Wendy H. Wong

Wendy H. Wong

@profwhw.bsky.social

Author of We, the Data: Human Rights in the Digital Age (MIT). Award-winner. Polisci prof. Contrarian. Lover of dogs, family outfit matching, and tinned fish. www.wendyhwong.com

957 followers355 following122 posts

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

What a cool opportunity to co-host and be the "guest" on Battle Rhythm! Thanks @smsaideman.bsky.social for the interesting chat and for letting me veer off into my pet topics of #BigTech #AIgovernance #digitaltechnologies #platforms. cdsn.substack.com/p/episode-42...

cdsn.substack.comEpisode 4.26: Regulating Tech with Dr. Wendy WongBattle Rhythm Podcast
Steve Saidemonster 🧌🧛🦇⚰️👻👹@smsaideman.bsky.social

New #BattleRhythm cdsn.substack.com/p/episode-42... @profwhw.bsky.social and I talk about the Alberta referendum, some starlink stuff, and then we get into her perspectives on the challenges presented by big tech.

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

When Her(the movie) feels more like real life than ever! 🤖💗If you’re in Vancouver, V.Hetherington, K.Bronwlee, @mandylen.bsky.social and I will be discussing AI and intimacy at the Central Lib on Oct 26, from 7 pm. Come say hi if you’re around! 👋 🔗 publichumanities.ubc.ca/lets-talk-hu...

publichumanities.ubc.caLet’s Talk Humanities: Does AI Love Me Back? » Public Humanities HubWendy Wong, Kimberley Brownlee, and Victoria Hetherington will come together for a talk moderated by Mandy Len Catron, co-hosted by Vancouver Public Library and Public Humanities Hub.
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

Thanks to Janet Silver for inviting me to contribute to this very important and timely conversation about disinformation campaigns targeting diaspora communities across Canada. I'm delighted to see the fruits of that conversation! 🖇️ www.cpac.ca/our-informat...

cpac.caOur Information EcosystemOur Information Ecosystem is an eight-part documentary series bringing together academics, analysts, policy experts, journalists, activists, politicians, business leaders, content creators and student...
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

💡 Check out this great episode [I’m featured from min 10 to 11], and follow their documentary series, Our Information Ecosystem, for more on this important issue. 🎬 www.cpac.ca/articles/med...

cpac.caCPAC Launches New Documentary Series: Our Information EcosystemThe Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) is pleased to unveil Our Information Ecosystem, an eight-part documentary series examining the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on education, po...
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

💭 Is it a good thing Big Tech companies are expanding their AI footprint in Canada? 💡 I shared some thoughts with @YvonneL who worked on this report.

Financial Post@financialpost.com

Anthropic expands Canadian footprint with AI training program financialpost.com/technology/a...

financialpost.comAnthropic expands Canadian footprint with AI training programAnthropic PBC and a non-profit are teaming up on a program designed to teach Canadians how to use AI to build one-person companies. Read on.
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

ICYMI, yesterday I visited the CBC Daybreak South studio to chat with @chriswalkercbc.bsky.social about the issues raised in my article in the G&M this weekend on Big Tech and why our “AI problem” is really a “digital platforms problem.” www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

cbc.cacbc.ca© CBC/Radio-Canada 2026. All rights reserved.
CHAISE@chaisenetwork.bsky.social

@profwhw.bsky.social had a piece in the Globe and Mail this week. Check it out here: www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

theglobeandmail.comOpinion: The real threat of AI is that we can no longer separate our digital and analogue livesAI tools are just a handful of the countless ways that our lives are already governed by digital platforms and the companies that control them
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

AI developers are telling us they need to “pace” their development.Some warn there is a 10% chance humanity will be destroyed soon. What does this mean for our digital and physical lives? Read my Globe and Mail piece: governments need 🥕, not 🏒. www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

theglobeandmail.comOpinion: The real threat of AI is that we can no longer separate our digital and analogue livesAI tools are just a handful of the countless ways that our lives are already governed by digital platforms and the companies that control them
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

In my latest interview with CBC news @lauvande.bsky.social , I shared my reflections about the growing adoption of AI at the municipal level. My key question for B.C. local leaders is simple: "Maybe now is the time to ask: What do we actually need it for?" www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

cbc.caSome of B.C.'s biggest cities are using artificial intelligence — but what for? | CBC NewsCities are exploring AI for a range of operational and administrative purposes, from summarizing reports and writing emails to early wildfire detection and identifying contaminated garbage.
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

Saturday @thestar.com published my latest on Bitcoin, the pending US Clarity Act, and what it means for us that crypto trusts algos and not people (hint, it’s >💰). www.thestar.com/business/opi...

thestar.comTrump and the crypto bros may soon get their way – and it will affect investors the world overThe U.S. Clarity Act would legalize and create formal regulations for most cryptocurrencies, writes Wendy H. Wong. If it passes, it will affect investors the world over and fulfill Trump’s goal of mak...
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

AI Minister Evan Solomon finally released the federal AI strategy this month, and it has some serious 2023 vibes. It calls for "AI for All" and trust in AI for our collective prosperity. But is that really what we want? 🛋️ Read my reflections in a new op-ed in The Star www.thestar.com/business/opi...

thestar.comCarney's long overdue 'AI for All' strategy clearly has some catching up to doOnly until Ottawa steps up, accounts for AI harms properly, and provides governance around stewardship, writes Wendy H. Wong, will Canadians fully realize the benefits from digital technology.
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🎉 Congrats again to @smsaideman.bsky.social on receiving the Public Commentary Excellence Award! Check the latest episode of #BattleRhythm! Steve and I had a great conversation discussing the news about Permanent Joint Board on Defence suspension and what it means for US-Canada defence relations.

Steve Saidemonster 🧌🧛🦇⚰️👻👹@smsaideman.bsky.social

Episode 4.16 of #BattleRhythm: @profwhw.bsky.social and I discuss the public engagement role of academics and then the news about the Permanent Joint Board on Defense. I then interview Carleton's James Milner about his community engagement, refugee network, and book cdsn.substack.com/p/episode-41...

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

ICYMI, catch this interview I did on Battle Rhythm with 2026 Pulitzer Prize winner @byrontau.bsky.social about his informative book Means of Control. Congratulations Byron!

Steve Saidemonster 🧌🧛🦇⚰️👻👹@smsaideman.bsky.social

Due to my travel, we couldn't get a podcast out this week but we are highlighting @profwhw.bsky.social 's interview with Pulitzer Prize winner Bryon Tau cdsn.substack.com/p/means-of-c... We will be back next week. Congrats to Byron!

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

💬 In this intriguing conversation with Debbie Gamble, I argue that if Canada does not take digital sovereignty seriously, we risk losing control over core elements that are fundamental to our collective values and future. 🎙️ www.interac.ca/en/content/b...

interac.caEveryday Trust: ‘Datafication’ and Canada’s digital sovereignty with Wendy WongThe transition from analog to digital sources of information opened up a new world of possibilities for Canadians and Canadian entities and connected us
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

What makes data sticky? And why are they a human rights issue? 📢 Come find out on Saturday! 📢 Virtual tickets are still available! 🎟️ 💻

UBC Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions@ubcdemocracy.bsky.social

❗Join @profwhw.bsky.social when she delivers her keynote talk, 'We the Data: Human Rights in the Digital Age' at DXC26! Dr. Wong will discuss some of the most salient data governance questions of our digital age. Follow the link for more info! 🔗 www.democracyxchange.org/sessions/we-...

democracyxchange.orgWe the Data: Human Rights in the Digital Age | DemocracyXChangeRethink the relationship between individuals, data, and power, and consider what it would mean to reclaim our humanity in the digital age.
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🧵 2/3 The Sloan Foundation's Public Understanding program supports books bringing rigorous thinking on science and technology to broader public audiences. Honoured to join that tradition with a $60,000 award. 📖

View full thread
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🧵 3/4 Funding AI and quantum computing isn't enough. We must invest in people. Canada should act swiftly on a national digital literacy strategy, in cooperation with provinces, and look beyond peer countries like Australia and the UK.

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🧵 4/4 Homegrown resources already reach tens of thousands of Canadians and could be amplified. Toronto Public Library and @mediasmarts.bsky.social are leading the way in building communities that don't just use, but *understand* AI and digital technologies. #libraries #literacy #AI

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🧵 2/4 I argued Canada ought to focus on the right to digital literacy, as part of the international right to education—a foundational right enabling freedom of expression, conscience, opinion, and the right to work.

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🗞️The Tumbler Ridge tragedy raises difficult questions about platform responsibility, threat reporting, and the balance between public safety and privacy. Grateful to contribute perspective @vancouversun.bsky.social on the broader governance challenges as policymakers consider next steps.

vancouversun.comHow much did Open AI know about potential violence in Tumbler Ridge? B.C., Ottawa want to knowThe company met with Minister Rick Glumac the day of the Tumbler Ridge shooting and a key adviser of Premier David Eby the day after
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🧵(2/3) Professional licensing is an alternative that provides public protections based on privately developed standards that ensure the safety of AI prior to their release—placing the responsibility of acting ethically on the group that knows the tech and can anticipate its effects: AI developers.

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🧵(3/3) ✍ Big thank you to the wonderful research assistants who helped us on this piece, including Michael Monclou, Elisa Ehrenburg, Karyn Kao, Aleksandra Ristova-Sanyal, and Tony Wu.

Wendy H. Wong reposted

Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society
@torontosri.bsky.social

Big Tech doesn’t just sell services — it governs daily life. In a new @theglobeandmail.com op-ed, SRI Faculty Affiliate @profwhw.bsky.social argues that platforms function as unelected governors and, accordingly, must be held accountable. 🔗 Read more: www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

theglobeandmail.comOpinion: Big Tech companies effectively govern our lives. It’s time they’re held accountable for itThese companies govern, unelected, through data-intensive platforms. It’s time we acknowledge that governance explicitly
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🗞️ ICYMI: When Big Tech systems fail, everyday life grinds to a halt. That’s not just a tech problem, it’s a governance problem. My recent op-ed in @theglobeandmail.com offers a sneak peek at the argument in my forthcoming book, Mirrored States. 🔗

theglobeandmail.comOpinion: Big Tech companies effectively govern our lives. It’s time they’re held accountable for itThese companies govern, unelected, through data-intensive platforms. It’s time we acknowledge that governance explicitly
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🧵4/5 When those systems fail, the absence of governance is felt immediately. In this piece, I argue that it’s time to stop treating Big Tech as simply “big business” and start recognizing it as Governance—with corresponding responsibilities, accountability, and public oversight.

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🧵2/5 Last summer’s CrowdStrike outage grounded flights, froze hospitals, and disrupted everyday life worldwide. The lesson is not just about cybersecurity—it’s about governance.

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

🧵3/5 In the digital age, Big Tech doesn’t merely provide services. Through data-intensive platforms and cloud infrastructure, technology companies increasingly govern the conditions under which we live, work, and connect.

Wendy H. Wong reposted

KetAnthropic JoshAI
@ketanjoshi.co

This whole convo is fantastic - 1.5 hours of very informative chat on climate justice vs the gross economics of tech Ft @naomiaklein.bsky.social @profwhw.bsky.social @profhvdv.bsky.social, hosted at @ccj-ubc.bsky.social youtu.be/27BHQhkK52I

youtu.beAI and the Politics of Extraction | Centre for Climate JusticeYouTube video by Centre for Climate Justice
Naomi Klein@naomiaklein.bsky.social

AI is a climate issue. AI is a climate crisis.

Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

💬 Reminder to save your spot for "AI and the Politics of Extraction" at UBC's Centre for Climate Justice. I'm on a panel moderated by Carol Liao, and we will be discussing the complex political and legal issues raised by AI-enabled resource extraction. 🗓️Nov. 20 🕰️2-3:30pm 📍In-Person & Zoom

climatejustice.ubc.caUBC
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

This is happening Wednesday! Come join us at UBC's School of Law, where I will be arguing that we have to move beyond “monopoly” to characterize Big Tech’s outsize influence on modern society. Details about registration at the link below 🔗

Peter A. Allard School of Law - University of British Columbia@allard.ubc.ca

On Nov 19, join Prof. Wendy H. Wong (@profwhw.bsky.social) as she explores Big Tech’s outsize influence on modern society. Join us in person at Allard Hall or online. allard.ubc.ca/about-us/eve...

allard.ubc.caLaw @ UBC Distinguished Speaker Lecture with Wendy H. Wong: What Kind of Governor is Big Tech?Professor Wendy H. Wong will be delivering this year's Law at UBC Distinguished Speaker Lecture.
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

Really looking forward to visiting UBC's School of Law! If you're interested in Big Tech and governance, come join us on November 19 (either in-person or virtually!) 👩‍💻

Peter A. Allard School of Law - University of British Columbia@allard.ubc.ca

On Nov 19, join Prof. Wendy H. Wong (@profwhw.bsky.social) as she explores Big Tech’s outsize influence on modern society. Join us in person at Allard Hall or online. allard.ubc.ca/about-us/eve...

allard.ubc.caLaw @ UBC Distinguished Speaker Lecture with Wendy H. Wong: What Kind of Governor is Big Tech?Professor Wendy H. Wong will be delivering this year's Law at UBC Distinguished Speaker Lecture.
Wendy H. Wong
@profwhw.bsky.social

Don't wait to sign up! I'm excited to talking about these very important issues with my fellow panelists! Yea, I'll be talking about human rights. 😉

Centre for Climate Justice@ccj-ubc.bsky.social

The rapid spread of AI raises growing climate justice concerns. Join professors @naomiaklein.bsky.social, @mysdick.bsky.social, @profwhw.bsky.social, and @profhvdv.bsky.social for a hybrid panel discussion, moderated by @carolmliao.bsky.social. Register Now: climatejustice.ubc.ca/events/event...