Posts by cfiesler@hci.social
(DIR) Post #AZ8W73So2Y7a4vzGGu by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-08-25T20:24:01Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
"No, I'm not looking at your searches.That would be unconstitutional. We see only the ads that show up when you read your mail and do your searching. I have a brochure explaining it." This is a copy of "Scroogled" that I put together years ago when I had students read it for a class discussion on science fiction and surveillance: https://cmci.colorado.edu/~cafi5706/Scroogled.pdf@pluralistic
(DIR) Post #AZEkyMotMx35lWOOtk by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-08-29T22:35:04Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
OK hear me out. Fanfiction about Chidi being hired as an ethicist for Jurassic Park.
(DIR) Post #AZEkzNSOUBUC1zLp4q by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-08-28T17:46:48Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
It is 2023 and in the past 24 hours at least a dozen men have said to me some variation of "women just don't like computers."I don't think this is even all trolling. I think they genuinely think this. And will cite "actual women I've talked to" as a source. Where are those actual women, are they in the room with us now?
(DIR) Post #AZQi9Ccmfhhwiuj89Q by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-09-03T16:53:04Z
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This reminder of how many people are fooled by a photoshopped tweet screenshot (and believe some random X user without verifying) is really depressing given that we need to be convincing people that (thanks, generative AI!) if they are scrolling through social media and see an actual video of the CDC director at a press conference they absolutely cannot believe that it is real until verifying the original source of the video. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattnovak/2023/09/02/no-theres-not-an-ebola-outbreak-at-burning-man/?sh=310308d65dd7
(DIR) Post #AZQi9E0ZWkKX0yrdrs by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-09-03T22:11:02Z
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Heh now people in my TikTok comments are insisting that LAX was evacuated because of a private jet carrying Burning Man escapees. Which is not true (see: https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/part-of-lax-ticketing-area-temporarily-evacuated-due-to-suspicious-item-investigation/) but I managed to trace the rumor back to… you guessed it, random people on twitter just stating something like it’s true without any sources.
(DIR) Post #AZQi9Euw9BPtpnEeiu by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-09-04T15:35:24Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
I’m sure you will be shocked to hear that the user who tweeted a bunch of these Burning Man Ebola rumors has straight up admitted they were making stuff up for X revenue $$$. Posted a screenshot of a $12k payout.
(DIR) Post #AZQi9GI12rTK5f2bKq by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-09-04T15:54:55Z
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And to clarify: Yes, the screenshot of the payout could certainly be fake, or based on previous content. But the point is, whether the motivation for disinformation is $$$ or LOLz or even just to show how easy it is for misinformation to spread, if you're not able to correct it afterwards, the impact is the same. And I guarantee you that there will be conspiracy theorists out there still talking about the government cover-up of desert ebola a year from now.
(DIR) Post #AZVJ7HDNr0T1YQ6SZc by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-09-06T13:25:22Z
2 likes, 0 repeats
The comments on my women in computing videos just keep on coming, and today it was someone who says he's been in IT for 30 years and has "never, ever" met a woman who has shown any interest in computers.I seriously didn't know how to respond except to say that it's okay, not everyone meets women. Because what other explanation could there possibly be?!
(DIR) Post #AbAryRLQ1hLZydmLnU by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-10-25T22:04:10Z
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So you know those science communication publications that write accessible articles about research?I got an email recently from one saying "We are interested in featuring your research in an upcoming issue of our magazine" and "Would you be available for a 10-minute exploratory phone call?"I responded by asking what the publication's business model is.And of COURSE the (very long) response boiled down to "we will charge you $2000 to publish this article."What a grift.
(DIR) Post #AbArySvy7IB4uHt3PE by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-10-25T22:06:48Z
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And to be clear, the existence of such publications, and even the fact that they charge researchers to write this articles, is not the grift.The grift is that they don't lead with this. Imagine if I had made the reasonable assumption that they actually *wanted* to feature my research specifically, and then spent my (valuable) time on a phone call with them only to find out that I had to pay them for the privilege. I would have been VERY UPSET.This is also exactly what I told them.
(DIR) Post #AbAryU9pZErOhZNdeS by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-10-25T22:09:44Z
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This isn't the same as like, a predatory publisher. But it is basically a vanity press. And not being up front in their solicitations that it's a paid service HAS to be intentional. I don't know why I'm being coy; I'm talking about Scientia. https://www.scientia.global/ So if you get an email from them, please don't waste your time talking to them if you're not willing to shell out $2000 USD.
(DIR) Post #AbAryVMz3oyYSeXenA by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-10-25T22:22:09Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
P.S. "What is your business model?" is a question that I ask frequently. It often gets you just what you need to know.(Another example is a couple of years ago when I was asked to participate in an interview without compensation for what I assumed was an academic institute or a non-profit but actually turned out to be a for-profit B2B organization.)
(DIR) Post #AbCM4gVVkvp0WYLxPE by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-10-27T14:28:33Z
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Someone left a comment on one of my PhD application YouTube videos asking a question about emailing prospective advisors, said that in their emails they have been "analyzing their research papers and offering suggestions for improvement to demonstrate my genuine interest in and understanding of their work."The rest of the comment was so genuine that I think this is actually real and not a joke and I am horrified on this person's behalf. Hopefully it goes without saying: Do not do this.
(DIR) Post #AbCOFhBllIvpjQUtJw by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-10-27T14:58:24Z
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@vees Well... let's say that you have been a software developer for 20 years, and someone who has taken an introductory programming class and is applying for a job with you sits down in the job interview and says "Here are a bunch of ways you can improve your code."
(DIR) Post #AbdYMYbQlNE59hgrRY by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-11-09T13:48:42Z
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A TikTok about Amazon's new $9/month medical service for Prime members has AMAZING comments (in a "laughing through your tears about the U.S. healthcare system" kind of way). A selection:"I delayed my CPR by 3 days and got a $1 digital credit, can't wait to use it!""Got my liver on prime day. Even bought 'used, like new' and saved a bunch.""I just dropped off my bloodwork at Kohl's.""Baby came nine months early with same day delivery!"
(DIR) Post #AcPgyc2vn261hFk5lg by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-11-30T16:35:50Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
Happy birthday to ChatGPT - for the past year I've been sampling five news articles each week, to track the evolution of the technology and its critiques as represented by media coverage. So here is my narrative of these events, a sort of "ChatGPT Wrapped," the highs and lows of the past year. (And seriously, what a season finale!) #chatgpt #openai https://cfiesler.medium.com/chatgpt-wrapped-an-ais-year-in-review-dc37252c494f
(DIR) Post #Aci7iryXszzqfrvcxs by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-12-11T19:41:57Z
0 likes, 2 repeats
As a reminder, if you are a teacher, do not use AI detectors. This piece mirrors what I've heard from a LOT of students on social media (panicked students commenting on my AI videos, with no reason to lie). In my opinion, whatever utility you're getting out of a way to catch cheating is not worth the risk of even one false positive. Especially the potential for *systematically biased* false positives. https://www.thedailybeast.com/ai-written-homework-is-rising-so-are-false-accusations
(DIR) Post #AdAni2dvF4ycQifYBM by cfiesler@hci.social
2023-12-25T16:14:07Z
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@internetarchive @ginahelfrich oh my god memory unlocked
(DIR) Post #Ai5YesdOPmPvCPeVWq by cfiesler@hci.social
2024-05-20T16:31:33Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
I couldn't stop thinking about the Meta AI chatbot that made up a human experience in a parenting Facebook group - so I wrote about why online communities are for people, not chatbots. Decades of social computing research tells us that information seeking in online communities is as much about shared experiences and human connection as it is about getting an answer. Maybe generative AI shouldn't be *everywhere* doing *everything*. https://theconversation.com/ai-chatbots-are-intruding-into-online-communities-where-people-are-trying-to-connect-with-other-humans-229473
(DIR) Post #Al6RflSlLwV1L2lOvA by cfiesler@hci.social
2024-08-18T13:51:59Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
After hearing about Eric Schmidt's guest lecture in an AI class, I looked up the transcript, and yes he really did say that if a Silicon Valley entrepreneur were to "illegally steal everybody's music" they would just "hire a whole bunch of lawyers to go clean the mess up." Then I was curious and looked up the syllabus for the course and based on the topic schedule, the most explicit ethics topic seemed to be "opportunities and risks" for which the guest speaker was... Eric Schmidt. 😕