M.R. McPherson, Cyberpsychologist Advocating for Humane Technology & AI Ethics

LinkedIn • May 26 2023

Elon Musk's Neuralink Says It Has FDA Approval for In-Human Brain Studies

Musk is hardly the most responsible or ethical steward for this kind of transformational, in-human clinical trials on our brains, especially w/a potentially *egregious* record of animal welfare violations in the course of horrific & botched "testings" on monkey & pig brains when human ones weren't (then) available to him & his team.

LinkedIn • May 26 2023

TikTok Is Testing an In-App AI Chatbot Called "Tako"

More #persuasivedesign coming your TikTok way! The platform's "Tako" deployment is indicative of yet more #aichatbots across #socialmedia #mediatedtechnology.

LinkedIn • May 24 2023

The Women With AI Boyfriends Are Speaking Out

Kudya is speaking about a growing trend: human beings seeking to be in relationship with AI avatars. Laugh if you will but just know this trend is a VERY REAL thing. Why? Because ...

CyberPsych • May 23 2023

Inspirational Quote of the Week

"Computers begin their lives with no more understanding of human culture than aliens ... they haven't even spent any time in the womb." ~ Harry Collins, author of Artificial Intelligence

LinkedIn • May 23 2023

ChatGPT's Makers Say AI Could Surpass Humanity In Next 10 Years

Though I'm a 100% wired tech lover/power tech user like most anyone, this article in particular helps spotlight the exact nature of my passion & focus: ** helping to ensure our humanity is not overridden by #aitech ** ... which is pretty much already underway, though some engineers, developers, computer scientists,

LinkedIn • May 22 2023

Regulators Dust Off Rule Books to Tackle #GenerativeAI #ChatGPT

Though a start, legislation WILL TAKE YEARS. Therefore, the footprint & potential likely harms between NOW & TBD in some distant future means we all better buckle up our #AI seatbelts!

LinkedIn • May 19 2023

The Good/Bad Binarism of News Media Headlines Like This One Are Unhelpful

No technology has EVER been "100% all good and 0% bad." Conversely, no tech has ever been "100% all bad and 0% good.

LinkedIn • May 18 2023

When Does the Gender Gap Start in the Computer Science Field?

Though important, a key point is missing. Because by the time elementary school kids finish high school, the world that will await them won't be the #computerscience world we live in as of now.

Twitter • May 18 2023

What Politicians Need to Do to Learn More About AI

@willknight Your @wired piece (Politicians Need to Learn How #AI Works—Fast): Agreed but they need to ALSO hear fro… https://t.co/xOIMltisJU

LinkedIn • May 18 2023

CyberPsychMedia on LinkedIn: A history of metaphors for the internet

"Web surfing" ... "information superhighway" ... "cyberspace" ... "town squares" ... "the cloud" and many more. So many metaphors for ONE single medium. Why? Because our experiences on the Internet (unlike its physical underpinnings) are boundless, intangible, and largely formless.

LinkedIn • May 8 2023

Hard-Hitting Digital Safety Messages (Like This One) Are Needed Here in the U.S.

If only we here in the US could get *this* real with #digitalsafety messaging 🙏🏾 because it's not just about social media addictions or mental health issues ...

LinkedIn • May 6 2023

AI Overreliance Is a Problem. Are Explanations a Solution?

One challenge to contend with (in light of ‘blind acceptance’ of Ai) is that our society and culture in particular tends to worship efficiency, speed, and accuracy; these traits and values are much more in line with computational machines (and their outputs) than those of abstract, nuanced humans.

LinkedIn • May 5 2023

Teens & Social Media: Key Findings From Pew Research Center Surveys

I'm seriously surprised to learn, according to this Pew Research Center study on teens and #socialmedia, that nearly half of the parents polled are mostly worried about their kids being exposed to explicit content on social media and *not* as worried about social media causing their kids mental health issues (like anxiety, depression or lower self-esteem).

LinkedIn • May 5 2023

Kids Judge Alexa Smarter Than Roomba, but Say Both Deserve Kindness -…

🤔 "Even without a body, young children think the Alexa has emotions and a mind" 🤔 "...children across all ages agreed it was wrong to hit or yell at the machines" 🤔 "insights into the evolving relationship between children and technology and raise important questions about the ethical treatment of AI and machines in general" These observations, questions, and findings all sounds like a throwback to the seminal, cyberpsychological work of Sherry Turkle (Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Soc

CyberPsych • May 4 2023

AI Can Be An Excuse for Corporations to Devalue Human Labor

Hollywood's writer's strike is a visible demonstration that #AI advancements (and all the #ChatGPT hype) can be used as an excuse for corporations to devalue human labor.

LinkedIn • May 4 2023

Researchers Explore Effect of Instagram, TikTok on Psychological…

Have you ever experienced any of these 5 flow states* while on TikTok or Instagram? 👉🏽 Focused Attention (immersion while using social media) 👉🏽 Enjoyment (fun experienced while using social media) 👉🏽 Curiosity (the desire to keep up with what’s happening on a social media site) 👉🏽 Telepresence (immersion in a world created by the social media experience) 👉🏽 Time Distortion (losing a sense of time while on social media)

Twitter • May 2 2023

Here’s Why You Should Cultivate Awe In Your Life

Feelings of awe shift attention away from the self toward what is around you – to being, in the words of Jane Goodall, “amazed at things outside the self” 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Photograph: Anna Stowe Landscapes UK/Alamy

April 25 2023

The "Job Losses to AI" Thing Isn't a Thing of the Future

@jowyang Generally ppl outside AI space are “abstrusely aware” but not *really* fully grasping this is not a future… https://t.co/iybcSta8aC

Twitter • March 20 2023

Generative AI: What Have Humans Unleashed?

With the advent of generative AI, technology has entered a moment of "radical uncertainty," per Charlie Warzel. The bigger existential questions cast a shadow: “I don’t think we’re ready for what we’re creating" (*Exactly* the problem 🙏🏾)

Erik Carter

Medium • November 22 2022

What Is Cyberpsychology? 3 Things To Know About This Important Field of Study

Learn more about this burgeoning domain and understand why cyberpsychology matters in today’s cybertechnical world.