Spotlight on... Jeff Howard

What is your role and what does it involve? 

I am an Associate Professor in UCL’s Department of Political Science & School of Public Policy. I currently direct UCL’s Digital Speech Lab, 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. 

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role? 

I have taught at UCL 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 THINK programme. I did my postgraduate studies at Oxford, and I was an undergraduate at Harvard.  

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of? 

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 “Dangerous Speech” (published in Philosophy & Public Affairs) to develop insights I first articulated there. I’m also happy with my recent entry on freedom of speech for the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (if you want to kill some time learning about the state of the philosophical literature on free speech, you can check that out here).

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

My team and I are currently producing work on the proper governance of generative AI. We’ve just finished a policy report (co-produced with the thinktank Demos) entitled “Synthetic Politics: Preparing Democracy for Generative AI”. A few weeks ago we presented a related paper at Yale Law School, discussing what social media companies’ rules should be for AI-generated content; so we’ll be getting that ready to submit to a journal in the coming weeks. We’ve been feeding insights from this work into calls from Meta’s Oversight Board; for example, we offered input into its judgement on how Meta should treat AI-manipulated content on Facebook and Instagram, which the Board cited several times in its final judgement. 

What is your favourite album, film and novel? 

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

What advice would you give your younger self? 

Take it easy! 

What would it surprise people to know about you? 

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

What is your favourite place?   

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