Jessica Vitak
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vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak
@vitak.bsky.social
1.1K followers 270 following 230 posts

She/her. Professor at University of Maryland's iSchool. Director of the HCIL. General Chair for CSCW 2025. Research: privacy, surveillance, data ethics. https://jessicavitak.com

Come for the academic expertise. Stay for the cookie content. .. more

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Jessica Vitak is an American information scientist who is a professor at the University of Maryland. She is faculty in the University of Maryland College of Information (iSchool) and Communication Department. She serves as Director of the University of Maryland Human–Computer Interaction Lab (HCIL) and an Associate Member of the Social Data Science Center (SoDa). .. more

Communication & Media Studies 26%
Sociology 22%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Steve Peers, Paul M. Schwartz, Caroline T. Schroeder , and 2 more

techpolicypress.bsky.social
Tech Policy Press @techpolicypress.bsky.social · 2d
In his forthcoming book, Your Data Will Be Used Against You, George Washington University Law School professor Andrew Guthrie Ferguson explores how sensor-driven technologies, social media monitoring, and artificial intelligence can be weaponized against democratic values and personal freedoms.
How to Apply the 'Tyrant Test' to Technology
George Washington University Law School professor Andrew Guthrie Ferguson is the author of the forthcoming book Your Data Will Be Used Against You.
buff.ly

Reposted by Jessica Vitak

hcil-umd.bsky.social
HCIL @hcil-umd.bsky.social · 2d
Join us at 12:30pm ET Thursday, 2/5 , in the lab (HBK 2105) or online for our weekly brown bag speaker series. This week we'll hear from two researchers about their UIST papers! Visit hcil.umd.edu/bbl-speaker-... for more information

Reposted by Jessica Vitak

acm-cscw.bsky.social
ACM CSCW @acm-cscw.bsky.social · 7d
📢 CSCW is piloting a rolling submissions experiment.

🔸 More flexibility for authors
🔸 Emphasis on paper quality over deadline pressure

🧪 Important: Only a small number of papers will be invited to participate, and authors can nominate their work for possible selection.
cscw.acm.org/2026/rolling...
CSCW 2026
cscw.acm.org

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 9d
That's awesome! Hope to see some folks in Barcelona.

Reposted by Michelle L. Mazurek, Jessica Vitak

lookitup.baby
Ian Coldwater 🧊🚫 @lookitup.baby · 10d
Signal will never message you like this.

If you get a message like this, SOMEONE IS TRYING TO HACK YOUR SIGNAL.

DO NOT GIVE THEM THAT CODE.
Message from "Signal Support" Dear User, this is Signal Security Support ChatBot. Our system has detected a recent login attempt to your account from an unrecognized device or location. As a security measure, we have blocked this attempt and sent a verification code via SMS to your registered phone number. If this was NOT you: To secure your account and block this unauthorized access, please reply to this message with the verification code you just received. If this WAS you: You can safely ignore this message. The login attempt will be automatically approved shortly. Thank you for helping us keep your account secure.

Reposted by Jan W. Mueller, Will Jennings, Steve Peers , and 8 more

donmoyn.bsky.social
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 10d
From the NY Post. You know they are really scrambling when they are running "The gun was no angel" stories.
Alex Pretti’s Sig handgun has history of accidentally firing — offering possible clue to why Border agent shot him

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 12d
I finally returned a book to the university library today after renewing it every six months for the last 7-8 years. It was time.

Be free Cambridge Handbook of Consumer Privacy. Be free!

Reposted by Michelle L. Mazurek, Jessica Vitak

dmgreene.bsky.social
Dan Greene @dmgreene.bsky.social · 13d
UMD's College of Information is hiring lecturers in five areas: networking fundamentals, information design, security, programming and databases, and experiential learning. 3-3 load, $95k-$102k. I love working here. Asshole-free environment. Spread the word! Not on the committee but happy to talk.
Lecturer (Open Rank)
Job Description Summary & Additional Information Organization's Summary Statement: Position Summary The College of Information at the University of Maryland, College Park (INFO), invites applicati...
umd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 13d
I'm seriously considering buying this shirt and wearing it to every meeting I'm running from here on out.
Picture of blue t-shirt featuring a woman riding a horse and carrying a lasso. There are several cats running in front of the horse and some cacti. The text on the shirt reads, "Nothing to see here, just herding my cats."

Reposted by John R. Hutchinson, Aaron Sojourner, Jessica Vitak , and 2 more

dbrauer.net
David Brauer @dbrauer.net · 13d
Harrowing NY Times expose of the FBI, with some operational details of Minneapolis investigations & comments from ex-agents on the current federal occupation. The FBI is more fucked than you expect, which makes them less effective AND more dangerous. www.nytimes.com/interactive/... (gift link)
Kash Patel’s FBI Is Making America Less Safe, Current and Former Employees Say (Gift Article)
Forty-five current and former employees on the changes they say are undermining the agency and making America less safe.
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Jessica Vitak

nullset.bsky.social
Eric Null @nullset.bsky.social · 15d
I'm hiring a senior policy analyst/counsel for the privacy & data team at CDT!

"Inquire within"
Careers
Current Openingsfind yourself engaged in passionate discussions about privacy policies? Are you yearning to put your expertise to work on internet neutrality legislation? If so, you might be a great f...
cdt.org

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 15d
Did you have a qualitative paper rejected from #chi2026? As you're revising for your next submission, check out this crowdsourced document containing common critiques of qualitative research and ideas for responding -- and add any new critiques you've encountered:
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reviewer Critiques (Qualitative Methods) and How to Respond to Them
Reviewer Critiques (Qualitative Methods) and How to Respond to Them Author: Jessica Vitak (+ anyone who adds to the document) About This Document (and a disclaimer) Reviewing is a highly subjective pr...
docs.google.com

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 15d
At a certain point, it's better to actively avoid the news by enjoying some episodes of MST3K.

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 18d
If you, like me, know nothing about the US' history with Greenland, this was a solid primer: theconversation.com/us-military-...
US military has a long history in Greenland, from mining during WWII to a nuclear-powered Army base built into the ice
History also shows that many of the fanciful engineering ideas for Greenland failed because they misjudged the island’s harsh climate and dynamic ice sheet.
theconversation.com

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 18d
I didn't realize this was because of you. Thank you for a pretty morning snow!

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 20d
I do a lot of jigsaw puzzles and was mildly disturbed when I saw this one. [To be clear, I did *not* purchase it.]
Screenshot of Brian Cook 500-piece puzzled titled "Butts on Things." Image is of various items, mainly food, drawn in a cartoon style, with butts.

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 20d
👏 Fully agree 👏

We Reject the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Reflexive Qualitative Research: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
We Reject the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Reflexive Qualitative Research - Tanisha Jowsey, Virginia Braun, Victoria Clarke, Deborah Lupton, Michelle Fine, 2025
Four hundred and nineteen experienced qualitative researchers from 32 countries invite readers of Qualitative Inquiry to consider their position on use of gener...
journals.sagepub.com

Reposted by Jessica Vitak

couts.bsky.social
Andrew Couts @couts.bsky.social · 20d
NEW: 17 different models of Bluetooth headphones and speakers can be hijacked to play audio, eavesdrop thru mics, and in some cases even track your location—unless you install a patch, which many people don't. @agreenberg.bsky.social & @lhn.bsky.social w/ the scoop: www.wired.com/story/google...
Hundreds of Millions of Audio Devices Need a Patch to Prevent Wireless Hacking and Tracking
Flaws in how 17 models of headphones and speakers use Google’s one-tap Fast Pair Bluetooth protocol have left devices open to eavesdroppers and stalkers.
www.wired.com

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 21d
If you were following along, here's the updated set of debate scenarios I plan to use in my surveillance studies class. There's five new ones for 13 total, spanning three main categories: government, law enforcement, and work/school.
drive.google.com/file/d/1db7y...

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 21d
And if you want to read more about Tablo's "scandal" (which blew up after false claims he didn't get two degrees from Stanford), you can read about it in the uni's magazine: stanfordmag.org/contents/the...
The Persecution of Daniel Lee
An Internet smear campaign nearly destroyed the South Korean star, but he fought back with the only weapon he had: the truth.
stanfordmag.org

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 21d
Even if you've never heard of Tablo, you should listen to his podcast episode on resilience. Tablo has dealt with some real shit in his life and uses everyday stories from his life to describe how he developed resilience, as well as the importance of gratitude.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylrA...
Do this and you'll be MENTALLY BULLETPROOF | Hey Tablo Ep. 2
YouTube video by TABLO
www.youtube.com

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 21d
More data isn't always better. Video data isn't irrefutable. The idea that video data 100% proves a crime was committed is ridiculous. But that is where we have arrived thanks to mass surveillance technologies.

I also really appreciate this reflection from the woman at the end of the article.
Text from 404 article. It reads: “Honestly, I was one of those people that believed, ‘well, if you’re not doing anything wrong, what’s the big deal?’ But here’s a situation where I was doing absolutely nothing wrong, and I almost lost my entire career over this,” she said. “I’ve lost trust for law enforcement … I mean I love the Flock stories where they help out with saving a kid, and I look at them and go ‘yeah, you did that, but you’re not using the technology right.’” “The overreach of this technology is the biggest concern. Just having it out there is scary, it’s too much,” she added. “It’s changed my mind immensely.”

Reposted by Jessica Vitak, Veronika Karnowski

icacat.bsky.social
The Communication & Technology Division of ICA @icacat.bsky.social · 21d
Attention graduate students! The 15th annual Communication & Technology / Mobile Doctoral Consortium is now accepting student proposals to participate at #ICA26 in Cape Town. Proposals are due 2 Feb. Please read the requirements closely. sites.google.com/view/2026ica...

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 21d
Read Hannah's article first, then read this article about the FBI raiding her home today in search of "classified material."
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/u...

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Jessica Vitak, Suzanne Conklin Akbari , and 1 more

pbump.com
Philip Bump @pbump.com · 21d
Gift link to FBI-targeted Post reporter Hannah Natanson's sweeping look at how federal workers have been targeted by Trump. wapo.st/49BQBrh
I am The Post’s ‘federal government whisperer.’ It’s been brutal.
One reporter’s effort to show how Trump was transforming government brought her 1,168 new sources — and nearly broke her.
wapo.st

Reposted by Jessica Vitak

klhkhistorian.bsky.social
Katie Hodges-Kluck, PhD @klhkhistorian.bsky.social · 21d
www.npr.org/2026/01/14/n...
The risks of AI in schools outweigh the benefits, report says
A new report warns that AI poses a serious threat to children's cognitive development and emotional well-being.
www.npr.org

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 22d
If you're still with me, thanks for reading about my newest (and maybe weirdest) hobby, and hopefully I'll have more updates on it in a year.

To wrap up, here's my favorite new puzzle, 1008pc from Karen Puzzles. I got it for Christmas and it took me just over 4hr.
Screenshot of Ravensburger Karen Puzzles – Colors on Colors 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 22d
Hobbies are important, and this has been a great way to take my mind off the world for 1-2 hours at a time. And yes, I know puzzles are supposed to be relaxing, but I'm nothing if not competitive. I am driven to always improve myself, even at something as small as my PPM (piece per minute) rate.

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 22d
A year into this new hobby, what am I thinking? I still enjoy speed puzzling but need to think about approaches to get past this current plateau. I'm not sure how I'll do that, but there are basic strategies to improve dexterity, color awareness, etc. But I'm not sure how deep I want to get.

vitak.bsky.social
Jessica Vitak @vitak.bsky.social · 22d
I'm a bit disappointed I only did one competition in 2025 and that was early on (February) and was over Zoom. I'd like to do some in-person competitions, although I really could use a partner or team as there are solo, pairs, and teams (4ppl) rounds at most events.