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Spotlight on... Jeff Howard

2 May 2024

This week we meet Jeff Howard, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science & School of Public Policy. Jeff chats to us about his research into the proper governance of online communications and generative AI, as well as his enthusiasm for musical theatre.

Jeff Howard

What is your role and what does it involve?听

I am an Associate Professor in 香港六合彩鈥檚 Department of Political Science & School of Public Policy. I currently direct , funded through a Future Leaders Fellowship from UKRI. The Lab hosts projects on the proper governance of online communications. It brings together scholars from philosophy, law, social science, and computer science to think through difficult dilemmas about how best to respect free speech while preventing harm in the digital age. In undertaking this research, we engage with tech companies, civil-society organisations, and policymakers.听

How long have you been at 香港六合彩 and what was your previous role?听

I have taught at 香港六合彩 for eight years. Previously, I was a faculty member in the Department of Government at the University of Essex, where I designed and led the . I did my postgraduate studies at Oxford, and I was an undergraduate at Harvard.听听

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?听

My three kids are my most demanding current initiative! (Stella is 8, Trudy is 6, and Eli is 2.) Professionally, I often return to my article 鈥淒angerous Speech鈥 (published in Philosophy & Public Affairs) to develop insights I first articulated there. I鈥檓 also happy with my recent entry on freedom of speech for the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy听(if you want to kill some time learning about the state of the philosophical literature on free speech, you can ).

Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list听

My team and I are currently producing work on the proper governance of generative AI. We鈥檝e just finished a policy report (co-produced with the thinktank Demos) entitled . A few weeks ago we presented a related paper at Yale Law School, discussing what social media companies鈥 rules should be for AI-generated content; so we鈥檒l be getting that ready to submit to a journal in the coming weeks. We鈥檝e been feeding insights from this work into calls from Meta鈥檚 Oversight Board; for example, we offered on Facebook and Instagram, which the Board cited several times in its final judgement.听

What is your favourite album, film and novel?听

Tough. Let鈥檚 go with: Monteverdi鈥檚 Vespers of 1610 (the album by The Sixteen is stellar); Steven Spielberg鈥檚 original Jurassic Park; and Kazuo Ishiguro鈥檚 Remains of the Day.听

What advice would you give your younger self?听

Take it easy!听

What would it surprise people to know about you?听

I am a keen tenor, singing in choirs and performing in musicals for much of my life.听听

What is your favourite place? 鈥

A close toss-up between Newfound Lake in New Hampshire, and Valentia Island off the southwest coast of Ireland.听