Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
@michaelann.bsky.social
Online Communities, Social Tech, Folk Theories, Epistemic Justice, Queer/Trans HCI. Assistant Prof of Computer Science & Comm Studies @ Northeastern University. @nusealab.bsky.social director. Neurodivergent, trans woman, wife girl, femme lesbian, dork.
Pinned
Hi, I'm Michael Ann, and I'm a Computer Science professor and longtime shitposter! I work on improving social technology. The shitposting is below, the science I'm responsible for is on my site:
- Epistemic Justice: wp.me/P2O4Fr-hN
- Folk Theorization: wp.me/P2O4Fr-9m
- Queer HCI: wp.me/P2O4Fr-9s
- Epistemic Justice: wp.me/P2O4Fr-hN
- Folk Theorization: wp.me/P2O4Fr-9m
- Queer HCI: wp.me/P2O4Fr-9s
Just going to send this post the next time a more senior academic asks me why I still bother with my lab’s core mission
With that said I think I’d rather be in this place of having a deep well of cynicism after having tried to do something about it and failed for all of the predictable reasons than to have been preemptively cynical about it and not tried anything at all.
January 24, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Just going to send this post the next time a more senior academic asks me why I still bother with my lab’s core mission
Reposted by Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
People like @ali-alkhatib.com keep pointing out that chatbots and “gen ai” are better understood as idealogical tools than as a particular set of technologies, and tech companies keep showing it to be true.
January 24, 2026 at 3:33 PM
People like @ali-alkhatib.com keep pointing out that chatbots and “gen ai” are better understood as idealogical tools than as a particular set of technologies, and tech companies keep showing it to be true.
Reposted by Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
When i see people i respect starting new substack newsletters it’s just so disappointing.
January 24, 2026 at 12:26 PM
When i see people i respect starting new substack newsletters it’s just so disappointing.
Reposted by Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
Thesis: ICE is un-American and the Minneapolis protestors are real Americans.
Antithesis: Ackshually ICE is operating in a long American tradition of racist terror.
Synthesis: Minneapolis is now the epicenter of a clash between two distinct but historically grounded American political traditions.
Antithesis: Ackshually ICE is operating in a long American tradition of racist terror.
Synthesis: Minneapolis is now the epicenter of a clash between two distinct but historically grounded American political traditions.
January 23, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Thesis: ICE is un-American and the Minneapolis protestors are real Americans.
Antithesis: Ackshually ICE is operating in a long American tradition of racist terror.
Synthesis: Minneapolis is now the epicenter of a clash between two distinct but historically grounded American political traditions.
Antithesis: Ackshually ICE is operating in a long American tradition of racist terror.
Synthesis: Minneapolis is now the epicenter of a clash between two distinct but historically grounded American political traditions.
Yes, Elizabeth, many of us *do* believe that children should be taken out of abusive situations, especially when the parents have a long history of child abuse and medical neglect. It's not a very hard concept to grasp. Refusing childhood vaccination is medical neglect. Also, straight-up evil. So.
January 23, 2026 at 9:50 PM
Yes, Elizabeth, many of us *do* believe that children should be taken out of abusive situations, especially when the parents have a long history of child abuse and medical neglect. It's not a very hard concept to grasp. Refusing childhood vaccination is medical neglect. Also, straight-up evil. So.
IMO, it continues to be wild when we look at one or two pieces of culturally-relevant content and say "this is X group's whole culture" - like, there's literally never been a case where that's true.
Monoculture is a rhetorical frame used to cut out the visibility of other options, not... a fun goal
Monoculture is a rhetorical frame used to cut out the visibility of other options, not... a fun goal
January 23, 2026 at 9:40 PM
IMO, it continues to be wild when we look at one or two pieces of culturally-relevant content and say "this is X group's whole culture" - like, there's literally never been a case where that's true.
Monoculture is a rhetorical frame used to cut out the visibility of other options, not... a fun goal
Monoculture is a rhetorical frame used to cut out the visibility of other options, not... a fun goal
Basically teaching headology in seminar today as we focus on how to get computer scientists to care about social justice - being a professor is, at times, extremely rad.
January 23, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Basically teaching headology in seminar today as we focus on how to get computer scientists to care about social justice - being a professor is, at times, extremely rad.
Reposted by Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
TiktTok is getting enrolled in the fight against society as a cognitive weapon for fascists. Staying on that platform, on any of these platforms, will degrade your ability to make sense of reality and resist fascist fantasism.
January 23, 2026 at 5:14 PM
TiktTok is getting enrolled in the fight against society as a cognitive weapon for fascists. Staying on that platform, on any of these platforms, will degrade your ability to make sense of reality and resist fascist fantasism.
You have to stop trusting Larry Ellison.
*checks field notes on the youth*
You have to learn who Larry Ellison is, and then decide to never trust him.
*checks field notes on the youth*
You have to learn who Larry Ellison is, and then decide to never trust him.
January 23, 2026 at 5:14 PM
You have to stop trusting Larry Ellison.
*checks field notes on the youth*
You have to learn who Larry Ellison is, and then decide to never trust him.
*checks field notes on the youth*
You have to learn who Larry Ellison is, and then decide to never trust him.
Hmm. Looks like my college's decision to not just refuse to drop DEI, but actively expand and center it over the last year was the correct one both morally *and* legally.
Unlike *some* folks in this town and across the river.
Unlike *some* folks in this town and across the river.
Trump administration drops legal appeal over anti-DEI funding threat to schools and colleges. This leaves in place a federal judge's ruling that the anti-DEI effort violated the First Amendment and federal procedural rules. (Via AP) apnews.com/article/dei-... #ncpol #nced
Trump administration drops legal appeal over anti-DEI funding threat to schools and colleges
The Trump administration is dropping its appeal of a federal court ruling that blocked a campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion threatening federal funding to the nation’s schools and colle...
apnews.com
January 23, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Hmm. Looks like my college's decision to not just refuse to drop DEI, but actively expand and center it over the last year was the correct one both morally *and* legally.
Unlike *some* folks in this town and across the river.
Unlike *some* folks in this town and across the river.
Reposted by Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
The real problem that Liberals have is that nobody believes Conservative propaganda like Liberals do, not even Conservatives.
January 22, 2026 at 9:04 PM
The real problem that Liberals have is that nobody believes Conservative propaganda like Liberals do, not even Conservatives.
Reposted by Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
One of the reasons I am so insistent that everyone remember that only 22% of the US population voted for Trump is that the Christian Nationalists want the myth of a mandate in circulation.
We need to reject it. They never had a mandate, and their coalition is shrinking.
We need to reject it. They never had a mandate, and their coalition is shrinking.
The new NYT poll finds Trump 17 points underwater on immigration, and the nonwhite and young voters who went to Trump in 2024 have snapped back to Dems
It's almost as if 2024 might not have represented a seismic cultural realignment on immigration after all, despite 1,000 NYT op eds to the contrary
It's almost as if 2024 might not have represented a seismic cultural realignment on immigration after all, despite 1,000 NYT op eds to the contrary
January 22, 2026 at 5:17 PM
One of the reasons I am so insistent that everyone remember that only 22% of the US population voted for Trump is that the Christian Nationalists want the myth of a mandate in circulation.
We need to reject it. They never had a mandate, and their coalition is shrinking.
We need to reject it. They never had a mandate, and their coalition is shrinking.
This is the reality, as opposed to what seems to be being portrayed by the global (not just the US) media: people are fighting back. They've *been* fighting back. They will *continue* to fight back.
Stop believing the people on TV who are literally paid to tell you to never look behind the curtain.
Stop believing the people on TV who are literally paid to tell you to never look behind the curtain.
I have been actively involved in protest movements for 24 years. I have never seen anything approaching this scale. Minneapolis is not accepting what's happening here. ICE fucking murdered a woman for participating in this, and all that did is bring out more people, from more walks of life.
January 22, 2026 at 4:54 PM
This is the reality, as opposed to what seems to be being portrayed by the global (not just the US) media: people are fighting back. They've *been* fighting back. They will *continue* to fight back.
Stop believing the people on TV who are literally paid to tell you to never look behind the curtain.
Stop believing the people on TV who are literally paid to tell you to never look behind the curtain.
As a well-respected person with a PhD and a CS lab, my official take on this is that it's not doomerism to point out real harms stemming from a technology that is 100% a scam, and simply does not work in the field
My other official opinion is that it's always morally correct to dunk on NVIDIA's CEO
My other official opinion is that it's always morally correct to dunk on NVIDIA's CEO
Calling all the PhDs I know to make monumental annoyances of themselves (and honestly, who better)
January 22, 2026 at 4:45 PM
As a well-respected person with a PhD and a CS lab, my official take on this is that it's not doomerism to point out real harms stemming from a technology that is 100% a scam, and simply does not work in the field
My other official opinion is that it's always morally correct to dunk on NVIDIA's CEO
My other official opinion is that it's always morally correct to dunk on NVIDIA's CEO
Once upon a time, there wasn't a global communications network that let us interact with individual citizens of other countries on a regular basis. When we thought about other countries, it made sense to think of the people as facelessly aligned with the country's leaders.
That time isn't now.
That time isn't now.
January 22, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Once upon a time, there wasn't a global communications network that let us interact with individual citizens of other countries on a regular basis. When we thought about other countries, it made sense to think of the people as facelessly aligned with the country's leaders.
That time isn't now.
That time isn't now.
It gets funnier and funnier the more the CEOs cry in public about us not liking their products.
Do some market research before you commit next time, you incompetent dipshits.
Do some market research before you commit next time, you incompetent dipshits.
January 22, 2026 at 3:06 PM
It gets funnier and funnier the more the CEOs cry in public about us not liking their products.
Do some market research before you commit next time, you incompetent dipshits.
Do some market research before you commit next time, you incompetent dipshits.
Legit excited for y'all to see these CHI papers - quick preview:
1) Transfem platform migration & loss (+ what we can do)
2) Platforms for a-spec relationship negotiation (instead of trad. dating platforms)
3) Internet aesthetics as a site of BIPOC resistance (+ a look at platform microaggresions)
1) Transfem platform migration & loss (+ what we can do)
2) Platforms for a-spec relationship negotiation (instead of trad. dating platforms)
3) Internet aesthetics as a site of BIPOC resistance (+ a look at platform microaggresions)
January 21, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Legit excited for y'all to see these CHI papers - quick preview:
1) Transfem platform migration & loss (+ what we can do)
2) Platforms for a-spec relationship negotiation (instead of trad. dating platforms)
3) Internet aesthetics as a site of BIPOC resistance (+ a look at platform microaggresions)
1) Transfem platform migration & loss (+ what we can do)
2) Platforms for a-spec relationship negotiation (instead of trad. dating platforms)
3) Internet aesthetics as a site of BIPOC resistance (+ a look at platform microaggresions)
"Is there scientific backing for your personal lived experience" is a wild and deeply inappropriate question, and yet any trans person trying to talk about their body has to deal with it from doctors and other trans folks alike. And sometimes other trans folks are shittier about it.
So that sucks.
So that sucks.
January 21, 2026 at 8:13 PM
"Is there scientific backing for your personal lived experience" is a wild and deeply inappropriate question, and yet any trans person trying to talk about their body has to deal with it from doctors and other trans folks alike. And sometimes other trans folks are shittier about it.
So that sucks.
So that sucks.
Reposted by Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
Engaging in nationalism-driven fantasist reality denial to intentionally deprive yourself of the possibility of collaboration with allies in the struggle against fascism is just doing a localized micro-fascism of sorts.
January 21, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Engaging in nationalism-driven fantasist reality denial to intentionally deprive yourself of the possibility of collaboration with allies in the struggle against fascism is just doing a localized micro-fascism of sorts.
It's becoming pretty clear who is here to fight fascism and who is here to use the global wave of fascism as a cover for settling personal scores.
January 21, 2026 at 5:43 PM
It's becoming pretty clear who is here to fight fascism and who is here to use the global wave of fascism as a cover for settling personal scores.
Reposted by Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
Every time a Democrat says they understand why parents are concerned about pronouns or trans girls playing sports or whatever the fuck, they are campaigning for the party that will deliver on the affirmed “good“ that is transphobia
January 21, 2026 at 2:05 AM
Every time a Democrat says they understand why parents are concerned about pronouns or trans girls playing sports or whatever the fuck, they are campaigning for the party that will deliver on the affirmed “good“ that is transphobia
Reposted by Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
One of the worst shifts in the new media post-literacy environment is that unsourced claims by random substackers/youtubers become circulated as common knowledge by organizations and no one blinks an eye or thinks about how this is the same way that the conspiracist post-truth right operates.
January 20, 2026 at 6:20 PM
One of the worst shifts in the new media post-literacy environment is that unsourced claims by random substackers/youtubers become circulated as common knowledge by organizations and no one blinks an eye or thinks about how this is the same way that the conspiracist post-truth right operates.
Reposted by Michael Ann, sociotechnical femme
if millennials can be part of one last good thing before we fade away to the ascent of gen z and gen alpha, let us help destroy the AI industry.
When the bubble bursts expect a lot of “you refused to adopt it” talk
January 20, 2026 at 5:42 PM
if millennials can be part of one last good thing before we fade away to the ascent of gen z and gen alpha, let us help destroy the AI industry.
I'd be mad about people asking me if I'm pregnant but tbh the way I dress, hold myself, the shape of my belly, and my constant snacking........... IDK that I can be that mad, I may be the source of my own problem
January 20, 2026 at 5:03 PM
I'd be mad about people asking me if I'm pregnant but tbh the way I dress, hold myself, the shape of my belly, and my constant snacking........... IDK that I can be that mad, I may be the source of my own problem
We should go back to calling men "cads" when they act ungentlemanly towards women
January 20, 2026 at 4:17 PM
We should go back to calling men "cads" when they act ungentlemanly towards women