Melissa Morrone of the Brooklyn Public Library on Digital Privacy Literacy: The Public Library Connection — People of just about every background (still!) use public libraries. Library branches and librarians are trusted connections to free computer and Internet use, particularly for marginalized communities including immigrants and low income people. We teach basic technology skills, but there is a lot more we can be doing in the area of privacy literacy—not least of which is practically addressing the concerns of those whose fear of surveillance is preventing them from any participation in online services and digital culture. There is a human side to data collection, and our public libraries are hosts for these transactions as well as instructional venues. This talk is intended to spark discussion about how all members of the public can intelligently make decisions about privacy online, and what role library workers play in this education.

About Databites

Data & Society’s “Databites” speaker series presents timely conversations about the purpose and power of technology, bridging our interdisciplinary research with broader public conversations about the societal implications of data and automation.