CITRIS Tech Policy

The CITRIS Tech Policy initiative supports interdisciplinary research, education and thought leadership to address core questions regarding the role of formal and informal regulation in promoting innovation and amplifying its positive effects on society.

Launched in 2018 as the CITRIS Policy Lab in recognition of the increasing role policy plays in technology, CITRIS Tech Policy focuses on topical issues such as personal data privacy, platform governance, digital equity, responsible artificial intelligence (AI) and the influence of social media on democracy. The program also engages with private and public sector policymakers through consultation, high-level events, and publication of peer-reviewed research articles, op-eds and reports.

We envision a world where decisions related to the development, deployment and distribution of technology are informed by considerations grounded in timely interdisciplinary research on current and future technological capabilities and their implications for society.

Research Areas

Areas of interest include:

Computational propaganda: identifying and mitigating risks of automated propaganda and digital harassment campaigns on social media
Responsible AI: supporting development and deployment of AI-enabled technologies that are fair, accountable and trustworthy
Digital inclusion: developing strategies for equitable deployment and adoption of broadband and information and communications technologies (ICTs)
Democratic innovations: designing and piloting interactive digital tools to foster greater inclusion in democratic processes
Blockchain: evaluating applications of distributed ledger technology for the public good
Health: improving health outcomes and access to cost-effective care through the development and integration of innovative technologies
Environment: supporting data-driven policy strategies for environmental sustainability