Colin Rhinesmith
@crhinesmith.bsky.social
(he/they) 🌈 🌱 🌹 | Associate Professor and Director, Digital Equity Action Research (DEAR) Lab | School of Information Sciences | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | community-engaged and participatory researcher
Pinned
Thrilled to share the design for the cover of my new book, which will be published by the University of California Press in 2026! Many thanks to the UC Press creative team and Vanessa Rhinesmith for heavily informing the final design. #digitalequity
This is a very sad reality of our current moment in U.S. history. #publicbroadcasting
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to help fund US public broadcasting
The auction will support the medium that brought the Joy of Painting host's creativity into US homes for decades, Bob Ross Inc says.
www.bbc.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:09 AM
This is a very sad reality of our current moment in U.S. history. #publicbroadcasting
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
This is so clearly immoral that it *feels* like it should be illegal. But current IP laws (state-level rights of publicity) aren't up to the task & ratcheting them up would risk impinging on artistic freedom.
What we need instead is an anti-deepfake law, which Congress has tried and failed to pass.
What we need instead is an anti-deepfake law, which Congress has tried and failed to pass.
Exclusive: Meta has appropriated the names and likenesses of celebrities — including Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez — to create dozens of flirty social-media chatbots without their permission, Reuters has found reut.rs/3JWb00R
Exclusive: Meta created flirty chatbots of Taylor Swift, other celebrities without permission
Meta has appropriated the names and likenesses of celebrities – including Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez – to create dozens of flirty social-media chatbots without their permission, Reuters has found.
reut.rs
October 5, 2025 at 12:47 PM
This is so clearly immoral that it *feels* like it should be illegal. But current IP laws (state-level rights of publicity) aren't up to the task & ratcheting them up would risk impinging on artistic freedom.
What we need instead is an anti-deepfake law, which Congress has tried and failed to pass.
What we need instead is an anti-deepfake law, which Congress has tried and failed to pass.
Thrilled to share the design for the cover of my new book, which will be published by the University of California Press in 2026! Many thanks to the UC Press creative team and Vanessa Rhinesmith for heavily informing the final design. #digitalequity
October 2, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Thrilled to share the design for the cover of my new book, which will be published by the University of California Press in 2026! Many thanks to the UC Press creative team and Vanessa Rhinesmith for heavily informing the final design. #digitalequity
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
Data centers for AI and cloud computing don’t just use a lot of electricity – they also use enormous quantities of water as well, to cool down all those servers. buff.ly/KtLcLZ2
Data centers consume massive amounts of water – companies rarely tell the public exactly how much
In 2024, one data center in Iowa consumed 1 billion gallons of water, enough to supply all the state’s residences with water for five days.
theconversation.com
August 20, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Data centers for AI and cloud computing don’t just use a lot of electricity – they also use enormous quantities of water as well, to cool down all those servers. buff.ly/KtLcLZ2
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
Canceling Colbert is just another egregious example of why we can't entrust our major media institutions in the hands of profit-driven oligarchs. Such concentrated power over media is especially dangerous under growing authoritarianism, muffling dissent precisely at the moment when we need it most.
July 18, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Canceling Colbert is just another egregious example of why we can't entrust our major media institutions in the hands of profit-driven oligarchs. Such concentrated power over media is especially dangerous under growing authoritarianism, muffling dissent precisely at the moment when we need it most.
Thrilled to have a new article published in the Journal of Information Policy co-authored with my wonderful colleagues Dr. Pierrette Renée Dagg, Dr. Megan Knittel, and Joon Oh. #digitalequity #digitalinclusion #broadband doi.org/10.5325/jinf...
Beyond Access and Infrastructure: Evaluating the Impact of Local Contexts on Digital Equity Strategies Through the Lens of the Digital Opportunities Compass
Abstract. This article presents a multiple case study of context in shaping local digital equity policies in three communities in Michigan, United States. Few studies have systematically investigated ...
doi.org
July 9, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Thrilled to have a new article published in the Journal of Information Policy co-authored with my wonderful colleagues Dr. Pierrette Renée Dagg, Dr. Megan Knittel, and Joon Oh. #digitalequity #digitalinclusion #broadband doi.org/10.5325/jinf...
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
"Federal damage to affordable, equitable broadband and digital inclusion" via @bentoninstitute.bsky.social #digitalequity #digitalinclusion #broadband #SaveTheDigitalEquityAct uccmediajustice.org/federal-dama...
Federal damage to affordable, equitable broadband and digital inclusion
In recent days, major new proposals from the Trump Administration and the majority in Congress are damaging further mechanisms that would have provided low-cost broadband to households in need.
uccmediajustice.org
June 24, 2025 at 12:36 PM
"Federal damage to affordable, equitable broadband and digital inclusion" via @bentoninstitute.bsky.social #digitalequity #digitalinclusion #broadband #SaveTheDigitalEquityAct uccmediajustice.org/federal-dama...
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
BREAKING: Mahmoud Khalil speaks out after being released from ICE detention.
"The Trump administration are doing their best to dehumanize everyone here," Khalil said.
"The Trump administration are doing their best to dehumanize everyone here," Khalil said.
June 20, 2025 at 11:53 PM
BREAKING: Mahmoud Khalil speaks out after being released from ICE detention.
"The Trump administration are doing their best to dehumanize everyone here," Khalil said.
"The Trump administration are doing their best to dehumanize everyone here," Khalil said.
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
A significant development (via Wall Street Journal)...
"One of the first coordinated public efforts from the business community to push back on some of the Trump administration’s moves."
Business Leaders Call Trump Attacks on Universities a Competitive Threat
"One of the first coordinated public efforts from the business community to push back on some of the Trump administration’s moves."
Business Leaders Call Trump Attacks on Universities a Competitive Threat
Business Leaders Call Trump Attacks on Universities a Competitive Threat
More than 200 business leaders signed an open letter calling on the Trump administration to reverse its moves against colleges and universities, arguing that funding cuts and restrictions on [student
www.wsj.com
June 18, 2025 at 10:06 PM
A significant development (via Wall Street Journal)...
"One of the first coordinated public efforts from the business community to push back on some of the Trump administration’s moves."
Business Leaders Call Trump Attacks on Universities a Competitive Threat
"One of the first coordinated public efforts from the business community to push back on some of the Trump administration’s moves."
Business Leaders Call Trump Attacks on Universities a Competitive Threat
I am excited to share that our 2019 paper, titled “The Ability to Pay for Broadband” (Rhinesmith, Reisdorf, & Bishop) is now available open access in the journal Communication Research and Practice. #digitalequity #broadband #digitalinclusion www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
The ability to pay for broadband
This paper presents findings from two studies: a national study of digital inclusion programmes managed by community-based organisations in the USA that help people gain access to low-cost broadban...
www.tandfonline.com
June 18, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I am excited to share that our 2019 paper, titled “The Ability to Pay for Broadband” (Rhinesmith, Reisdorf, & Bishop) is now available open access in the journal Communication Research and Practice. #digitalequity #broadband #digitalinclusion www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
"The artificial intelligence boom means the Environment Agency has no idea how much water England will be short of in future decades, as datacentres do not have to report how much they are using to cool their servers."
AI boom means regulator cannot predict future water shortages in England
Datacentres, which do not have to report amount of water used to cool servers, leave Environment Agency with no idea of shortfalls
www.theguardian.com
June 18, 2025 at 11:32 AM
"The artificial intelligence boom means the Environment Agency has no idea how much water England will be short of in future decades, as datacentres do not have to report how much they are using to cool their servers."
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
🚨 There’s a lot of horrific news out of Washington right now—but you might have missed this: Senate Republicans just introduced a plan to sell off 120 million acres of our public lands.
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
June 16, 2025 at 9:13 PM
🚨 There’s a lot of horrific news out of Washington right now—but you might have missed this: Senate Republicans just introduced a plan to sell off 120 million acres of our public lands.
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
Unbelievable. The supposedly progressive state of MA, where I reside, is sharing teenagers' biometric data with FBI and ICE. Multiple students have recently been detained by ICE in Chelsea, MA.
We have a bill to stop this: H.1657 / S.1058.
Please send letters:
actionnetwork.org/letters/emai...
We have a bill to stop this: H.1657 / S.1058.
Please send letters:
actionnetwork.org/letters/emai...
Email MA State Reps and Senators
An incident at Chelsea High School on May 14th resulted in two students being detained by ICE. This revealed chilling loopholes in MA state law that leave our children, their families, and our communi...
actionnetwork.org
June 9, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Unbelievable. The supposedly progressive state of MA, where I reside, is sharing teenagers' biometric data with FBI and ICE. Multiple students have recently been detained by ICE in Chelsea, MA.
We have a bill to stop this: H.1657 / S.1058.
Please send letters:
actionnetwork.org/letters/emai...
We have a bill to stop this: H.1657 / S.1058.
Please send letters:
actionnetwork.org/letters/emai...
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
One of the reasons this program is so popular is the Whittier Public Library also offers free summer meals for kids and teens.
So ICE decided to show up the day the summer reading and free meal program for children began. Absolute ghouls.
www.whittierlibrary.org/Home/Compone...
So ICE decided to show up the day the summer reading and free meal program for children began. Absolute ghouls.
www.whittierlibrary.org/Home/Compone...
June 9, 2025 at 11:23 PM
One of the reasons this program is so popular is the Whittier Public Library also offers free summer meals for kids and teens.
So ICE decided to show up the day the summer reading and free meal program for children began. Absolute ghouls.
www.whittierlibrary.org/Home/Compone...
So ICE decided to show up the day the summer reading and free meal program for children began. Absolute ghouls.
www.whittierlibrary.org/Home/Compone...
"By threatening to defund Digital Equity Act programs, Trump has declared war on a program that benefitted many of his own supporters." #digitalequity #digitaldivide progressive.org/latest/trump...
Trump Wants to Keep America Digitally Divided
By threatening to defund Digital Equity Act programs, Trump has declared war on a program that benefitted many of his own supporters.
progressive.org
June 4, 2025 at 8:59 PM
"By threatening to defund Digital Equity Act programs, Trump has declared war on a program that benefitted many of his own supporters." #digitalequity #digitaldivide progressive.org/latest/trump...
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
This piece in the NY Times correctly hones in on why international students are vital to US interests
Kicking them out will destroy the research & development pipeline that has propelled the US into global leadership in science & tech
Kicking them out will destroy the research & development pipeline that has propelled the US into global leadership in science & tech
June 3, 2025 at 1:17 PM
This piece in the NY Times correctly hones in on why international students are vital to US interests
Kicking them out will destroy the research & development pipeline that has propelled the US into global leadership in science & tech
Kicking them out will destroy the research & development pipeline that has propelled the US into global leadership in science & tech
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
Stay connected with us wherever you are!
Follow us on all your favorite platforms for the latest news, events, and #iSchoolUI happenings—now including Bluesky! 🦋
Follow us on all your favorite platforms for the latest news, events, and #iSchoolUI happenings—now including Bluesky! 🦋
June 2, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Stay connected with us wherever you are!
Follow us on all your favorite platforms for the latest news, events, and #iSchoolUI happenings—now including Bluesky! 🦋
Follow us on all your favorite platforms for the latest news, events, and #iSchoolUI happenings—now including Bluesky! 🦋
"State Plans Show Us the Cost of Eliminating the Digital Equity Act" #digitaldivide #digitalequity #SavetheDigitalEquityAct www.benton.org/blog/state-p...
State Plans Show Us the Cost of Eliminating the Digital Equity Act
What states planned to do with their digital capacity funds shows the costs of eliminating the Digital Equity Act
www.benton.org
May 30, 2025 at 1:39 PM
"State Plans Show Us the Cost of Eliminating the Digital Equity Act" #digitaldivide #digitalequity #SavetheDigitalEquityAct www.benton.org/blog/state-p...
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
At least 31 gender and sexuality based resource centers have shuttered across 23 college campuses.
Read the full story here ⤵️
Read the full story here ⤵️
These Colleges Are Shuttering Their Women’s and LGBTQ+ Centers
Here’s what to know.
www.teenvogue.com
May 29, 2025 at 6:26 PM
At least 31 gender and sexuality based resource centers have shuttered across 23 college campuses.
Read the full story here ⤵️
Read the full story here ⤵️
Thrilled to share my new article with Sangha Kang-Le, titled "Understanding the Value of a Digital Equity Researcher-Practitioner Collaboration Using Participatory Action Research" just published in the Journal of Participatory Research Methods. #digitalequity jprm.scholasticahq.com/article/1290...
Understanding the Value of a Digital Equity Researcher-Practitioner Collaboration Using Participatory Action Research | Published in Journal of Participatory Research Methods
By Colin Rhinesmith, Sangha Kang-Le. Paper addresses a gap in the existing digital equity literature and deeply reflects on collaboration using PAR as a research/practitioner team.
jprm.scholasticahq.com
May 27, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Thrilled to share my new article with Sangha Kang-Le, titled "Understanding the Value of a Digital Equity Researcher-Practitioner Collaboration Using Participatory Action Research" just published in the Journal of Participatory Research Methods. #digitalequity jprm.scholasticahq.com/article/1290...
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
[1/5] We're launching a new thing @ the Metro NY Library Council: The Cross-Reference Coalition is an experimental school tracing exuberantly🤗 interdisciplinary links btw NYC's libraries + archives; connecting its knwldg workers, grad students, artists + designers. We'll also make a rad book...
METROCrossReferenceCoalition_Students
The Cross-Reference Coalition An Experimental School
docs.google.com
May 22, 2025 at 5:01 AM
[1/5] We're launching a new thing @ the Metro NY Library Council: The Cross-Reference Coalition is an experimental school tracing exuberantly🤗 interdisciplinary links btw NYC's libraries + archives; connecting its knwldg workers, grad students, artists + designers. We'll also make a rad book...
Reposted by Colin Rhinesmith
Tribal colleges and universities have endured decades of chronic underfunding, relying heavily on federal support to stay afloat. Now, the Trump administration’s broad cuts to federal programs are hitting Indian Country hard, posing a serious threat to the future of these vital institutions.
Tribal colleges face uncertain future amid federal funding cuts
Tribal colleges and universities have endured decades of chronic underfunding, relying heavily on federal support to stay afloat. Now, the Trump administration’s broad cuts to federal programs are…
buff.ly
May 23, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Tribal colleges and universities have endured decades of chronic underfunding, relying heavily on federal support to stay afloat. Now, the Trump administration’s broad cuts to federal programs are hitting Indian Country hard, posing a serious threat to the future of these vital institutions.