J. Nathan Matias
@natematias.bsky.social
I work with communities on citizen science for safer, fairer, more understanding Internet. Founder: Citizens & Technology Lab. Assistant Prof in Communication at Cornell · Guatemalan-American. @[email protected]
natematias.com
citizensandtech.org
natematias.com
citizensandtech.org
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
“Farid says that he now counsels students to not go into AI research, because of the “frenzy” in the field and the large volume of low-quality work being put out by people hoping to better their career prospects”
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Artificial intelligence research has a slop problem, academics say: ‘It’s a mess’
AI research in question as author claims to have written over 100 papers on AI that one expert calls a ‘disaster’
www.theguardian.com
December 7, 2025 at 9:45 AM
“Farid says that he now counsels students to not go into AI research, because of the “frenzy” in the field and the large volume of low-quality work being put out by people hoping to better their career prospects”
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
Today, December 6th, is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada. I wrote about the event that precipitated its creation, and its role in my own life, on its 25th anniversary. buttondown.com/metafoundry/...
thirty-six years later
Engineering Cairn, UBC (December 3, 2025) I wrote and first shared this piece in December 2014. It’s been lightly edited and updated, including new links for...
buttondown.com
December 6, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Today, December 6th, is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada. I wrote about the event that precipitated its creation, and its role in my own life, on its 25th anniversary. buttondown.com/metafoundry/...
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
A decade of trying to do good science together *with* communities—that's the core of the most recent peer-reviewed article written by @natematias.bsky.social and Megan Price of @hrdag.org natematias.medium.com/gravity-and-...
Gravity and Grace in the Science of AI
Learning from stories that brought me to tears through a hopeful commitment to the truth
natematias.medium.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:53 PM
A decade of trying to do good science together *with* communities—that's the core of the most recent peer-reviewed article written by @natematias.bsky.social and Megan Price of @hrdag.org natematias.medium.com/gravity-and-...
Earlier tonight, a friend asked why I bicycle home at night in the Ithaca winter even on days when snow is on the ground.
It's hard to put into words, I said. But it's worth it.
It's hard to put into words, I said. But it's worth it.
December 5, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Earlier tonight, a friend asked why I bicycle home at night in the Ithaca winter even on days when snow is on the ground.
It's hard to put into words, I said. But it's worth it.
It's hard to put into words, I said. But it's worth it.
"Moved too fast with too little evidence" really does seem to be a rallying cry for so many tech investors
via @blackamazon.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/nucleus...
via @blackamazon.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/nucleus...
Nucleus Genomics CEO explains how "genetic optimization" tools help parents select traits they desire in babies
Kian Sadeghi, the 25-year-old founder and CEO at Nucleus Genomics, tells "CBS Mornings" that parents have every right to select the qualities and traits they desire in their child.
www.cbsnews.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:41 PM
"Moved too fast with too little evidence" really does seem to be a rallying cry for so many tech investors
via @blackamazon.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/nucleus...
via @blackamazon.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/nucleus...
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
Crawling out from under my rock to go to Neurips Dec 4-7! Would love to meet and catch up.
Would love to chat about: causal inference & ML & (mostly offline) RL, bridging predictions and interventions in social systems (come to Simons Jan 9-14 simons.berkeley.edu/workshops/br... ), social services
Would love to chat about: causal inference & ML & (mostly offline) RL, bridging predictions and interventions in social systems (come to Simons Jan 9-14 simons.berkeley.edu/workshops/br... ), social services
simons.berkeley.edu
December 1, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Crawling out from under my rock to go to Neurips Dec 4-7! Would love to meet and catch up.
Would love to chat about: causal inference & ML & (mostly offline) RL, bridging predictions and interventions in social systems (come to Simons Jan 9-14 simons.berkeley.edu/workshops/br... ), social services
Would love to chat about: causal inference & ML & (mostly offline) RL, bridging predictions and interventions in social systems (come to Simons Jan 9-14 simons.berkeley.edu/workshops/br... ), social services
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
I wrote a workbook earlier this year about taking risks in higher ed. The premise is that the current moment requires us to take action to advance our principles in a context of repression and fear. The reality is this can put our jobs and our safety at risk.
halperta.com/shalperta%20...
halperta.com/shalperta%20...
Taking Action in Higher Ed
Taking Action for Higher Education is a workbook to assist university workers in assessing personal risk and making decisions about how and when to take action to resist fascism.
halperta.com
December 1, 2025 at 8:37 PM
I wrote a workbook earlier this year about taking risks in higher ed. The premise is that the current moment requires us to take action to advance our principles in a context of repression and fear. The reality is this can put our jobs and our safety at risk.
halperta.com/shalperta%20...
halperta.com/shalperta%20...
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
We're partnering with the Tarbell Center for their 2026 AI Journalism Fellowship!
Apply here to become our next Tarbell Fellow 👉 www.tarbellcenter.org/fellowship
Apply here to become our next Tarbell Fellow 👉 www.tarbellcenter.org/fellowship
December 1, 2025 at 3:25 PM
We're partnering with the Tarbell Center for their 2026 AI Journalism Fellowship!
Apply here to become our next Tarbell Fellow 👉 www.tarbellcenter.org/fellowship
Apply here to become our next Tarbell Fellow 👉 www.tarbellcenter.org/fellowship
Grateful for a normal Sunday - fixing a neighbor's bike, fixing electric charging infrastructure, writing a letter to my state Senator, washing the dishes, planning the final week of lectures, analyzing data, downloading Hades II & Kabuto Park for the winter break, and putting up the advent candles.
November 30, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Grateful for a normal Sunday - fixing a neighbor's bike, fixing electric charging infrastructure, writing a letter to my state Senator, washing the dishes, planning the final week of lectures, analyzing data, downloading Hades II & Kabuto Park for the winter break, and putting up the advent candles.
The University of Toronto CS Department is recruiting applications for a Canada Research Chair, Tier 2, in Human-Computer Interaction
The job is open only to individuals who self-identify as women and/or members of gender equity seeking groups
research.utoronto.ca/crc-opps/db/...
The job is open only to individuals who self-identify as women and/or members of gender equity seeking groups
research.utoronto.ca/crc-opps/db/...
Faculty of Arts & Science (Dept of Computer Science - Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)) - NSERC - Targeted Call | Research & Innovation
November 18, 2025
research.utoronto.ca
November 29, 2025 at 11:34 PM
The University of Toronto CS Department is recruiting applications for a Canada Research Chair, Tier 2, in Human-Computer Interaction
The job is open only to individuals who self-identify as women and/or members of gender equity seeking groups
research.utoronto.ca/crc-opps/db/...
The job is open only to individuals who self-identify as women and/or members of gender equity seeking groups
research.utoronto.ca/crc-opps/db/...
Catching up on a project to review the state of validation studies for a few psychological constructs relevant to my upcoming work.
Send help. Every time I look at the state of measurement in cs and the social sciences it’s a bit terrifying.
Send help. Every time I look at the state of measurement in cs and the social sciences it’s a bit terrifying.
November 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Catching up on a project to review the state of validation studies for a few psychological constructs relevant to my upcoming work.
Send help. Every time I look at the state of measurement in cs and the social sciences it’s a bit terrifying.
Send help. Every time I look at the state of measurement in cs and the social sciences it’s a bit terrifying.
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
“This is just a foretaste of the heavenly banquet,” said (Very Rev Amy) McCreath. “It’s like this vision of the world that God wants for us all the time.” Thank you @bostonglobe.com for this very American & very hopeful story of feeding community on #Thanksgiving www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/27/m...
On Thanksgiving, Muslims and Christians join forces to serve people experiencing homelessness - The Boston Globe
“We’re gonna eat a lot of food and have a great time. There is nowhere else I’d rather be,” Christie Towers.
www.bostonglobe.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:56 PM
“This is just a foretaste of the heavenly banquet,” said (Very Rev Amy) McCreath. “It’s like this vision of the world that God wants for us all the time.” Thank you @bostonglobe.com for this very American & very hopeful story of feeding community on #Thanksgiving www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/27/m...
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
Big thanks to @natematias.bsky.social for this extremely touching and kind post about some of our research! (Amazing co-first authors are my PhD student @renberlinghieri.bsky.social and postdoc David Burt, and awesome collaborators are Paolo Giani and Arlene Fiore.)
This August as I sheltered indoors from wildfire smoke, I got a moving note from MIT statisticians - my disability story had informed a fundamental insight about wildfire smoke forecasting that could someday help AI systems protect public health.
Here's the story:
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Here's the story:
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Is it safe to go outside? Including disability voices in tests of wildfire smoke forecasts
What counts as a useful pollution forecast when you’re trying to manage your physical health?
natematias.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Big thanks to @natematias.bsky.social for this extremely touching and kind post about some of our research! (Amazing co-first authors are my PhD student @renberlinghieri.bsky.social and postdoc David Burt, and awesome collaborators are Paolo Giani and Arlene Fiore.)
Grateful for folks going to Neurips to present research on biases in generative AI. Also thinking about Toni Morrison's timeless quote that the function of racism is distraction.
Tired of technologists putting the burden of proof on scientists to prove predictable harms.
Tired of technologists putting the burden of proof on scientists to prove predictable harms.
November 26, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Grateful for folks going to Neurips to present research on biases in generative AI. Also thinking about Toni Morrison's timeless quote that the function of racism is distraction.
Tired of technologists putting the burden of proof on scientists to prove predictable harms.
Tired of technologists putting the burden of proof on scientists to prove predictable harms.
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
If you are interested in the methodology behind the Data Workers' Inquiry Project (@dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social), this is the paper for you.
Research doesn't have to be exploitative.👇🏽
Research doesn't have to be exploitative.👇🏽
📣New paper!
Thrilled to share the methodological recipe for @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social in this article co-authored with @adiod.bsky.social @krystalkauffman.bsky.social Camilla Salim Wagner, Laurenz Sachenbacher @alexhanna.bsky.social & @timnitgebru.bsky.social
👉 ojs.aaai.org/index.php/AI...
Thrilled to share the methodological recipe for @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social in this article co-authored with @adiod.bsky.social @krystalkauffman.bsky.social Camilla Salim Wagner, Laurenz Sachenbacher @alexhanna.bsky.social & @timnitgebru.bsky.social
👉 ojs.aaai.org/index.php/AI...
November 26, 2025 at 12:45 AM
If you are interested in the methodology behind the Data Workers' Inquiry Project (@dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social), this is the paper for you.
Research doesn't have to be exploitative.👇🏽
Research doesn't have to be exploitative.👇🏽
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
One of the big tidal forces of the coming years is that the baseline reliability of things you see on a screen is going to decline.
I think this has not been adequately metabolized.
This is one version, but there are a bunch of them.
I think this has not been adequately metabolized.
This is one version, but there are a bunch of them.
NEW: AI “recipe slop” is overrunning search and social. Food creators say Google’s AI Overviews and glossy fake food pics are drowning out real, tested recipes — collapsing traffic and setting home cooks up for disaster, especially this Thanksgiving.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
AI Slop Recipes Are Taking Over the Internet -- And Thanksgiving Dinner
Food bloggers see traffic dip as home cooks turn to AI, inspired by impossible pictures
www.bloomberg.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM
One of the big tidal forces of the coming years is that the baseline reliability of things you see on a screen is going to decline.
I think this has not been adequately metabolized.
This is one version, but there are a bunch of them.
I think this has not been adequately metabolized.
This is one version, but there are a bunch of them.
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
This August as I sheltered indoors from wildfire smoke, I got a moving note from MIT statisticians - my disability story had informed a fundamental insight about wildfire smoke forecasting that could someday help AI systems protect public health.
Here's the story:
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Here's the story:
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Is it safe to go outside? Including disability voices in tests of wildfire smoke forecasts
What counts as a useful pollution forecast when you’re trying to manage your physical health?
natematias.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:17 AM
This August as I sheltered indoors from wildfire smoke, I got a moving note from MIT statisticians - my disability story had informed a fundamental insight about wildfire smoke forecasting that could someday help AI systems protect public health.
Here's the story:
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Here's the story:
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
This August as I sheltered indoors from wildfire smoke, I got a moving note from MIT statisticians - my disability story had informed a fundamental insight about wildfire smoke forecasting that could someday help AI systems protect public health.
Here's the story:
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Here's the story:
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Is it safe to go outside? Including disability voices in tests of wildfire smoke forecasts
What counts as a useful pollution forecast when you’re trying to manage your physical health?
natematias.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:17 AM
This August as I sheltered indoors from wildfire smoke, I got a moving note from MIT statisticians - my disability story had informed a fundamental insight about wildfire smoke forecasting that could someday help AI systems protect public health.
Here's the story:
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Here's the story:
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
Many people don't know this but arXiv is maintained and operated by @cornelltech.bsky.social (that does NOT mean you can send me complaints or feature requests!)
Everyone in the community should be excited that arXiv got $7M to upgrade from Schmidt Sciences, NASA
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...
Everyone in the community should be excited that arXiv got $7M to upgrade from Schmidt Sciences, NASA
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...
$7M grant from NASA, Schmidt Sciences to upgrade arXiv | Cornell Chronicle
The funding will help arXiv – which is maintained and operated by Cornell Tech – finish migrating to cloud infrastructure and modernizing its code.
news.cornell.edu
November 24, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Many people don't know this but arXiv is maintained and operated by @cornelltech.bsky.social (that does NOT mean you can send me complaints or feature requests!)
Everyone in the community should be excited that arXiv got $7M to upgrade from Schmidt Sciences, NASA
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...
Everyone in the community should be excited that arXiv got $7M to upgrade from Schmidt Sciences, NASA
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
The UW Center for an Informed Public is looking for postdocs (for 2026-2028) from across diverse disciplines whose research sheds light on the challenges of our modern information environment, promotes civic health, and/or helps people/communities navigate online spaces: apply.interfolio.com/177901
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:26 PM
The UW Center for an Informed Public is looking for postdocs (for 2026-2028) from across diverse disciplines whose research sheds light on the challenges of our modern information environment, promotes civic health, and/or helps people/communities navigate online spaces: apply.interfolio.com/177901
Writing the intro to a high-stakes article, I'm grateful for the years of training and community in the art of making the truth sing.
November 23, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Writing the intro to a high-stakes article, I'm grateful for the years of training and community in the art of making the truth sing.
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
After two weeks of #COP30 negotiations, countries agreed to BEGIN DISCUSSIONS on fossil fuel phase out. And as the article says, "they achieved this incremental progress only in the teeth of implacable opposition from oil-producing countries."
THIS is the problem with requiring unanimous decisions.
THIS is the problem with requiring unanimous decisions.
End of fossil fuel era inches closer as Cop30 deal agreed after bitter standoff
Wealthy countries agree to triple funds for countries to tackle climate impacts, but deforestation and critical minerals blocked from final deal
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:52 PM
After two weeks of #COP30 negotiations, countries agreed to BEGIN DISCUSSIONS on fossil fuel phase out. And as the article says, "they achieved this incremental progress only in the teeth of implacable opposition from oil-producing countries."
THIS is the problem with requiring unanimous decisions.
THIS is the problem with requiring unanimous decisions.
"The idea that a gadget... could tell you how many calories you personally burned... was revolutionary. It was also wrong."
"By the time a researcher... runs a study, writes it up, submits it to a journal, and finally gets it published... the company has moved on."
lifehacker.com/you-cant-tru...
"By the time a researcher... runs a study, writes it up, submits it to a journal, and finally gets it published... the company has moved on."
lifehacker.com/you-cant-tru...
Your Fitness Tracker Has No Idea How Many Calories You’re Burning
Before FItbits and Apple Watches, no one knew how many calories they were burning during a workout. Even after Fitbits and Apple Watches, though, they still don't really—because calorie burn data can'...
lifehacker.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:31 PM
"The idea that a gadget... could tell you how many calories you personally burned... was revolutionary. It was also wrong."
"By the time a researcher... runs a study, writes it up, submits it to a journal, and finally gets it published... the company has moved on."
lifehacker.com/you-cant-tru...
"By the time a researcher... runs a study, writes it up, submits it to a journal, and finally gets it published... the company has moved on."
lifehacker.com/you-cant-tru...
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
The International Association for Cryptologic Research has used heliosvoting.org – my online voting system – for a number of years.
This year, a trustee lost their secret key. The election has to be re-run.
Below, a few thoughts that didn't fit in the NYT piece.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/w...
This year, a trustee lost their secret key. The election has to be re-run.
Below, a few thoughts that didn't fit in the NYT piece.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/w...
Cryptographers Held an Election. They Can’t Decrypt the Results.
www.nytimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 2:40 AM
The International Association for Cryptologic Research has used heliosvoting.org – my online voting system – for a number of years.
This year, a trustee lost their secret key. The election has to be re-run.
Below, a few thoughts that didn't fit in the NYT piece.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/w...
This year, a trustee lost their secret key. The election has to be re-run.
Below, a few thoughts that didn't fit in the NYT piece.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/w...
Reposted by J. Nathan Matias
We are on the brink of a once in a generation transformation in world politics. @erikvoeten.bsky.social @segoddard.bsky.social and I talk neo-royalism as one future.
Give a list: goodauthority.org/news/the-new...
Check out the article it is based on here:
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Give a list: goodauthority.org/news/the-new...
Check out the article it is based on here:
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
November 21, 2025 at 1:27 PM
We are on the brink of a once in a generation transformation in world politics. @erikvoeten.bsky.social @segoddard.bsky.social and I talk neo-royalism as one future.
Give a list: goodauthority.org/news/the-new...
Check out the article it is based on here:
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Give a list: goodauthority.org/news/the-new...
Check out the article it is based on here:
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...