07-13, 20:00–20:50 (US/Eastern), Marillac Auditorium
This is a discussion of the threats that manifest online from social media platforms and how AI is used to help deal with them. Welton will discuss the broader trends in terms of a growing number of platforms where users can find other like-minded users, how this translates into malign actions in the physical world, and a few case studies that illustrate how noxious online content can motivate a variety of actors, from white nationalists to mass shooters.
Dr. Welton Chang is cofounder and CEO of Pyrra Technologies. Most recently, he was the first chief technology officer at Human Rights First and founded HRF's Innovation Lab. Prior to joining HRF, Welton was a senior researcher at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, where he led teams and developed technical solutions to address disinformation and online propaganda. Before joining APL, he served for nearly a decade as an intelligence officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency and in the Army, including two operational tours in Iraq and a tour in South Korea. Welton received a PhD and MA from the University of Pennsylvania, an MA from Georgetown University, and a BA from Dartmouth College.
