william
@williamrfrey.bsky.social
joint postdoctoral fellow ‣ michigan 〽️
i study technology, society, and ai 🤔
🅓 dialogic facilitator
🅒 CRIT Collective
🅣 TETRA
🔗 williamrfrey.com
i study technology, society, and ai 🤔
🅓 dialogic facilitator
🅒 CRIT Collective
🅣 TETRA
🔗 williamrfrey.com
time and again, I see researchers raise ethical concerns about AI to highlight why the speculative benefits are more noteworthy. rarely do I see anyone (especially in the field of social work) raise ethical concerns to question whether we should use AI at all.
September 23, 2025 at 3:53 PM
time and again, I see researchers raise ethical concerns about AI to highlight why the speculative benefits are more noteworthy. rarely do I see anyone (especially in the field of social work) raise ethical concerns to question whether we should use AI at all.
Life Update 🔅: i have accepted a postdoctoral research fellowship in Dr. Kishonna L. Gray’s Intersectional Tech Lab in the School of Information at the University of Michigan, jointly funded by the School of Social Work. I will be continuing my interdisciplinary work on race, social media, and ai.
June 18, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Life Update 🔅: i have accepted a postdoctoral research fellowship in Dr. Kishonna L. Gray’s Intersectional Tech Lab in the School of Information at the University of Michigan, jointly funded by the School of Social Work. I will be continuing my interdisciplinary work on race, social media, and ai.
a celebration of seven years. ♥️
May 21, 2025 at 12:25 AM
a celebration of seven years. ♥️
doctor. thank you to all the folks who have supported and poured into me over these seven years. the list is long.
special gratitude extended to my committee members: Courtney Cogburn, Rob Eschmann, Nkemka Anyiwo, J. Nathan Matias, and Jessie Daniels.
special gratitude extended to my committee members: Courtney Cogburn, Rob Eschmann, Nkemka Anyiwo, J. Nathan Matias, and Jessie Daniels.
May 11, 2025 at 2:04 AM
doctor. thank you to all the folks who have supported and poured into me over these seven years. the list is long.
special gratitude extended to my committee members: Courtney Cogburn, Rob Eschmann, Nkemka Anyiwo, J. Nathan Matias, and Jessie Daniels.
special gratitude extended to my committee members: Courtney Cogburn, Rob Eschmann, Nkemka Anyiwo, J. Nathan Matias, and Jessie Daniels.
Reposted by william
I would never presume to lecture a computer scientist on how to teach their material, as I am unqualified.
This computer scientist should not pontificate about teaching subjects where he is unqualified.
Teaching about race is political. Full stop.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/o...
This computer scientist should not pontificate about teaching subjects where he is unqualified.
Teaching about race is political. Full stop.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/o...
Opinion | I Teach Computer Science, and That Is All
Politics has no place at universities or in the classroom.
www.nytimes.com
May 3, 2025 at 11:08 AM
I would never presume to lecture a computer scientist on how to teach their material, as I am unqualified.
This computer scientist should not pontificate about teaching subjects where he is unqualified.
Teaching about race is political. Full stop.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/o...
This computer scientist should not pontificate about teaching subjects where he is unqualified.
Teaching about race is political. Full stop.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/o...
the only thing i know, without a doubt, is that we need each other..
March 26, 2025 at 12:51 AM
the only thing i know, without a doubt, is that we need each other..
after 7 years, i am a month away from defending my dissertation. it’s impossible to pretend that this is a prideful moment at columbia.
it’s been hard to justify being at an institution like this before; now it is clearly unconscionable.
these institutions do not deserve our scholarship or labor
it’s been hard to justify being at an institution like this before; now it is clearly unconscionable.
these institutions do not deserve our scholarship or labor
March 22, 2025 at 1:17 AM
after 7 years, i am a month away from defending my dissertation. it’s impossible to pretend that this is a prideful moment at columbia.
it’s been hard to justify being at an institution like this before; now it is clearly unconscionable.
these institutions do not deserve our scholarship or labor
it’s been hard to justify being at an institution like this before; now it is clearly unconscionable.
these institutions do not deserve our scholarship or labor
Reposted by william
This is a super interesting piece on what they’re calling “savior swarms”- basically when algorithmic amplification boosts well-meaning but uninformed attempts to help communities in crisis- medium.com/datasociety-...
When Kindness Kills
How Algorithms Accelerate Savior Swarms
medium.com
January 28, 2024 at 6:25 PM
This is a super interesting piece on what they’re calling “savior swarms”- basically when algorithmic amplification boosts well-meaning but uninformed attempts to help communities in crisis- medium.com/datasociety-...
Reposted by william
Even as you explore how to help now, look for ways to contribute materially over the long haul, grounded in relationship-building and trust.
And remember: it's not the job of marginalized communities under threat to educate you or manage the anxiety of folks in more stable situations.
And remember: it's not the job of marginalized communities under threat to educate you or manage the anxiety of folks in more stable situations.
January 31, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Even as you explore how to help now, look for ways to contribute materially over the long haul, grounded in relationship-building and trust.
And remember: it's not the job of marginalized communities under threat to educate you or manage the anxiety of folks in more stable situations.
And remember: it's not the job of marginalized communities under threat to educate you or manage the anxiety of folks in more stable situations.
Reposted by william
Hearing that local immigration support groups are getting swarmed by well-meaning folks hearing about the EOs & ICE action.
Community support matters. Also, media & algorithm-driven kindness can overwhelm communities, as William Frey & I wrote for @datasociety.bsky.social medium.com/datasociety-...
Community support matters. Also, media & algorithm-driven kindness can overwhelm communities, as William Frey & I wrote for @datasociety.bsky.social medium.com/datasociety-...
When Kindness Kills
How Algorithms Accelerate Savior Swarms
medium.com
January 31, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Hearing that local immigration support groups are getting swarmed by well-meaning folks hearing about the EOs & ICE action.
Community support matters. Also, media & algorithm-driven kindness can overwhelm communities, as William Frey & I wrote for @datasociety.bsky.social medium.com/datasociety-...
Community support matters. Also, media & algorithm-driven kindness can overwhelm communities, as William Frey & I wrote for @datasociety.bsky.social medium.com/datasociety-...
Reposted by william
This is my “daughter of a Black Panther breakfast program volunteer” coming out but anyone who tells you that you have to be public about all your resistance activity should immediately be under suspicion for being an op, or being under the influence of an op
February 18, 2025 at 2:12 AM
This is my “daughter of a Black Panther breakfast program volunteer” coming out but anyone who tells you that you have to be public about all your resistance activity should immediately be under suspicion for being an op, or being under the influence of an op
citations are a practice of care and labor of love—honoring lineages of study. honoring the people who inform our ideas and work.
February 19, 2025 at 4:04 AM
citations are a practice of care and labor of love—honoring lineages of study. honoring the people who inform our ideas and work.
Reposted by william
For The Emancipator, I expanded on an argument I’ve been making on Bluesky. The so-called anti-DEI movement is segregationist, and we should state that plainly.
theemancipator.org/2025/01/28/t...
theemancipator.org/2025/01/28/t...
Eliminating DEI isn't just racist — it's segregationist
New segregationists’ need to use euphemisms shows the weakness of their intellectual position and the Civil Rights Movement’s moral clarity.
theemancipator.org
January 28, 2025 at 3:21 PM
For The Emancipator, I expanded on an argument I’ve been making on Bluesky. The so-called anti-DEI movement is segregationist, and we should state that plainly.
theemancipator.org/2025/01/28/t...
theemancipator.org/2025/01/28/t...
Reposted by william
free palestine. free congo. free sudan.
free EVERY single country facing genocide, hardships, and suffering.
free EVERY single country facing genocide, hardships, and suffering.
December 29, 2024 at 12:54 AM
free palestine. free congo. free sudan.
free EVERY single country facing genocide, hardships, and suffering.
free EVERY single country facing genocide, hardships, and suffering.
Reposted by william
🔥 TWAS THE STRIKE BEFORE CHRISTMAS! 🔥✊
Starbucks baristas are going on five days of escalating ULP strikes in response to the company backtracking on our promised path forward, starting tomorrow in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle... and soon, from coast-to-coast. 🧵
Starbucks baristas are going on five days of escalating ULP strikes in response to the company backtracking on our promised path forward, starting tomorrow in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle... and soon, from coast-to-coast. 🧵
December 20, 2024 at 1:58 AM
🔥 TWAS THE STRIKE BEFORE CHRISTMAS! 🔥✊
Starbucks baristas are going on five days of escalating ULP strikes in response to the company backtracking on our promised path forward, starting tomorrow in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle... and soon, from coast-to-coast. 🧵
Starbucks baristas are going on five days of escalating ULP strikes in response to the company backtracking on our promised path forward, starting tomorrow in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle... and soon, from coast-to-coast. 🧵
Reposted by william
Hey y'all back on Mass Effect 2! We've picked up ArchAngel, Zaeed and Mordin. We have a lot more to get through! And where TF is KAIDAN!?!? Welp help me find these hoes!
twitch.tv/theillennial
twitch.tv/theillennial
Twitch
Twitch is the world
twitch.tv
December 3, 2024 at 12:32 AM
Hey y'all back on Mass Effect 2! We've picked up ArchAngel, Zaeed and Mordin. We have a lot more to get through! And where TF is KAIDAN!?!? Welp help me find these hoes!
twitch.tv/theillennial
twitch.tv/theillennial
Reposted by william
Here is more on their relationship
"Tubman said of her friend John Brown, “He done more in dying than 100 men would in living.”"
"Tubman said of her friend John Brown, “He done more in dying than 100 men would in living.”"
When Harriet Tubman Met John Brown
Happy Juneteenth! To celebrate, we’re looking back at the short but deep friendship of John Brown and Harriet Tubman, who gave their lives to the abolitionist cause.
jacobin.com
December 2, 2024 at 4:42 PM
Here is more on their relationship
"Tubman said of her friend John Brown, “He done more in dying than 100 men would in living.”"
"Tubman said of her friend John Brown, “He done more in dying than 100 men would in living.”"