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

Brandon Silverman

and

Rob Leathern

. 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. 

  1. 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. 

  2. 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.

  1. 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. 

  2. 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.

  3. Consider talking to an employment lawyer about NDAs to understand what you can and can’t discuss. 

  4. 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!

  1. Write a guest op-ed or blog 

  2. Be a guest on a podcast

  3. Post more on your own social media channels about the topics you want to talk more about

  4. 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 🤣

• Campaign departments as scenes from Succession

🇧🇷 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

• Axios - How AI is already changing the 2024 election

• 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

• Time - ChatGPT and Facebook’s African Workers Union

• 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:

• Biden Administration POV on Texas and Florida laws

• 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