The Public Interest Tech Lab provides Harvard University students and faculty with access to technological infrastructures, gadgets, algorithms, know-how and key resources to better understand how technology can either worsen or address society’s greatest challenges.
Coalition Representative
Gabrielle Malina, Research Project Coordinator at FBarchive
Faculty Lead
Latanya Sweeney, PhD, Daniel Paul Professor of the Practice of Government and Technology
Harvard Affiliation
Mission / Focus
The mission of the Public Interest Tech Lab is to help shape the future of technology and society to advance equity, expand opportunity and protect basic rights and liberties. Three pillars (Endeavor, Equip, Connect) guide the Lab’s work to create a future where justice, accountability and equity are at the forefront of technological and societal change.
The Lab cultivates a practical, hands-on understanding of today’s technologies that enables students and faculty to work toward a society where technologists expect and demand technologies be created and used responsibly; shine a light on where technology can better deliver services; and question the appropriate use and design of certain technologies, and whether some technologies should be created at all.