Latonero speaks at AAAS conference on big data and human rights

On January 15 and 16, research director Mark Latonero spoke at the Science and Human Rights Coalition's "Big Data and Human Rights" conference in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Sessions explored how human rights can be affected by the collection and analysis of big data, the rapidly growing collections of information that can now be processed thanks to recent technological advances. "The application of big data in the human rights domain is still really in its infancy," said Latonero. "The positives and negatives are not always clear and often exist in tension……

New Report: Lessons Learned from the Get Mobile Forum on Mobile Technology for Community Engagement

This is a blog post by Beatriz Solis, Program Director at The California Endowment Healthy Communities (South Region), and Geoffrey Cowan, Director of the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy. At the 2014 Get Mobile Forum, we invited technology leaders and local community organizers to learn from each other, exploring how organizations can use mobile technology in their efforts to engage and empower the communities of Los Angeles. Today we’re excited to announce the release of our report: Lessons Learned From the Get Mobile Forum on Mobile Technology for Community Engagement. Download the report: High resolution PDF (5.9……

CCLP cell phone initiative discussed at Africa conference

GRAHAMSTOWN, South Africa – A CCLP initiative to define minimum capabilities of cell phone handsets for health care, public safety and other public services was a focus of discussion at a forum here at Rhodes University on Sunday. "What a good question!" said Daudi Khamadi Were, Innovation Coordinator at Making All Voices Count, part of Kenya's global Ushahidi group. Were said that cell phone service for illiterate users should be a key issue. "Mobiles need to be voice-enabled for those who cannot type as fast," agreed Bomasanto Ndulovu, Strategic Executive Director for South Africa's capital city, Tshwane (still known as……

USC Open Data LA initiative promotes public access to government data throughout Los Angeles County

Launched by USC Annenberg's Center on Communication Leadership & Policy (CCLP) in partnership with the USC Price School of Public Policy, the USC Open Data LA initiative aims to promote transparency and civic engagement in Los Angeles, beginning with a survey to assess the state of publicly available city data in each of L.A. County's 88 cities. "Open data is a new aspect of journalism in the public interest," said Dana Chinn, CCLP faculty fellow and USC Annenberg project lead. "It's a worldwide movement, but we're going to focus on how open data initiatives can address the unique needs of……

Fighting modern slavery: USC Viterbi features CCLP’s Technology & Human Trafficking Initiative

"Technologies under development by USC computer scientists could help in the fight against underage sex trafficking in the United States," writes Marc Ballon in a featured story for USC Viterbi about our Technology & Human Trafficking Initiative led by research director Mark Latonero. Read the complete article at USC Viterbi. (Artwork pictured left by Peter Bollinger.) Below is an excerpt from Ballon's article: "An interdisciplinary faculty team at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and the Information Sciences Institute of USC's Viterbi School of Engineering is at the forefront of research to employ technology to combat youth sex……

Cell phones used as medical instruments in Africa, Asia; US may change regulatory policy

Cell phones are being used as medical instruments in underdeveloped nations, extending highly cost-effective health care to underserved villages and rural areas. A team led by Daniel Fletcher, a Bioengineering Professor at the University of California at Berkeley has developed inexpensive conversions of cell phones into medical instruments, using clip-on lenses that cost one dollar or less. Fletcher's team has on-the-ground tests in Cameroon screening for parasitic worm infections and in Thailand screening for retinal diseases. "By attaching a simple set of lenses to a Nokia phone borrowed from my sister," wrote Fletcher, "we were able to image blood cells,……

Mark Latonero at Social Computing Symposium

Research director Mark Latonero presented at Microsoft Research's 2014 Social Computing Symposium, speaking about CCLP's research on technology and trafficking. MIT Center for Civic Media director Ethan Zuckerman featured Latonero in his write-up on the symposium…….