Technology is advancing rapidly, often leaving us struggling to keep up. In our daily work, we encounter moments where technology, like people, can show bias. What lies beneath the software we use? Who are “data activists”, and how do they operate?

In the latest episode, we try to step back and reflect on the current state of regulations of technology, algorithmic bias, excluding technology, and data activism with our guest - Kuba Piwowar - a sociologist and cultural scientist who holds a PhD in the humanities, specializing in the socio-cultural aspects of new technologies, data activism, and research methods.

During this podcast interview, you can deep dive and find the answers to the following questions:

  • What is “algorithmic bias”? What are the different types of it?

  • What is “excluding technology” and where can we find it?

  • How can we act against the excluding technology?

  • What is “data literacy”?

  • Is it important to discuss data separately? Or should we talk about it together with digital and media literacy?

  • What is “data activism”?

  • What types of data activism can be observed these days?

Listen to the podcast now and get all your questions answered!

Kuba Piwowar is a sociologist and cultural scientist who holds a PhD in the humanities. He specializes in the socio-cultural aspects of new technologies, data activism, and research methods. He is also a Humanity in Action senior fellow, where he worked on a project focused on data literacy and data activism. In 2022, he published a book titled "Excluding Technologies. Measurement, Data, Algorithms," in which he examines the sources of bias in new technologies and proposes solutions to overcome them. Additionally, he serves as an assistant professor at the Department of Culture and Media at SWPS University in Warsaw and is a member of the Polish Sociological Association. Kuba holds an MA diploma in sociology, completed postgraduate Gender Studies at IBL PAN, studied art history at Collegium Civitas, and pursued Marketing Academy at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

The podcast was recorded and mixed at "Podcastownia Ciekawość" (Warsaw, Poland)  

🎙 Podcast host: Joanna Krukowska (TechSoup Europe) 

🎵 Music by Zykovich Yauheni aka JJ  

📆 Podcast recorded on June 21, 2024