alondra.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

"The results were stark: Black applicants consistently faced higher barriers to homeownership, even when their financial profiles were identical to white applicants." This is why disparate impact theory must be protected, and AI decisions must comply with existing fair housing and lending laws.

submitted 8 hours ago • 1 comment

SCOOP: The CDC is planning to move information on cases of diseases like measles and polio to a data system managed by Palantir, raising concerns about patient privacy. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/06/h...

submitted 22 hours ago • 30 comments

"Black applicants would, on average, need credit scores approximately 120 points higher than white applicants to receive the same approval rate, and about 30 points higher to receive the same interest rate."

submitted 10 hours ago • 26 comments

It’s really unfortunate how much we, collectively, disparage women in our society. So many comments about yesterday’s fight comparing them to girls and women, as if that’s a bad thing. They are MEN behaving badly. It’s ok to say that.

submitted 1 day ago • 29 comments

I went on a pod cast

submitted 13 hours ago • 3 comments

A true intellectual treat and privilege to participate in this timely workshop convened by @alondra.bsky.social @tcarayannis.bsky.social and Marie-Thérèse Png last week under Albert Einstein’s perennial sights at IAS.

submitted 1 day ago • 1 comment

Including Columbia's own (emeritus professor), Mae Ngai!

submitted 16 hours ago • 0 comments

“Sources said the administration is specifically considering a full termination of federal grant funding for the University of California and California State University systems…The UC system is the state’s third largest employer, and both systems are major engines of research…”

submitted 19 hours ago • 14 comments

“Scientific knowledge is, fortunately, a public good, and as such, its benefits transcend international boundaries. But relinquishing its prominence in creating the future is nothing short of devastating for the United States.”

submitted 20 hours ago • 0 comments

Smart proponents of AI should oppose this moratorium (like the Anthropic CEO) bc a successful free market requires laws. You can’t build a business in anarchy. You can’t trust new partners without rules. You can’t scale if your growth can be stolen. State of nature is no way to run an economy.

submitted 20 hours ago • 0 comments

Marcia McNutt has been saying that the US is doing a huge experiment with China as the control. The global scientific community will still produce knowledge. But not being in the lead has bad implications for US flourishing. My column: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

submitted 1 day ago • 2 comments

VA used a DOGE AI tool by Gumroad founder Sahil Lavingia that hallucinated contract sizes to cancel 24+ deals; Lavingia says "mistakes were made" (ProPublica) Main Link | Techmeme Permalink

submitted 23 hours ago • 1 comment

The other new bad part of the moratorium is that it also changes the BEAD program to be an AI subsidy program. BEAD is meant for broadband deployment to low income and rural areas. Cruz added the option for states to spend the money instead on AI deployment. It’s a giveaway to Silicon Valley.

submitted 1 day ago • 1 comment

Across the government, the Trump administration is scrambling to rehire many federal employees dismissed under DOGE’s staff-slashing initiatives after wiping out entire offices, in some cases imperiling key services such as weather forecasting and the drug approval process.

submitted 1 day ago • 164 comments

New: A DOGE staffer developed an AI tool to review Veterans Affairs contracts. But there was a slight hitch. It hallucinated the size of those deals. For example, it concluded that more than a thousand contracts were each worth $34M, when in fact some were for as little as $35,000.

submitted 1 day ago • 86 comments

I learned so much talking to ProPublica for this story. It's a telling window into how Trump/DOGE are using AI to shrink the government and the consequences. And even though this use is particularly ham-handed, it's a good example of the limitations of the technology more generally.🧵 @propublica.org

submitted 1 day ago • 4 comments

And not only lose the laws on the books, but cut off the ability of states to experiment with different approaches to mitigating the harms of AI that affect their residents. This should be unthinkable. Tech companies can too easily kill federal legislation. The states are our main hope here.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

It would also kill next generation WiFi and the existing private networking band (CBRS) by forcing the FCC to auction the CBRS band and at least a portion of the 6 GHz band. (It requires auctioning 800 MHz at least 300 non-fed. Only those bands r in relevant frequency range). #killthebill

submitted 1 day ago • 1 comment

Pleased join @markey.senate.gov today in a discussion about protecting our rights and opportunities in the age of AI. A 10-year freeze on AI guardrails would abandon the American public and ignore its concerns. Truly innovative technology must be just and fair. www.masslive.com/politics/202...

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

The Distraction Divorce as we lose state's rights to laws about AI use. Don't believe their words. Believe their actions.

submitted 1 day ago • 1 comment

I build and test AI for healthcare, and it must absolutely be regulated.

submitted 1 day ago • 4 comments

Big Tech has promised to govern itself for the public good since the dawn of the Internet. Congress has allowed it. Cambridge Analytica — no new governance. Devastating revelations about platforms/kids’ mental health — no new governance. AI? Carte blanche. Remember this moment and #killthebill

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

🚨BIG STORY: Senators put a line into the crypto bill requiring bankrupt banks to prioritize remunerating crypto investors over depositors. The provision could require banks to take cash from your savings account & use it to pay senators' crypto donors. www.levernews.com/cryptos-new-...

submitted 1 day ago • 121 comments

Social scientists have called this out for a while. From my own work to Latrica Best, Aaron Panofsky, Evelyn Hammonds, Reanne Frank, Alondra Nelson, Jonathan Kahn, Oliver Rollins, Rina Bliss, Ruha Benjamin, Troy Duster, & many more. Race as proxy fails because racial groups are not a genetic reality

submitted 1 day ago • 4 comments

This Senate proposal advanced by Sen Cruz would cancel new and existing State laws on any aspect of tech use including civil rights, consumer protection, privacy, fraud, safety for kids, accessibility, and more. In short, we’d lose the few laws we have that ensure responsible AI use. #killthebill

submitted 1 day ago • 20 comments

Don’t be confused: The Senate Republican AI language includes the EXACT SAME AI moratorium as the House bill. Almost word-for-word. This is a complete, 10-year ban on state AI regulation. Period.

submitted 1 day ago • 46 comments

Elon Musk indeed has A LOT to lose if Trump actually cancels his gov contracts: more than 100 by our last count www.nytimes.com/2024/10/20/u...

submitted 1 day ago • 2 comments

Cyber warfare

submitted 1 day ago • 3 comments

"We cannot build bananas in America" is an all timer

submitted 1 day ago • 274 comments

Rare earths & critical minerals drawing a ton of coverage this am — shifting the debate of who “has the cards.” @axios.com @reuters.com @cnbc.com

submitted 2 days ago • 26 comments

oh my god this ad is so good!

submitted 2 days ago • 12 comments

Thanks to Trump admin hiring freeze, we don't actually know the inflation rate anymore Bureau of Labor Statistics is short-staffed and simply can't gather enough data www.wsj.com/economy/cpi-...

submitted 2 days ago • 6 comments

UNC's BOT has belatedly, and after public outcry, approved the pending tenure cases. While I am relieved for my colleagues who were held in limbo, our issues here are far from settled. @insidehighered.com obtained board member's emails - hoo boy, buckle up 1/ www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...

submitted 2 days ago • 4 comments

Both Lander and Mamdani cite Mayor Wu (Boston) as most effective Dem in the US

submitted 2 days ago • 2 comments

ok the NYC mayoral debate is really good

submitted 2 days ago • 4 comments

Harvey Milk served his country honorably — first in uniform, then in public office. Taking his name off this Navy ship sends a clear message, and it’s one of disrespect and cruelty.

submitted 3 days ago • 805 comments

Why public sector investment in basic research and innovation is irreplaceable ⤵️

submitted 2 days ago • 3 comments

Pleased join @markey.senate.gov today in a discussion about protecting our rights and opportunities in the age of AI. A 10-year freeze on AI guardrails would abandon the American public and ignore its concerns. Truly innovative technology must be just and fair. www.masslive.com/politics/202...

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment