Stephen Neville
@silentrecord.bsky.social
Métis Research Chair @PowleyInstitute | Communication & Culture, PhD @yorkuniversity
| Infoscape Lab | Institute for Research on Digital Literacies |
Métis Studies, Media, Surveillance
The Politics of Media Scarcity (2024) out now.
| Infoscape Lab | Institute for Research on Digital Literacies |
Métis Studies, Media, Surveillance
The Politics of Media Scarcity (2024) out now.
Pinned
After a year of research, our report on the health-related machine listening industry is out.
We mapped over 200 patents linked to 64 AI applications and products that analyze voices and other bodily sounds to generate health inferences — with major gaps in transparency and consent.
We mapped over 200 patents linked to 64 AI applications and products that analyze voices and other bodily sounds to generate health inferences — with major gaps in transparency and consent.
Reposted by Stephen Neville
👉️️ Tue Sept 8 → 7pm • in-person & online
What can apps learn about your health from your voice, your cough, and other sounds? Stephen J. Neville (@silentrecord.bsky.social) tracks a decade of growing privacy and discrimination risks!
✚ discussions & breakouts!
guild.host/events/civic...
What can apps learn about your health from your voice, your cough, and other sounds? Stephen J. Neville (@silentrecord.bsky.social) tracks a decade of growing privacy and discrimination risks!
✚ discussions & breakouts!
guild.host/events/civic...
September 2, 2026 at 7:59 PM
👉️️ Tue Sept 8 → 7pm • in-person & online
What can apps learn about your health from your voice, your cough, and other sounds? Stephen J. Neville (@silentrecord.bsky.social) tracks a decade of growing privacy and discrimination risks!
✚ discussions & breakouts!
guild.host/events/civic...
What can apps learn about your health from your voice, your cough, and other sounds? Stephen J. Neville (@silentrecord.bsky.social) tracks a decade of growing privacy and discrimination risks!
✚ discussions & breakouts!
guild.host/events/civic...
Reposted by Stephen Neville
Ironclad surveillance dictum: any failure of surveillance tech will be used as a rationale for more surveillance tech, and any success of surveillance tech will also be used as a rationale for more surveillance tech.
Exclusive: The Founders of Flock Say Their Surveillance Tech Would’ve Solved the Nancy Guthrie Case
In their first joint interview at the company’s sleek but rather deserted HQ in Atlanta, Flock cofounders Garrett Langley and Paige Todd deflect all the criticism and lament that they haven’t megaphon...
www.vanityfair.com
August 14, 2026 at 1:22 PM
Ironclad surveillance dictum: any failure of surveillance tech will be used as a rationale for more surveillance tech, and any success of surveillance tech will also be used as a rationale for more surveillance tech.
Reposted by Stephen Neville
#SuicideResearch
This work is incredibly important, please share, amplify. This is happening and there are currently few if any safeguards to protect us. This affects all of us but especially the most vulnerable who are impacted more by the bias and error in these systems. + lack of accountability
This work is incredibly important, please share, amplify. This is happening and there are currently few if any safeguards to protect us. This affects all of us but especially the most vulnerable who are impacted more by the bias and error in these systems. + lack of accountability
After a year of research, our report on the health-related machine listening industry is out.
We mapped over 200 patents linked to 64 AI applications and products that analyze voices and other bodily sounds to generate health inferences — with major gaps in transparency and consent.
We mapped over 200 patents linked to 64 AI applications and products that analyze voices and other bodily sounds to generate health inferences — with major gaps in transparency and consent.
June 3, 2026 at 7:28 PM
#SuicideResearch
This work is incredibly important, please share, amplify. This is happening and there are currently few if any safeguards to protect us. This affects all of us but especially the most vulnerable who are impacted more by the bias and error in these systems. + lack of accountability
This work is incredibly important, please share, amplify. This is happening and there are currently few if any safeguards to protect us. This affects all of us but especially the most vulnerable who are impacted more by the bias and error in these systems. + lack of accountability
After a year of research, our report on the health-related machine listening industry is out.
We mapped over 200 patents linked to 64 AI applications and products that analyze voices and other bodily sounds to generate health inferences — with major gaps in transparency and consent.
We mapped over 200 patents linked to 64 AI applications and products that analyze voices and other bodily sounds to generate health inferences — with major gaps in transparency and consent.
June 3, 2026 at 5:48 PM
After a year of research, our report on the health-related machine listening industry is out.
We mapped over 200 patents linked to 64 AI applications and products that analyze voices and other bodily sounds to generate health inferences — with major gaps in transparency and consent.
We mapped over 200 patents linked to 64 AI applications and products that analyze voices and other bodily sounds to generate health inferences — with major gaps in transparency and consent.
If you're in the Toronto area, join up for this Surveillance Stroll organized by Technologists for Democracy!
We are hosting a Jane's walk on Sunday May 3rd!
Join us on a walk from Union to St Andrew’s as we lead you on a privacy tour to better understand how privacy laws and rights look in practice across Toronto. Participants will use a ‘Privacy Checklist’ to spot privacy risks.
luma.com/ja6l848q
Join us on a walk from Union to St Andrew’s as we lead you on a privacy tour to better understand how privacy laws and rights look in practice across Toronto. Participants will use a ‘Privacy Checklist’ to spot privacy risks.
luma.com/ja6l848q
Jane's Walk - The Surveillance Stroll · Luma
Each day, we pass buildings and streets with cameras recording our movements, all hidden in plain sight. Have you ever wondered what role do cameras and other…
luma.com
April 30, 2026 at 2:39 PM
If you're in the Toronto area, join up for this Surveillance Stroll organized by Technologists for Democracy!
Reposted by Stephen Neville
We are hosting a Jane's walk on Sunday May 3rd!
Join us on a walk from Union to St Andrew’s as we lead you on a privacy tour to better understand how privacy laws and rights look in practice across Toronto. Participants will use a ‘Privacy Checklist’ to spot privacy risks.
luma.com/ja6l848q
Join us on a walk from Union to St Andrew’s as we lead you on a privacy tour to better understand how privacy laws and rights look in practice across Toronto. Participants will use a ‘Privacy Checklist’ to spot privacy risks.
luma.com/ja6l848q
Jane's Walk - The Surveillance Stroll · Luma
Each day, we pass buildings and streets with cameras recording our movements, all hidden in plain sight. Have you ever wondered what role do cameras and other…
luma.com
April 27, 2026 at 3:50 PM
We are hosting a Jane's walk on Sunday May 3rd!
Join us on a walk from Union to St Andrew’s as we lead you on a privacy tour to better understand how privacy laws and rights look in practice across Toronto. Participants will use a ‘Privacy Checklist’ to spot privacy risks.
luma.com/ja6l848q
Join us on a walk from Union to St Andrew’s as we lead you on a privacy tour to better understand how privacy laws and rights look in practice across Toronto. Participants will use a ‘Privacy Checklist’ to spot privacy risks.
luma.com/ja6l848q
Today marks Data Privacy Day, an international initiative dedicated to promoting awareness and best practices around privacy protection. In recognition of this occasion, I'm pleased to share an updated version of the digital literacy primer, “Understanding Machine Listening and Voice Data Privacy”.
January 28, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Today marks Data Privacy Day, an international initiative dedicated to promoting awareness and best practices around privacy protection. In recognition of this occasion, I'm pleased to share an updated version of the digital literacy primer, “Understanding Machine Listening and Voice Data Privacy”.
If you live in North America, the next time you call the police, your call may be answered by AI.
This week, the Toronto Police Service announced it will begin using a voice AI system developed by Hyper for 811 non-emergency calls.
This week, the Toronto Police Service announced it will begin using a voice AI system developed by Hyper for 811 non-emergency calls.
January 16, 2026 at 6:55 PM
If you live in North America, the next time you call the police, your call may be answered by AI.
This week, the Toronto Police Service announced it will begin using a voice AI system developed by Hyper for 811 non-emergency calls.
This week, the Toronto Police Service announced it will begin using a voice AI system developed by Hyper for 811 non-emergency calls.
48 hours until our event, Understanding Machine Listening and Voice Data Privacy, as part of 2025 Media Literacy Week!
We’re excited to share a new resource on digital literacy and machine listening. Take a look at the draft primer: drive.google.com/file/d/15lJw...
@mediasmarts.bsky.social
We’re excited to share a new resource on digital literacy and machine listening. Take a look at the draft primer: drive.google.com/file/d/15lJw...
@mediasmarts.bsky.social
October 27, 2025 at 5:34 PM
48 hours until our event, Understanding Machine Listening and Voice Data Privacy, as part of 2025 Media Literacy Week!
We’re excited to share a new resource on digital literacy and machine listening. Take a look at the draft primer: drive.google.com/file/d/15lJw...
@mediasmarts.bsky.social
We’re excited to share a new resource on digital literacy and machine listening. Take a look at the draft primer: drive.google.com/file/d/15lJw...
@mediasmarts.bsky.social
Ever wonder if Alexa or Siri hear more than they should?
Come to an online interactive session covering this question and more on Oct. 29th, as part of Media Literacy Week (Oct. 27-31).
Come to an online interactive session covering this question and more on Oct. 29th, as part of Media Literacy Week (Oct. 27-31).
October 19, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Ever wonder if Alexa or Siri hear more than they should?
Come to an online interactive session covering this question and more on Oct. 29th, as part of Media Literacy Week (Oct. 27-31).
Come to an online interactive session covering this question and more on Oct. 29th, as part of Media Literacy Week (Oct. 27-31).
People in crisis are reaching out for human support and increasingly the response they get is shaped by generative AI.
I wrote about how gen AI is reshaping crisis support, and why that should concern all of us advocating for responsible and trustworthy crisis counselling and peer support.
I wrote about how gen AI is reshaping crisis support, and why that should concern all of us advocating for responsible and trustworthy crisis counselling and peer support.
August 7, 2025 at 7:14 PM
People in crisis are reaching out for human support and increasingly the response they get is shaped by generative AI.
I wrote about how gen AI is reshaping crisis support, and why that should concern all of us advocating for responsible and trustworthy crisis counselling and peer support.
I wrote about how gen AI is reshaping crisis support, and why that should concern all of us advocating for responsible and trustworthy crisis counselling and peer support.
This is abhorrent. LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately in need of crisis counselling support.
www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-...
www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-...
White House proposes axing 988 suicide hotline services for LGBTQ youth
The specialized suicide-prevention counseling service for LGBTQ youth and young adults received more than 1.3 million contacts since it started in 2022, advocates said.
www.nbcnews.com
June 11, 2025 at 1:43 AM
This is abhorrent. LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately in need of crisis counselling support.
www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-...
www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-...
Reposted by Stephen Neville
people always dismiss the data privacy concerns—like hmm don’t collect unnecessary data on sensitive populations, because it can be used against them
and now the city of San Antonio is handing over data on every person that came through our migrant center because they need FEMA reimbursements
and now the city of San Antonio is handing over data on every person that came through our migrant center because they need FEMA reimbursements
March 27, 2025 at 3:40 PM
people always dismiss the data privacy concerns—like hmm don’t collect unnecessary data on sensitive populations, because it can be used against them
and now the city of San Antonio is handing over data on every person that came through our migrant center because they need FEMA reimbursements
and now the city of San Antonio is handing over data on every person that came through our migrant center because they need FEMA reimbursements
Absolutely devastating news.
It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of Jonathan Sterne, an extraordinary scholar whose groundbreaking work transformed the fields of sound studies, media theory, and the cultural study of technology.
March 23, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Absolutely devastating news.
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” -Alvin Toffler
I.e. The illiterate of the 21st century will be those using generative AI when they should be doing some thinking for themselves.
I.e. The illiterate of the 21st century will be those using generative AI when they should be doing some thinking for themselves.
March 20, 2025 at 3:34 PM
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” -Alvin Toffler
I.e. The illiterate of the 21st century will be those using generative AI when they should be doing some thinking for themselves.
I.e. The illiterate of the 21st century will be those using generative AI when they should be doing some thinking for themselves.
Reposted by Stephen Neville
Get rid of your Amazon Echo
arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
Everything you say to your Echo will be sent to Amazon starting on March 28
Amazon is killing a privacy feature to bolster Alexa+, the new subscription assistant.
arstechnica.com
March 15, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Get rid of your Amazon Echo
arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
Reposted by Stephen Neville
i'm continuing to try raising awareness: exploitation of persons, vulnerable, who use & answer #CrisisLines.
To have this work amplified by s.o. so dedicated to protections for vulnerable & expert in subject matter, feels such an honor. grateful! We can end exploitation #CrisisLineWorkers #organize
To have this work amplified by s.o. so dedicated to protections for vulnerable & expert in subject matter, feels such an honor. grateful! We can end exploitation #CrisisLineWorkers #organize
It seems like a distant memory when news broke in 2022 from Politico about the data sharing partnership between Crisis Text Line and Loris.ai – a subsidiary that used crisis conversation data to create AI models for customer service support. The story is ongoing.
www.politico.com/news/2022/01...
www.politico.com/news/2022/01...
February 11, 2025 at 3:03 AM
i'm continuing to try raising awareness: exploitation of persons, vulnerable, who use & answer #CrisisLines.
To have this work amplified by s.o. so dedicated to protections for vulnerable & expert in subject matter, feels such an honor. grateful! We can end exploitation #CrisisLineWorkers #organize
To have this work amplified by s.o. so dedicated to protections for vulnerable & expert in subject matter, feels such an honor. grateful! We can end exploitation #CrisisLineWorkers #organize
It seems like a distant memory when news broke in 2022 from Politico about the data sharing partnership between Crisis Text Line and Loris.ai – a subsidiary that used crisis conversation data to create AI models for customer service support. The story is ongoing.
www.politico.com/news/2022/01...
www.politico.com/news/2022/01...
February 7, 2025 at 9:35 PM
It seems like a distant memory when news broke in 2022 from Politico about the data sharing partnership between Crisis Text Line and Loris.ai – a subsidiary that used crisis conversation data to create AI models for customer service support. The story is ongoing.
www.politico.com/news/2022/01...
www.politico.com/news/2022/01...
Reposted by Stephen Neville
Badlamenti on how he and Lynch wrote the Twin Peaks theme.
Angelo Badalamenti explains how he wrote Laura Palmer's Theme
YouTube video by Joseph
youtu.be
January 16, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Badlamenti on how he and Lynch wrote the Twin Peaks theme.
I'm wondering if folks would share their approach to community agreements in the post-secondary classroom?
Do you start with a blank template or provide some anchoring principles/values to add to, revise, etc.?
Do you start with a blank template or provide some anchoring principles/values to add to, revise, etc.?
January 16, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I'm wondering if folks would share their approach to community agreements in the post-secondary classroom?
Do you start with a blank template or provide some anchoring principles/values to add to, revise, etc.?
Do you start with a blank template or provide some anchoring principles/values to add to, revise, etc.?
In the weeds of writing today with a great big stack of books on Métis culture and history.
January 15, 2025 at 8:00 PM
In the weeds of writing today with a great big stack of books on Métis culture and history.
Reposted by Stephen Neville
A fabulous new issue of Surveillance & Society is out now, the last one of 2024. This open issue offers six original articles, a special Dialogue Section on the surveillance dimensions of “Synthetic Data,” and two book reviews. #surveillance #data #academicsky
ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/su...
ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/su...
Vol. 22 No. 4 (2024): Open Issue
| Surveillance & Society
ojs.library.queensu.ca
December 6, 2024 at 11:31 PM
A fabulous new issue of Surveillance & Society is out now, the last one of 2024. This open issue offers six original articles, a special Dialogue Section on the surveillance dimensions of “Synthetic Data,” and two book reviews. #surveillance #data #academicsky
ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/su...
ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/su...
What is privacy-washing and how is it manipulative and concerning?
Tech corporations have gotten savvier in promoting their digital products, services, and platforms as privacy-protective or privacy-respectful.
Privacy-washing is akin to green-washing but for privacy and surveillance concerns.
Tech corporations have gotten savvier in promoting their digital products, services, and platforms as privacy-protective or privacy-respectful.
Privacy-washing is akin to green-washing but for privacy and surveillance concerns.
November 27, 2024 at 6:21 PM
What is privacy-washing and how is it manipulative and concerning?
Tech corporations have gotten savvier in promoting their digital products, services, and platforms as privacy-protective or privacy-respectful.
Privacy-washing is akin to green-washing but for privacy and surveillance concerns.
Tech corporations have gotten savvier in promoting their digital products, services, and platforms as privacy-protective or privacy-respectful.
Privacy-washing is akin to green-washing but for privacy and surveillance concerns.
Looking forward to this presentation on Crisis Text Line at #SCMS @scmstudies.bsky.social. See you in Chicago in April!
November 27, 2024 at 5:15 PM
Looking forward to this presentation on Crisis Text Line at #SCMS @scmstudies.bsky.social. See you in Chicago in April!
#NCA2024 folks:
I'll also be part of a great panel in discussion of Heather Woods's new book, "Threshold" on smart homes. Come if you're interested in space, digital rhetorics, platform surveillance, and gender.
This is happening tomorrow morning:
11am- Napoleon B1 - Sheraton
I'll also be part of a great panel in discussion of Heather Woods's new book, "Threshold" on smart homes. Come if you're interested in space, digital rhetorics, platform surveillance, and gender.
This is happening tomorrow morning:
11am- Napoleon B1 - Sheraton
November 21, 2024 at 2:58 AM
#NCA2024 folks:
I'll also be part of a great panel in discussion of Heather Woods's new book, "Threshold" on smart homes. Come if you're interested in space, digital rhetorics, platform surveillance, and gender.
This is happening tomorrow morning:
11am- Napoleon B1 - Sheraton
I'll also be part of a great panel in discussion of Heather Woods's new book, "Threshold" on smart homes. Come if you're interested in space, digital rhetorics, platform surveillance, and gender.
This is happening tomorrow morning:
11am- Napoleon B1 - Sheraton