How the tech “black box” will get a little less opaque
More people are sharing their expertise with the world. Here are some tips on if you want to do the same.
Won’t lie; I struggled with what I would write today’s newsletter about. Nothing was inspiring me. I was sitting in my home office wondering if I had run out of interesting things to say, if I was still having an impact, and how I might get my mojo back. You know, your normal Wednesday thoughts.
But then I participated in a call with the Integrity Institute looking at this organization's impact since its launch in October 2021.
We had funders, regulators, and academics all sharing how talking directly to tech workers - many of whom aren’t currently at a company - about tech policy issues has been so helpful to them as they do their work.
We had our members sharing how the Institute has helped them to do their work better or find impact and purpose outside of going back into a tech company.
It just made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
It also got me thinking back just two years ago when I was freshly outside of Facebook and thinking about how I might want to build up my own brand and thought leadership in this space. At the time, there weren’t a lot of people who had been inside a tech company speaking out. There were some, but not a lot. And many of them had a strong anti-tech viewpoint. I didn’t see many folks trying to walk a more nuanced path on these issues.
Now, so many people are sharing their expertise. At the Integrity Institute, our members have shared their expertise on our blog, podcast, and resource decks. I’ve particularly been enjoying analysis by
and . Numerous other tech workers have shared their analyses and thoughts.This has all had a positive impact on helping those outside of tech companies better understand how these platforms operate. That is leading to more informed regulation, policies, and other work.
Over the past year and a half, I’ve had a lot of conversations with folks who are interested in engaging publicly about their field of expertise but aren’t sure how to do so. In response, I wrote a short guide for Institute members about speaking publicly and thought I would share it here.
I’ve decided to make this post free because many people who might benefit from this advice are likely in between jobs. That said, I do have a paid version of this newsletter. You can support me in creating content such as this for just $5 a month or $50 a year. I’m trying to blaze a new trail for what self-employment in tech policy looks like, and your help goes a long way to keep me going. Please, consider upgrading today.
Tips for sharing your expertise with the public
Introduction
Talking to the press and/or speaking publicly about work you’ve done at a platform is a big step and can feel scary. It’s not for everyone and you should absolutely feel comfortable saying no or ignoring press requests - especially if it just gives you too much anxiety. But if you think speaking publicly is something you’d like to do more of we created this doc to give you some tips and resources to think through how to do it.
Think through your goals of speaking publicly
The first thing you want to do is have clarity about what your goals of talking publicly are. Some people want to build up their own brand and become thought leaders in the space. Others may just want to help folks outside of the platforms better understand how they work. Some may want to raise awareness of the integrity profession and the challenges that go along with tackling thorny problems. Whatever your goal is, make sure you have that north star, as it will help you to determine your next steps.
Different ways you might do so - including talking to the press
There are many different ways to think about speaking publicly beyond just talking to the press. Those include posting on your own social media accounts, creating a newsletter, and writing op-eds/guest blog posts.
After I left Facebook, I started by tweeting more (this is pre-Musk) and talking to reporters on background. I then started my Substack five months after leaving and started doing more interviews on the record.
Substack has numerous resources to help you think through starting a newsletter.
The benefit of talking to the press is that you will be getting your message out in front of their audiences, which can often include other influential people you might want to be reaching, such as tech executives or policymakers. Doing your own thing can take time to build up an audience. Talking to the press can also help to raise your name ID and your own publications.
How to prepare/set ground rules
Before you talk to a reporter, there are a few things you should do.
First, have a set of talking points drafted ahead of time about the points you want to make about the topic they are talking about.
Create a hard questions doc with questions you think you could get or are nervous you might get and how you might answer them. Practicing even saying no or I don’t want to answer helps a lot.
Consider talking to an employment lawyer about NDAs to understand what you can and can’t discuss.
Agree with the reporter about what the ground rules are before you talk. It can feel awkward doing this at the beginning of a conversation because some reporters will just jump into questions and assume it’s on the record. It is absolutely ok for you to stop them and say, “Before we go any further can we agree on the ground rules?”
Key press terms
“On the record” – everything you say can be used or quoted.
“On background” – they can use the info but not quote you or identify that you talked to them to anyone they talk to.
“Off the record” – the reporter can’t use the info you give them (unless someone else gives it to them too) or identify that you talked to them to anyone else they talk to.
Dos and Don’ts
DO - Think through your goals of talking to the press
DO - Prepare and think through what it is you want to say
DO - Set ground rules ahead of time and be very clear about how a reporter thinks about off the record vs background. Assume nothing.
DO - Record the conversation on your end if they are recording it on theirs and tell them you are doing so. Usually, a reporter will ask if it’s ok that they record, but depending on the state they are in the rules vary. Learn more about recording conversations here.
DO - Be willing to challenge the premise of a question or just say that you don’t want to answer the question or say that something is not in your area of expertise.
DO - If it’s your first time talking to a reporter, it’s probably best to start off the record to establish a relationship. It’s ok if the reporter asks you to go on the record later with something you said and you can make that call when they do. If you decline, they are supposed to honor it.
DO - Think through if you are talking to someone for a print story vs doing a podcast vs being on the radio or being on TV. Each medium is different. It’s usually easier to start with print or a podcast than live on air.
DO - Go and read some of the reporters’ work before agreeing to the interview
DON’T - Try to change the rules after you have shared something. You can ask but don’t expect them to honor it. If you want to change the rules - such as going from on the record to on background - ask them before you say what you are going to say.
DON’T - Ask a reporter to send you what quotes they are going to use, nor expect that you would be able to edit them in any way unless it is to correct something that is factually wrong.
Other FAQs
What do I say if I don’t want to answer a question? - Simply saying, “I don’t wish to comment on that,” and sticking to it is ok. Don’t let them wear you down. Just politely keep declining.
Is there a specific tone I should be going for (i.e. completely factual vs providing my subjective opinion/experience of something)? - This is completely up to you and what your goals are of talking to the press. You just want to be clear with the reporter by saying things like “my opinion is” or “how I experienced this” was.
How do I write talking points? - Here are some tips to consider! Also, feel free to ask friends and former coworkers to gut-check your answers.
Where can I get media training? - There are comms consultants who can be hired to do media training with you. You can also ask members, friends, or family to ask you questions so you have practice saying them out loud. Consider taping yourself so you can watch it back.
What are my options if I don’t want to talk to the press just yet or want to get some practice? - We’ve got a few options for you!
Write a guest op-ed or blog
Be a guest on a podcast
Post more on your own social media channels about the topics you want to talk more about
Start a newsletter or blog using tools such as Substack or Medium
This is just a start to help you to begin thinking about your own journey on how you might want to share your expertise with the world. If I can be of any help, please do reach out, as I’d be happy to answer questions.
Also, what did I miss here? Is there someone doing work that you really like? Please share it with me, and I’ll put it in future newsletters.
What I’m Reading
🤣 I love the internet 🤣
🇧🇷 Brazil 🇧🇷
Financial Times - Brazil’s lawmakers to vote on ‘fake news’ bill opposed by tech groups
Reuters - Brazil pushes back on big tech firms' campaign against 'fake news law'
Reuters - Brazil court lifts Telegram suspension for not complying with order on neo-Nazi groups
🇺🇸🏛️ US Politics/Congress 🏛️🇺🇸
Senate Judiciary Hearing - Competition in the Digital Advertising Ecosystem
U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Hearing - The Global Information Wars: Is the U.S. Winning or Losing?
The New York Times - Top Republicans Balk at WinRed’s Plan to Charge More for Online Donations
Broadcast Law Blog - Fox/Dominion Settlement Focuses Light on Defamation Claims - Broadcasters Beware of Airing Untrue Political Ads
FWIW News - Team Biden Spends $1 Million on Digital
The New York Times - Trump Says He Will Boycott Republican Primary Debates Hosted by Fox News
The Washington Post - Lawmakers propose AI-generated political ads bill
CNBC - Updated Kids Online Safety Act Aims to Fix Unintended Consequences
Lawfare: A Vision for Regulatory Harmonization to Spur International Research
The Washington Post - Lawmakers urge Biden to launch international hub to research online harms
💻 Tech Companies 💻
Axios - Exclusive: Dem aides tapped to fight Big Tech in 2024
The Verge - TikTok head of US Trust and Safety Eric Han leaves company
Reuters - TikTok developing AI-generated video disclosures as deepfakes rise
The Connector - Clowns to the left, jokers to the right: While self-styled tech ethicists Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin warn that AI is about to end human agency, a Biden AI advisory panel stacked with industry reps avoids the hard calls.
Facebook Newsroom - Meta's Q1 2023 Security Reports
Facebook Newsroom - Discover and Personalize Facebook Reels
Google - What Does It Really Mean to Be Optimistic in the Middle?
Microsoft - World Press Freedom Day: Working Together to Strengthen Journalism
🗞️ Miscellaneous 🗞️
Daily Yonder: Small-Town Newspaper Readers Are More Open to New Revenue Ideas Than Publishers
Full Disclosure - UK Local elections: The final week in ads
G7 - Ministerial Declaration The G7 Digital and Tech Ministers’ Meeting
Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review - Coca-Cola Curses: Hate Speech in a Post-Colonial Context
Calendar
Topics to keep an eye on:
Facebook 2020 election research
TV shows about Facebook - Doomsday Machine and second season of Super Pumped
May 2 - 4, 2023 - Microsoft 365 Conference
May 4, 2023 - Apple Earnings Report
May 10 - 12, 2023 - All Things in Moderation Conference
By May 12 - Meta response on spirit of the policy decisions
May 14, 2023 – Thailand election
May 14, 2023 – Turkey election
May 15-16: Copenhagen Democracy Summit
May 13 and 27, 2023 – Mauritania election
May 21, 2023 – Greece election
May 21, 2023 – Timor-Leste election
May 24-26, 2023 - Nobel Prize Summit: Truth, Trust and Hope
May: EU-India Trade and Technology Council meeting in Brussels
June 4, 2023 – Guinea Bissau election
June 5-9 - RightsCon
June 5 - 9 - WWDC - Apple developer event
June 5, 2023 - The European Commission, European parliament and EU member states are due to agree a final definition for political advertising
June 11, 2023 – Montenegro election
June 19, 2023 - Meta response due on COVID misinfo
June 24 - June 30 - Aspen Ideas Festival
June 24, 2023 – Sierra Leone election
June 25, 2023 – Guatemala election
TBD June: DFR Lab 360/OS
July 11-13, 2023 - TrustCon
July 2023 – Sudan election (likely to have further changes due clashes erupted mid-April, despite temporary humanitarian ceasefire,)
July 23, 2023 – Cambodia election
July or August 2023 – Zimbabwe election
August-2023 – Eswatini election
August 2023 - First GOP Presidential Primary Debate
Mid-September: All Tech Is Human - Responsible Tech Summit NYC
September 27-29, 2023: Athens Democracy Forum
September 28-29, 2023 - Trust & Safety Research Conference
TBD September: Atlantic Festival
TBD September: Unfinished Live
September 2023 – Bhutan election
September 2023 – Tuvalu election
September 9, 2023 – Maldives election
September 30, 2023 – Slovakia election
September 2023 – Rwanda election
October 2023 – Oman election
October 2023 Poland election
October 8, 2023 – Pakistan election
October 10, 2023 – Liberia election
October 14, 2023 – New Zealand election
October 22, 2023 – Switzerland election
October 29, 2023 – Argentina election
October 2023 – Gabon election
October 2023 – Ukraine election
November 20, 2023 – Marshall Islands election
November 29, 2023 – Argentina election
December 20, 2023 – Democratic Republic of the Congo election
December 2023 –Togo election
2023 or 2024 – Peru election
TBD – Dominica election
TBD – Luxembourg election
TBD – Myanmar election
TBD – Spain election
TBD – Gabon election
TBD – Madagascar election
TBD – Haiti election
TBD – Libya election
TBD – Singapore election
2024
January 2024 – Bangladesh election
January 2024 – Finland election
January 13, 2024 – Taiwan election
February 4, 2024 – El Salvador election
February 4, 2024 – Mali election
February 14, 2024 – Indonesia election
February 25, 2024 – Senegal election
February 25, 2024 – Belarus election
March 17, 2024 – Russia election
March 31, 2024 – Ukraine election
April 10, 2024 – South Korea election
April 2024 – Solomon Islands election
April 2024 – Maldives election
May 5, 2024 – Panama election
May 19, 2024 – Dominican Republic election
June 2024 – Mongolia election
July 7, 2024 – Mexico election
July 15 - 18, 2024 - Republican National Convention
August 19 - 22, 2024 - Democratic Convention, Chicago
October 27, 2024 – Uruguay election
October 2024 – Mozambique election
October 2024 – Chad election
November 2024 – Guinea Bissau election
November 2024 – Moldova election
November 2024 – Romania election
November 5, 2024 – United States of America election
November 12, 2024 – Palau election
December 2024 – Croatia election
TBD – Algeria election
TBD – Austria election
TBD – Belgium election
TBD – Botswana election
TBD – Burkina Faso election
TBD – Chad election
TBD – Comoros election
TBD – Croatia election
TBD – Dominica election
TBD – Egypt election
TBD – Ethiopia election
TBD – Georgia election
TBD – Ghana election
TBD – Iceland election
TBD – India election
TBD – Iran election
TBD – Jordan election
TBD – Kiribati election
TBD – Kuwait election
TBD – Lithuania election
TBD – Madagascar election
TBD – Mauritania election
TBD – Mauritius election
TBD – Montenegro election
TBD – North Korea election
TBD – North Macedonia election
TBD – Romania election
TBD – Rwanda election
TBD – San Marino election
TBD – Slovakia election
TBD – South Africa election
TBD – South Sudan election
TBD – Syria election
TBD – Tunisia election
TBD – United States of America election
TBD – Uzbekistan election
TBD – Venezuela election