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Dec 10

Computer Science Seminar: Ahmer Arif (The University of Texas at Austin)

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Milstein 402 & Zoom
  • Add to Calendar 2024-12-10 11:00:00 2024-12-10 12:00:00 Computer Science Seminar: Ahmer Arif (The University of Texas at Austin) Speaker: Ahmer Arif (The University of Texas at Austin) Title: From Trouble to Trust: 
Charting the spread of misinformation during crises and co-designing responses with marginalized communities The seminar will be available for in-person and Zoom participation. To participate online, please email inquiry-cs@barnard.edu to receive the Zoom link. In this talk, I will discuss how our social computing systems are being used to spread misleading information and explore how we — as researchers, educators, and designers — can tackle these challenges. I will present two interconnected projects that examine the dynamics of disinformation and explore trust-building through participatory design with rural and Black communities. First, I will analyze a disinformation campaign targeting #BlackLivesMatter discussions about police violence in 2016, challenging three common misconceptions about how disinformation spreads and operates. Building on this analysis, I will explore the complexities and opportunities of partnering with rural and BIPOC communities to co-create digital literacy tools and resources. Together, these projects highlight how we might move from trouble to trust — using rigorous analysis to understand the toxicities in our information environment and engaging with communities to build solutions. I conclude by reflecting on how interdisciplinary approaches can not only sustain such work but also chart a path toward healthier and more equitable digital ecosystems. Ahmer Arif is an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin's School of Information, where he leads the Digital Discernment Lab. His research falls at the intersection of computer science and social science and is situated within the fields of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). He investigates how people use communication technologies, such as social media, to spread, shape and confront misinformation. Through design-based research with marginalized communities, he develops interventions to counter the spread of problematic information and foster equitable engagement with digital tools. He holds a PhD in Human Centered Design & Engineering and has worked as a researcher and consultant with organizations including Facebook, Yahoo!, The World Bank, and the UN.   Milstein 402 & Zoom Barnard College barnard-admin@digitalpulp.com America/New_York public
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Speaker: Ahmer Arif (The University of Texas at Austin)

Title: From Trouble to Trust: 
Charting the spread of misinformation during crises and co-designing responses with marginalized communities

The seminar will be available for in-person and Zoom participation. To participate online, please email inquiry-cs@barnard.edu to receive the Zoom link.

In this talk, I will discuss how our social computing systems are being used to spread misleading information and explore how we — as researchers, educators, and designers — can tackle these challenges. I will present two interconnected projects that examine the dynamics of disinformation and explore trust-building through participatory design with rural and Black communities. First, I will analyze a disinformation campaign targeting #BlackLivesMatter discussions about police violence in 2016, challenging three common misconceptions about how disinformation spreads and operates. Building on this analysis, I will explore the complexities and opportunities of partnering with rural and BIPOC communities to co-create digital literacy tools and resources. Together, these projects highlight how we might move from trouble to trust — using rigorous analysis to understand the toxicities in our information environment and engaging with communities to build solutions. I conclude by reflecting on how interdisciplinary approaches can not only sustain such work but also chart a path toward healthier and more equitable digital ecosystems.

Ahmer Arif is an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin's School of Information, where he leads the Digital Discernment Lab. His research falls at the intersection of computer science and social science and is situated within the fields of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). He investigates how people use communication technologies, such as social media, to spread, shape and confront misinformation. Through design-based research with marginalized communities, he develops interventions to counter the spread of problematic information and foster equitable engagement with digital tools. He holds a PhD in Human Centered Design & Engineering and has worked as a researcher and consultant with organizations including Facebook, Yahoo!, The World Bank, and the UN.

 

Computer Science