Online gambling exacerbates domestic and property violence in the outskirts of cities, says researcher
A study conducted in the Território do Bem, in Vitória (ES), shows how debt from gambling affects family relationships and deepens inequalities. David Nemer, DTD Lab faculty co-lead, discusses the effects and consequences of the use of Bets among women from the periphery.
Experts see the TSE’s decision as fundamental in defining the use of deepfakes in elections
A report analyzes the recent decision of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) that rejected the request for a fine against candidate Flávio Bolsonaro for the use of deepfake in his party convention, establishing the legal guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in the 2026 elections. DTD Lab research affiliate Yasmin Curzi points out that the judgment brings the first signal from the TSE on the application of the rules, but warns of the risk of insecurity and judicialization due to the subjective interpretation of these criteria.
Pix becomes a channel for violence against women: ‘Misogyny reinvents itself,’ say experts
DTD Lab research affiliate, Yasmin Curzi, argues that the Central Bank should implement mitigation measures to prevent offensive messages from being sent in Pix transactions. Among its proposals, the tracking and blocking of offensive terms to prevent the transmission of intimidating messages stands out.
Nighttime in the city
The interdisciplinary field called night studies considers how urban governance is applied to the 24-hour cycle. Jess Reia, DTD Lab faculty co-lead, is investigating discrepancies in the use of data for daytime economies and urban functioning, versus lack of study or thorough data for the nighttime economy.
Imagining “Us” and “Them”: Emotional Logics of Sovereignty and National Belonging among Chinese Youth
A paper co-authored by DTD Lab postdoc, Wendy Zhou, examines how Chinese youth envision China’s future and how these visions inform their attitudes toward Hong Kong and Taiwan. By foregrounding the interplay between imagined futures of “us” and emotional evaluations of “them,” the study shows how debates over territorial sovereignty are filtered through everyday emotions and sense of national belonging.
The AI Factory: Data Centers, Power, and Resistance in Late Industrial Pennsylvania
A report co-authored by DTD Lab postdoc, Cella Sum, shows that data centers are a lightning rod issue for broad, diverse communities that desire both prosperity and power. Meanwhile, for powerful corporations, data centers represent an Achilles heel. A detailed exploration of how technology is impacting people's lives, this report reveals the limits of AI’s supposed inevitability within Pennsylvania’s borders and beyond them.
Student Technology Council aims to represent students on technological issues
The Student Technology Council (STC) led by DTD Lab faculty co-lead, Mona Sloane and managed by RA Claire Bassett, held their fall retreat at the DTD Lab. The inaugural chair said she hopes to establish the STC as an additional Student Council branch to give students a larger role in shaping technology policy.
Synthetic Nights: Machine and Human Learning in 24-Hour Cities
Jess Reia, DTD Lab faculty co-lead, has published a new open access paper, in which they ask whether algorithms can understand or shape the urban night. In the paper, Jess shows how the opacities and refusals of nocturnal life expose the limits of machine learning while making the case for expanding what counts as data in our cities.
The Digital Wellness Industry Is Hijacking Women’s Health
Menopause and perimenopause, long under-researched and dismissed, have become a growth industry for online advertisers and wellness companies. Mining intimate data, this lucrative digital ecosystem exploits medical uncertainty to sell women hormones and supplements they don't need, or that can even harm them.
Bridging the Legal-technical Gap: AI Surveillance and Data Sovereignty in Africa
Maria Lungu, DTD Lab research affiliate, participated this summer in an international symposium hosted by the Data Science Law Lab at the University of Pretoria, which brought together researchers from the U.S., U.K., South Africa, Nigeria, Zambia, and Kenya. The conversations examined the legal and governance challenges created by AI technologies across African contexts and ultimately resulted in a new publication.
