Ariana Aboulafia

how dare you use karaoke for evil

The nice commercial about helping kids find their lost pets was the scariest thing I've seen in my life

How ICE Already Knows Who Minneapolis Protesters Are

A Minnesota woman observing ICE agents in her car was cornered on one-way streets. An agent approached, called her by name—citing facial recognition. Days later, her Global Entry and TSA privileges were revoked, with no explanation.

❤️

How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.

Just days into 2026, the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has sparked protests around the US.

If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is sworn in at public ceremony Zohran Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor of New York City, was sworn in Thursday, marking a generational shift in the city’s leadership with his promises to address affordability.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) joined a public swearing-in ceremony for Zohran Mamdani.

“We will govern expansively and audaciously ... never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try,” Mamdani said.

Surveillance Tech Heightens Chilling Effects for Disabled Protestors | TechPolicy.Press AI surveillance, mask bans, and biometrics threaten disabled people’s ability to exercise their right to assemble peaceably, argues Ariana Aboulafia.

CDT’s @arianaaboulafia.bsky.social pens a new op-ed in @techpolicypress.bsky.social examining how surveillance tech is creating chilling effects for disabled protestors, limiting their ability to exercise their First Amendment rights safely and fully.

Surveillance Tech Heightens Chilling Effects for Disabled Protestors | TechPolicy.Press AI surveillance, mask bans, and biometrics threaten disabled people’s ability to exercise their right to assemble peaceably, argues Ariana Aboulafia.

my latest piece for @techpolicypress.bsky.social focuses on how #surveillance tech can chill the first amendment-protected rights of disabled people to engage in protest.

protest is a vital check on authoritarianism, and everyone should be able to access it.

www.techpolicy.press/surveillance...

In other news, the whole thing about Calibri v. TNR isn't about a font face, it's about the fact that Calibri is easier for people with some disabilities to read.

They think any accommodation, however painless, should stop.

Rubio orders diplomats to return to using Times New Roman, ousting Calibri | CNN Politics US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor Antony Blinken's decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move, according to an internal d...

The department under Blinken in early January 2023 had switched to Calibri, a modern sans-serif font, saying this was a more accessible font for people with disabilities because it did not have the decorative angular features and was the default in Microsoft products.

Concerns Raised As Teachers Increasingly Use AI To Write IEPs The number of teachers using AI to develop individualized education programs for students with disabilities is surging, but so too are questions about what role the technology should play.

“Among licensed special education teachers, 57% said they used AI to help with IEPs or 504 plans during the 2024-2025 school year, according to a new report from CDT. That’s up 18% from just one year prior.”

Report – To Reduce Disability Bias in Technology, Start With Disability Data This report was also authored by Bonnielin Swenor, Director of the Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center. Introduction When people with disabilities interact with technologies, there is a risk that they will face discriminatory impacts in several important and high-stakes contexts, like employment, benefits, and healthcare. For example, many jobs use automated employment decision tools […]

• To Reduce Disability Bias in Technology, Start With Disability Data (by
@arianaaboulafia.bsky.social, @mbogen.bsky.social, @bonnieswenor.bsky.social: cdt.org/insights/rep...

Huge congrats to all CDT teams and partners who made this work possible.

Building A Disability-Inclusive AI Ecosystem: A Cross-Disability, Cross-Systems Analysis Of Best Practices This report is co-authored by AAPD’s Henry Claypool. In 2021, the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) released a report entitled “Centering Disability in Technology Policy: Issue Landscape and Potential Opportunities for Action.” This represented a significant milestone in a partnership between AAPD and CDT to […]

Honored projects include:
• Building a Disability-Inclusive AI Ecosystem with @aapd.com (by @arianaaboulafia.bsky.social + Henry Claypool)

The Anthem Awards.

Celebrating purpose & mission-driven work from CDT in 2025. 🎉

Three CDT policy projects were recognized at the 5th Annual Anthem Awards — earning Silver across categories spanning DEIB and Responsible Technology. cdt.org/insights/cdt...

CDT joins the disability community in honoring the life of Alice Wong, who passed away Friday. A fearless disability justice leader and MacArthur Fellow, Alice built unapologetic spaces for disabled people to share their stories and shape policy.
Read more about her impact: www.npr.org/2025/11/...

Thanks for writing such a great chapter @arianaaboulafia.bsky.social — I learned a lot from you and I know our readers will too. #DigitalAccessibilityEthics #AI #disability #a11y #BookSky

Alt text: Book cover with the title and subtitle in blue letters at the top reading Digital Accessibility Ethics: Disability Inclusion in All Things Tech. Below the title, taking up about 2/3 of the cover is a painting. The painting features arcs of yellow, orange, blue, turquoise, pink, and purple. The lower half of these swaths of bright colors are populated by abstract figures, circles, and building-like shapes. According to the artist, the work uses sheet music as a foundation, creating an abstract typographical interpretation of musical notation through bold design and color. Resting on the top left corner of the images are the words Edited by Lainey Feingold, Reginé Gilbert, Chancey Fleet.

exciting news! I wrote a chapter for this book, which introduces the first #DigitalAccessibilityEthics framework. my chapter focuses on how #AI tools impact disabled people at work, and how #accessibility ethics can build more inclusive workplaces.

pre-order here: www.amazon.com/Digital-Acce...

"SKEETS: THEY'RE DEFINITELY CALLED THIS" in the style of Zohran Mamdani's campaign logo

while i have your attention

Statement from The NewsGuild of New York and Condé United on illegal firing of four union leaders who demanded answers about this week’s layoffs at Teen Vogue, other brands Late Wednesday night, Condé Nast’s VP of Labor Relations notified the Guild that the Company was immediately terminating four Condé United leaders for engaging in the protected concerted activity of gathering in their 1 World Trade Center office to demand answers on this week’s abrupt layoffs at multiple brands including WIRED and the consolidation at Teen Vogue. These egregious terminations are a flagrant breach of the Just Cause terms of our contract and an unprecedented violation of their federally protected rights as union members to participate in a collective action. Through these illegal terminations, Condé Nast management is attempting to intimidate and silence our members' advocacy for the courageous cultural and political journalism of Teen Vogue, as well as diverting attention away from the obvious lack of corporate leadership at the company. Condé United members illegally fired are: Alma Avalle: Writer, digital producer at Bon Appetit; NewsGuild of New York first vice president, trans activist, and union leader Jake Lahut: Wired senior reporter covering the Trump White House Jasper Lo: Senior fact checker at The New Yorker and US Army veteran: outgoing first vice chair of The New Yorker Union Ben Dewey: Videographer at Condé Nast Entertainment, former vice chair of the CNE unit “Management’s attempt at union-busting, using intimidation and grossly illegal tactics to try to suppress protected union activity, will not stand,” said Susan DeCarava, president of The NewsGuild of New York. “The NewsGuild of New York has zero tolerance for bad bosses who harass, target and disrespect our fellow Guild members. We represent nearly 6,000 media workers across the tri-state area and we stand firmly in solidarity, ready to fight for the rights of our members illegally fired from their jobs at …

Breaking News: Late last night Conde Nast illegally fired 4 union organizers who asked company execs to explain the downsizing of Teen Vogue and continued layoffs. We’ve filed a grievance.

Five takeaways as Democrats sweep elections in New Jersey and Virginia The party won the governor’s race in both states and a state attorney general’s contest that was up in the air, as voters delivered a rebuke of President Donald Trump.

Democrats swept key elections on Tuesday, delivering a rebuke of President Trump’s second term and boosting the party’s hopes ahead of the midterms.

Here are some of the top wins:

October 2025 US Tech Policy Roundup | TechPolicy.Press A roundup from Freedman Consulting and Tech Policy Press of the most important US tech policy developments in the federal government, Congress, and the courts.

“CDT published a brief on ‘the use of generative AI models to develop individualized education programs (IEPs) for disabled students.’"

according to the liberation newspaper, documents dating back to a 2014 inspection by the French National Agency for the Security of Computer Systems reported a staggering detail: "the password of the louvre's video surveillance server was simply " louvre. "

the password to the louvre surveillance server was "louvre"

www.thesocialpost.it/2025/11/02/f...

From Personalized to Programmed: The Use of Generative AI to Develop Individualized Education Programs for Students with Disabilities  Executive Summary The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools is becoming more commonplace, including the use of generative AI models to develop individualized education programs (IEPs) for disabled students. A recent poll from the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) found that 57% of teachers reported using AI to develop an IEP or 504 […]

Key findings from Civic Tech polling: 57% of teachers used AI for IEPs or 504 plans in 2024–25 — up 18 points from last year. CDT’s @arianaaboulafia.bsky.social outlines guidance for teachers, schools, disability advocates, & AI developers to help ensure equitable outcomes.

White document on black background.

How is AI changing education for students with disabilities? CDT Ariana Aboulafia’s new brief, From Personalized to Programmed, explores the rise of generative AI in developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and the legal, ethical, and practical implications. cdt.org/insights/fro...

From Personalized to Programmed: The Use of Generative AI to Develop Individualized Education Programs for Students with Disabilities Executive Summary The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools is becoming more commonplace, including the use of generative AI models to develop individualized education programs (IEPs) for dis...

IEPs are vital tools for disabled students, and research from @cdt.org shows that 57% of teachers are using #AI to create them. this brief unpacks the risks of using #genAI to develop IEPs (incl. under IDEA & FERPA) & provides recommendations on responsible use. more here! ⤵️

cdt.org/insights/fro...

hang this in the louvre (there's room now)

Self-censorship and the ‘spiral of silence’: Why Americans are less likely to publicly voice their opinions on political issues Nearly half of Americans say they feel less free to speak their minds.

More Americans are biting their tongues, not because they don’t care, but because they’re afraid to speak.

From DEI to the war in Gaza, people are more afraid to speak their minds now than during the Red Scare, according to a political scientist who has been conducting surveys.

buff.ly/Ls2m7mv

DOJ’s Lawsuit Against Uber Illustrates the Limits of Tech Innovation for Accessibility | TechPolicy.Press Ariana Aboulafia explains how DOJ's Uber suit not only highlights the challenges for disabled riders, but also the limits of tech’s promise of accessibility.

CDT’s @arianaaboulafia.bsky.social penned a new @techpolicypress.bsky.social op-ed on the DOJ’s lawsuit against Uber, highlighting how tech companies should improve their policies impacting disabled users, & how policymakers should aim to dismantle structural barriers to accessibility.

Judge Finds Rubio and Noem Intentionally Targeted Pro-Palestine Activists to Chill Speech The unusual ruling considered the Trump administration’s targeting of students a clear violation of the First Amendment.

The unusual ruling delivered a searing rebuke to the Trump administration on grounds of violating the First Amendment.

CDT's recommendations: employers should assess the usefulness and necessity of hiring technology; deployments should adhere to accessibility guidelines (eg WCAG); and human oversight should be incorporated into all stages of using the technology