Independent Research and Policy for the Public Interest
Data & Society believes that technology policy must be grounded in research, account for tech’s real-world impacts, and serve the public. We’re working toward a future where people, not technology, come first.
The Latest from Data & Society
It’s time for the public to move from being AI users to civic actors. Our new AI Civics initiative treats AI not as a tool to be mastered, but as a…
February 9, 2026
Blog post
Deepfake Financial Fraud: The Global Regulation of AI-Driven Scams
Effective responses to deepfake financial fraud must shift from individual responsibility toward institutional accountability.
March 2, 2026
Policy brief
Last Place in the AI-First Economy: How the AI Industry Relies on Worker Disempowerment
Alexandra Mateescu, Aiha Nguyen, and Sanjay Pinto argue that the sprint to create the so-called AI-first economy must be understood not as the…
April 1, 2026
Report
Curated Collections
Explore our foundational work in areas including disinformation and democracy; education and childhood technology use; and privacy, surveillance, and power.
Our Programs
Our research, policy, and public engagement work is timely, strategic, and grounded in the real-life experiences of people and communities.
AI on the Ground
Using social science to analyze, assess, and inform the future design, use, and governance of AI systems.
See more
AI Civics
Working in partnership with organizations and public institutions across the United States to build civic strength for the AI era.
See More
Algorithmic Impact Methods Lab
Developing methodologies for conducting empirical, participatory algorithmic impact assessments to support the governance of AI.
See more
Climate, Technology, and Justice
Exploring the full spectrum of environmental concerns connected to technology, with a focus on people and communities.
See more
Democracy in the Age of AI
Understanding how information systems, automation, and AI contribute to tensions between democratic theory and practice.
See more
Labor Futures
Interrogating how technology is disrupting, destabilizing, and transforming aspects of work and employment.
See more
Participation, Agency, and Algorithmic Accountability
Exploring methods, institutions, and mandates that aim to empower communities to shape the systems that impact their lives.
See more
Technologies of Health and Care
Examining the power dynamics embedded in how health data and technology are designed, used, and applied in care settings.
See more
Trustworthy Infrastructures
Exploring how diverse sets of communities shape their collective responses to top-down technological solutions.
See more
Policy Engagement
Advancing policy interventions to mitigate the societal harms of emerging technologies, empower people and workers in tech governance, and challenge…
See more
Public Technology Leadership Collaborative
A peer learning community of scholars, practitioners, and government leaders who cultivate trust-based relationships to ensure that data and…
See more
Events
Featuring conversations that challenge the power and purpose of data-centric technologies and explore how they can advance the public interest.
See More
Research and Resource Library
Explore the full range of Data & Society publications.