Local governments use technologies such as software, algorithms, and data systems across policing, probation, child protective services, courts, education, employment services, homelessness services, etc. A body of work in CSCW and HCI has emerged to study these technologies. Prior work has collaborated with local governments in the name of the public interest. However, recent work questions whether local governments truly serve the public, or whether they primarily surveil and police poor, minoritized communities.
In this one-day CSCW'22 virtual workshop, we will bring together researchers from academia, the public sector, and community organizations to take stock of work around civic technologies and reflect on critical questions to orient the future of public interest technology, including:
(How) should researchers collaborate with local governments?
When should we oppose governments?
How should we ethically engage with communities without being extractive?
To apply, please upload your submission via this Google Form by October 17, 2022. Or submit via email.
We aim to bring together people who research, work with, or are impacted by public technologies. This may include researchers, non-profit workers, activists, government workers (such as social workers), or people who have been impacted by local governments, e.g. through policing, prisons, child protective services, employment services, or homelessness services. If you're interested in this work, please submit.
We ask participants to submit at least one of the following related to the workshop themes (see Call for Participation):
2-4 page position paper
250-500 word bio with a statement of interest for attending this workshop
300 word abstract
3-5 minute video or audio recording
1+ page infographic or pictorial
1-3 page case study discussing ongoing work in public interest technology
resource that you or your organization has created
400+ word critical reading of prior work
other formats with content related to public interest technology and workshop themes
Each submission will be reviewed by organizers and accepted based on relevance to the workshop topic and diversity of perspectives to allow for a meaningful conversation. If you have any questions about how to submit, please email Logan Stapleton or Devansh Saxena.
Welcome and Introductions (15 minutes): Workshop organizers will introduce themselves and the workshop.
Keynote Speaker + Q/A (1 hour): Professor Carl DiSalvo will speak on working with local governments and communities
Random speed dating (1 hour): Participants will introduce themselves, their work, or their position papers.
Breakout room discussions (1 hour): Participants will break into rooms organized by workshop themes.
Lightning talks (20 min): Participants will give a brief (2 min) introduction of themselves and their work.
Breakout room activities (50 min): Participants will use a Miroboard to map out key ideas, themes, challenges/questions, and resources specific to central questions of the workshop.
Synthesis (20 min): Breakout rooms will synthesize what they've been discussing to share in plenary discussions.
Plenary Discussions (1 hour): All participants will reconvene to share what they discussed in breakout rooms, including key ideas, challenges, opportunities, resources, and takeaways to allow for ongoing engagement after the workshop.
Closing remarks (20 minutes): Organizers will synthesize key takeaways from discussions, identify next steps for building a stronger community on public interest technology, and open a Discord server for all to join.