expert in the area of information privacy and fairness in machine learning. This conversation was so good, we split it into two episodes. This is the first half of our conversation. In this half, he discusses “cross-device tracking,” in which one electronic device (say, your work laptop) sends you ads based on your browsing activity on another device (say, your mobile phone). He talks about which web browsers are more likely to allow third-party trackers to record your activity. And he talks about steps you can take to protect yourself against these trackers. ...
When you’re shopping for a new gadget online, there’s a good chance you consulted the reviews on YouTube. So many of them are well produced and very thoughtful takes on the latest computer or camera equipment, services, even food and toys. But are they unbiased? Our guest today, Michael Swart, says a lot of them are practically paid commercials without even telling you. And he has a way to tell the difference. ...
