Jonathan Zittrain
@zittrain.bsky.social
A small creature who likes to run around in universities.
Prof. Harvard Law School, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Harvard Kennedy School. EFF Board. Director of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society and the HLS Library.
Prof. Harvard Law School, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Harvard Kennedy School. EFF Board. Director of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society and the HLS Library.
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
Mary McCord, former Acting Assistant AG for National Security, and I teamed up on Qs Senators should ask #Bondi at her Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, on strikes that have killed 17 people to date.
The implications are serious. Consider a few of the Qs:
www.justsecurity.org/121862/ask-b...
The implications are serious. Consider a few of the Qs:
www.justsecurity.org/121862/ask-b...
What the Senate Judiciary Committee Should Ask A.G. Bondi on Drug Cartel Strikes
Annotated questions the Senate Judiciary Committee could ask Attorney General Pam Bondi on lethal strikes against drug cartels.
www.justsecurity.org
October 3, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Mary McCord, former Acting Assistant AG for National Security, and I teamed up on Qs Senators should ask #Bondi at her Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, on strikes that have killed 17 people to date.
The implications are serious. Consider a few of the Qs:
www.justsecurity.org/121862/ask-b...
The implications are serious. Consider a few of the Qs:
www.justsecurity.org/121862/ask-b...
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
Working on a new book, “The Fix: Saving America from the Corruption of a Mob-Style Government.” Drawing from my experience as a prosecutor, the book offers ideas to take back our democracy and a vision for the future. Available June 9, 2026. Here’s the cover. What do you think?
September 30, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Working on a new book, “The Fix: Saving America from the Corruption of a Mob-Style Government.” Drawing from my experience as a prosecutor, the book offers ideas to take back our democracy and a vision for the future. Available June 9, 2026. Here’s the cover. What do you think?
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
My dear friend JZ @zittrain.bsky.social is starting a podcast (still not named) about AI, technology and society as he launches his next book. I was thrilled to be his first guest. Stay tuned.
September 7, 2025 at 11:51 PM
My dear friend JZ @zittrain.bsky.social is starting a podcast (still not named) about AI, technology and society as he launches his next book. I was thrilled to be his first guest. Stay tuned.
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
university presidents think they're cutting deals to restore their funding. i get their pressures. but this is what's happening: ramping up the extortion, creating homogeneous zones of government-directed curricula, shutting down campus speech.
UC says Trump demand for $1-billion fine would 'completely devastate' university system
The Trump administration has proposed the University of California pay more than $1 billion to settle antisemitism charges and restore frozen grant funding at UCLA.
www.latimes.com
August 8, 2025 at 8:42 PM
university presidents think they're cutting deals to restore their funding. i get their pressures. but this is what's happening: ramping up the extortion, creating homogeneous zones of government-directed curricula, shutting down campus speech.
I spoke with @aleksmadry.bsky.social on his podcasts about all things AI -- www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeoG...
Jonathan Zittrain: AI Agents and Trust
YouTube video by Before AGI
www.youtube.com
July 15, 2025 at 8:57 PM
I spoke with @aleksmadry.bsky.social on his podcasts about all things AI -- www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeoG...
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
Join our team! LIL is looking for a Product and Research Manager to help create, shape, and execute on our portfolio of open knowledge projects. PRMs work across every piece of the LIL ecosystem, from software experimentation to convening of events. Learn more at careers.harvard.edu/job/product-...
Product and Research Manager
careers.harvard.edu
July 3, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Join our team! LIL is looking for a Product and Research Manager to help create, shape, and execute on our portfolio of open knowledge projects. PRMs work across every piece of the LIL ecosystem, from software experimentation to convening of events. Learn more at careers.harvard.edu/job/product-...
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
"It should impel us to demand commitments by model makers and operators that the models function as the harmless, helpful, and honest friends they are so diligently designed to appear to be." We need personal AIs that interact with other AIs to do that for us!
www.techpolicy.press/new-perspect...
www.techpolicy.press/new-perspect...
New Perspectives on AI Agentiality and Democracy: "Whom Does It Serve?" | TechPolicy.Press
Richard Reisman and Richard Whitt write that interoperability will enable agential relationships that serve individuals and communities faithfully.
www.techpolicy.press
June 20, 2025 at 10:03 PM
"It should impel us to demand commitments by model makers and operators that the models function as the harmless, helpful, and honest friends they are so diligently designed to appear to be." We need personal AIs that interact with other AIs to do that for us!
www.techpolicy.press/new-perspect...
www.techpolicy.press/new-perspect...
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
Imagine a world where:
💻 Your device is truly yours
📱 You speak freely without fear
🔐 Your privacy is protected
That's the future we're fighting for at EFF. Stand with us for our 35th anniversary!
💻 Your device is truly yours
📱 You speak freely without fear
🔐 Your privacy is protected
That's the future we're fighting for at EFF. Stand with us for our 35th anniversary!
35 Years for Privacy, Free Speech, and a Brighter Future
Through July 10, new monthly or annual Sustaining Donors get an EFF35 Challenge Coin! With your help, EFF is here to stay.
eff.org
June 13, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Imagine a world where:
💻 Your device is truly yours
📱 You speak freely without fear
🔐 Your privacy is protected
That's the future we're fighting for at EFF. Stand with us for our 35th anniversary!
💻 Your device is truly yours
📱 You speak freely without fear
🔐 Your privacy is protected
That's the future we're fighting for at EFF. Stand with us for our 35th anniversary!
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
As you may have heard, there’s an important birthday this weekend. We can only hope that people across the nation — nay, the globe — engage in tribute and fanfare proportional to the occasion. 1/
June 14, 2025 at 1:35 PM
As you may have heard, there’s an important birthday this weekend. We can only hope that people across the nation — nay, the globe — engage in tribute and fanfare proportional to the occasion. 1/
1M public domain books now available digitally, through our Institutional Data Initiative at Harvard.
Today we released Institutional Books 1.0, a 242B token dataset from Harvard Library's collections, refined for accuracy and usability. 🧵
June 12, 2025 at 9:34 PM
1M public domain books now available digitally, through our Institutional Data Initiative at Harvard.
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
Recent research reveals the stereotypes that inform the "thinking" of #chatbots, which it might be good to share with ppl during interactions and to keep the bots from being manipulative, argues @zittrain.bsky.social
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a... #AI
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a... #AI
What AI Thinks It Knows About You
What happens when people can see what assumptions a large language model is making about them?
www.theatlantic.com
June 3, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Recent research reveals the stereotypes that inform the "thinking" of #chatbots, which it might be good to share with ppl during interactions and to keep the bots from being manipulative, argues @zittrain.bsky.social
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a... #AI
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a... #AI
AI is often thought of as a black box -- no way to know what's going on inside. That's changing in eye-opening ways. Researchers are finding "beliefs" models are forming as they converse, and how those beliefs correlate to what the models say and how they say it.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
What AI Thinks It Knows About You
What happens when people can see what assumptions a large language model is making about them?
www.theatlantic.com
May 21, 2025 at 3:32 PM
AI is often thought of as a black box -- no way to know what's going on inside. That's changing in eye-opening ways. Researchers are finding "beliefs" models are forming as they converse, and how those beliefs correlate to what the models say and how they say it.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
When you peer inside a large language model’s black box, you can see what it tells you when it thinks you’re rich—and what it tells you when it thinks you’re not.
@zittrain.bsky.social on the assumptions AI makes about people:
@zittrain.bsky.social on the assumptions AI makes about people:
What AI Thinks It Knows About You
What happens when people can see what assumptions a large language model is making about them?
bit.ly
May 21, 2025 at 1:15 PM
When you peer inside a large language model’s black box, you can see what it tells you when it thinks you’re rich—and what it tells you when it thinks you’re not.
@zittrain.bsky.social on the assumptions AI makes about people:
@zittrain.bsky.social on the assumptions AI makes about people:
I spoke with my old friend Jim Sciutto about the discovery that a copy of the Magna Carta at the Harvard Law School Library purchased for $26.50 in 1956 turns out to be a real one from AD 1300. (!)
May 19, 2025 at 4:01 PM
I spoke with my old friend Jim Sciutto about the discovery that a copy of the Magna Carta at the Harvard Law School Library purchased for $26.50 in 1956 turns out to be a real one from AD 1300. (!)
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
Two British academics discovered that a "copy" of Magna Carta, held in Harvard Law School’s library for 80 years, is one of seven originals dating from 1300.
Read more: nyti.ms/4dkc3ma
Read more: nyti.ms/4dkc3ma
May 15, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Two British academics discovered that a "copy" of Magna Carta, held in Harvard Law School’s library for 80 years, is one of seven originals dating from 1300.
Read more: nyti.ms/4dkc3ma
Read more: nyti.ms/4dkc3ma
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
He told us so: @zittrain.bsky.social ‘s Future of the Internet” (almost a decade ago) predicted that controlled, contained digital products like iPhone, Xbox, etc. would suppress the next generation’s tech tinkering.
Jonathan Zittrain (@zittrain.bsky.social)
A small creature who likes to run around in universities.
Prof. Harvard Law School, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Harvard Kennedy School. EFF Board. Director of the Berkman ...
zittrain.bsky.social
April 17, 2025 at 9:32 AM
He told us so: @zittrain.bsky.social ‘s Future of the Internet” (almost a decade ago) predicted that controlled, contained digital products like iPhone, Xbox, etc. would suppress the next generation’s tech tinkering.
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
Like @coloradotravis.bsky.social I consumed this over the weekend, and I highly encourage everyone to read it.
The coverage is treating the book as an expose of Meta culture and execs and while it is that, I think the more interesting parts are in between and focus on global power dynamics 1/
The coverage is treating the book as an expose of Meta culture and execs and while it is that, I think the more interesting parts are in between and focus on global power dynamics 1/
March 17, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Like @coloradotravis.bsky.social I consumed this over the weekend, and I highly encourage everyone to read it.
The coverage is treating the book as an expose of Meta culture and execs and while it is that, I think the more interesting parts are in between and focus on global power dynamics 1/
The coverage is treating the book as an expose of Meta culture and execs and while it is that, I think the more interesting parts are in between and focus on global power dynamics 1/
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
As the @institutionaldatainitiative.org expands its mission, we’re announcing a collaboration with @bpl.boston.gov to develop AI-driven tools capable of accelerating new digitization at libraries across the world, starting at the Boston Public Library. institutionaldatainitiative.org/posts/using-...
Using AI to Accelerate Digitization at Boston Public Librarys
Today, as part of our mission expansion, we’re announcing a collaboration with BPL to develop AI-driven tools capable of accelerating new digitization of large collections at libraries across the worl...
institutionaldatainitiative.org
March 12, 2025 at 1:23 PM
As the @institutionaldatainitiative.org expands its mission, we’re announcing a collaboration with @bpl.boston.gov to develop AI-driven tools capable of accelerating new digitization at libraries across the world, starting at the Boston Public Library. institutionaldatainitiative.org/posts/using-...
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
I'm pleased to announce we're expanding our mission at the @institutionaldatainitiative.org with an open call for institutional collaborators, new digitization at Harvard Law School Library, and additional support to advance this work. institutionaldatainitiative.org/posts/open-c...
Expanding Our Mission: An Open Call for Collaborators
Today, we’re pleased to announce an open call for institutional collaborators as new support expands the research capacity of the Institutional Data Initiative.
institutionaldatainitiative.org
March 5, 2025 at 3:36 PM
I'm pleased to announce we're expanding our mission at the @institutionaldatainitiative.org with an open call for institutional collaborators, new digitization at Harvard Law School Library, and additional support to advance this work. institutionaldatainitiative.org/posts/open-c...
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
Just a tremendous honor to debate my friend @alanrozenshtein.com on the TikTok case, with @zittrain.bsky.social's expert moderation, with Justice Breyer in the front row. Even more special to have my kids there--and relieved that they (and Justice Breyer) sided with me!
February 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Just a tremendous honor to debate my friend @alanrozenshtein.com on the TikTok case, with @zittrain.bsky.social's expert moderation, with Justice Breyer in the front row. Even more special to have my kids there--and relieved that they (and Justice Breyer) sided with me!
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
Confused about the TikTok case?--Watch @alanrozenshtein.com and me offer different perspectives, with expert moderation by @zittrain.bsky.social in this fun debate.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjWf...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjWf...
Harvard Law School Rappaport Forum: TikTok and Free Speech
YouTube video by Harvard Law School
www.youtube.com
February 27, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Confused about the TikTok case?--Watch @alanrozenshtein.com and me offer different perspectives, with expert moderation by @zittrain.bsky.social in this fun debate.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjWf...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjWf...
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
On Monday, I'll be at Harvard Law School debating @alanrozenshtein.com on constitutionality of TikTok sale-or-ban law, moderated by @zittrain.bsky.social. Alan may have 9 Justices, but I will have the 1st Amendment on my side. Come watch (in person or online)! 12EST.
hls.harvard.edu/events/harva...
hls.harvard.edu/events/harva...
Harvard Law School Rappaport Forum - TikTok and Free Speech - Harvard Law School
Guest Speakers: Anupam Chander Scott K. Ginsburg Professor of Law and Technology Georgetown University Law Center Alan Rozenshtein Associate Professor of Law University of Minnesota Law School Moderat...
hls.harvard.edu
February 19, 2025 at 8:31 PM
On Monday, I'll be at Harvard Law School debating @alanrozenshtein.com on constitutionality of TikTok sale-or-ban law, moderated by @zittrain.bsky.social. Alan may have 9 Justices, but I will have the 1st Amendment on my side. Come watch (in person or online)! 12EST.
hls.harvard.edu/events/harva...
hls.harvard.edu/events/harva...
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
We just launched a 16TB archive of every dataset that has been available on data.gov since November. This will be updated day by day as new datasets appear. It can be freely copied, and we're sharing the code behind it to help others make their own archives of data they depend on.
Announcing the Data.gov Archive | Library Innovation Lab
Today we released our archive of data.gov on Source Cooperative. The 16TB collection includes over 311,000 datasets harvested during 2024 and 2025, a complet...
lil.law.harvard.edu
February 6, 2025 at 9:23 PM
We just launched a 16TB archive of every dataset that has been available on data.gov since November. This will be updated day by day as new datasets appear. It can be freely copied, and we're sharing the code behind it to help others make their own archives of data they depend on.
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
The #USAID website has just gone dark, amidst reporting #Trump may try to dissolve it completely.
But #Congress established USAID in statute, and Trump can't unilaterally override a statute by executive order.
Read my latest via @justsecurity.org:
www.justsecurity.org/107267/can-p...
But #Congress established USAID in statute, and Trump can't unilaterally override a statute by executive order.
Read my latest via @justsecurity.org:
www.justsecurity.org/107267/can-p...
Can the President Dissolve USAID by Executive Order?
Congress established USAID in statute, and the president may not unilaterally override a statute by executive order.
www.justsecurity.org
February 1, 2025 at 8:33 PM
The #USAID website has just gone dark, amidst reporting #Trump may try to dissolve it completely.
But #Congress established USAID in statute, and Trump can't unilaterally override a statute by executive order.
Read my latest via @justsecurity.org:
www.justsecurity.org/107267/can-p...
But #Congress established USAID in statute, and Trump can't unilaterally override a statute by executive order.
Read my latest via @justsecurity.org:
www.justsecurity.org/107267/can-p...
Reposted by Jonathan Zittrain
Why trust us? We’re the web archiving folks behind Perma.cc and the open data folks behind Case.law. Starting late last year we moved into collecting online government datasets, since it can be hard to get the datasets researchers need from web archives.
Websites change. Perma Links don't.
Perma.cc helps scholars, journals, courts, and others create permanent records of the web sources they cite.
Perma.cc
January 31, 2025 at 9:00 PM