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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 18/02/2026

Boston! Mark your calendars for 3/23: Come grab a beer and learn about my new book! Book Talk: Degrees of Freedom: On Robotics and Social Justice Date: Mar 23 • 17:00 • Lamplighter www.eventbrite.com/e/book-talk-...

eventbrite.com

Book Talk: Degrees of Freedom: On Robotics and Social Justice

Join us to learn about "Degrees of Freedom: On Robotics and Social Justice", featuring a book talk and Q/A.

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 18/02/2026

Denverites: • Excited by the anti-flock protests? • Thrilled that Palantir is OUT of Denver? Let's set our sights on drone surveillance next. Read why in my op-ed in Colorado's favorite independent newspaper (@coloradosun.com) coloradosun.com/2026/02/17/o...

coloradosun.com

Opinion: Denverites want Flock license plate cameras out of town. Air surveillance should be next to go.

Denver police are flying hundreds of drone missions over the city, but with little outrage as seen with Flock.

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Garrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

When the CIA did this to the Senate it was one of the biggest intel scandals of the 21st century. But here it’s not just a huge scandal, it’s dumb: Pam Bondi is so bad at her job she brought the evidence herself to an open congressional hearing. www.theguardian.com/world/2014/j...

theguardian.com

CIA admits to spying on Senate staffers

John Brennan issues apology after acknowledging that agency spied on Senate intelligence committee’s staff members

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Joe Robertson @joro.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

More than 400 people, including hundreds of citizens, were “sorted” at gun point into racial and ethnic groups by 200 ICE agents who fired flash-bang grenades into cars with people inside, pointed guns at children & demanded their zip tied parents not comfort them. apple.news/Ausdx6kWtT0e...

apple.news

Idaho families sue over immigration raid that swept up hundreds, including U.S. citizens — NBC News

About 400 people, including children and U.S. citizens, were detained for four hours while they were denied food and water in the raid, according to the lawsuit.

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 03/02/2026

Thank you to Alex Miller from @onstagecolorado.bsky.social for having me on the Pod to discuss this Friday's ROBOT RIOT Comedy show + Dramatheurgy! onstagecolorado.com/podcast-a-ro...

onstagecolorado.com

Podcast: A Robot Riot in Denver

Talking with robot researcher and improv comedian Dr. Tom Williams,

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 03/02/2026

Our first show, this Friday, will feature comedians trying to improvise around robotic interjections; improvised science fiction; and tech ethics standup from @professorcasey.bsky.social Tickets: www.crowdwork.com/e/robot-riot...

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Dr. Casey Fiesler @cfiesler.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Great article interviewing @tomwilliams.phd about the AI-themed comedy show happening at RISE Comedy in Denver this Friday... including me performing stand up! (Also brb adding "headliner" to my CV.) www.westword.com/arts-culture...

westword.com

Robot Riot Brings Comedy and Science to RISE Comedy

New monthly show at RISE Comedy, Robot Riot, blends improv, standup and ethics for a uniquely Denver night of comedy and tech.

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Chris Hayes @chrislhayes.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

I cannot tell you how much doubt was consistently directed at the Gaza Health Ministry’s casualty numbers and how much pressure was put on news organizations to couch those numbers as unreliable. Biden himself said they were fabricated! www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

haaretz.com

IDF accepts Gaza Health Ministry death toll of over 71,000 Palestinians killed in the war

Although Many International Experts Have Accepted the Health Ministry's Data as Reliable, and Even Conservative Relative to the True Death Toll, Israel Had Refused to Accept the Health Ministry's Coun...

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 22/01/2026

Getting served a RING add on this story about Flock cameras being operated in Denver despite the lack of a legal contract is just too perfect. I discuss Ring and police surveillance in Chapter 6 of Degrees of Freedom. direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...

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MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

"True to an engineering ethos of ’doing better,’ [Degrees of Freedom] explores the foundational aspects of power that invisibly shape robot design and ... how to build robots better suited for advancing social justice." — Ericka Johnson Available #OpenAccess: mitpress.mit.edu/978026255402...

Hands holding a copy of "Degrees of Freedom: On Robotics and Social Justice" by Tom Williams. The cover features an illustration of a humanoid robot pulling a cart.

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Civic and Responsible AI Lab (CRAIL) @civicandresponsibleai.com · 19/12/2025

3/n: "Should Delivery Robots Intervene if They Witness Civilian or Police Violence?" by T.Seassau surveys public opinion on this question, finding mixed support for intervention, and a need to codesign w/ victims of (police) violence. @tomwilliams.phd #ROMAN2025 #HRI #robots doi.org/10.1109/ro-m...

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Asawin Suebsaeng @swin24.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

“For starters, the president claimed to have brought peace to the Middle East for the first time in “3,000 years.” It feels bizarre to even try to fact-check that, as it would be akin to fact-checking a president saying that the moon is made of Velveeta.”

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The Internet is Crack Podcast @theinternetiscrack.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

The Complicated Origins of “Ethical” Robotics Roboticist Dr. Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd examines how early robot ethics reflected power and control — and why robotics should serve society, not just tech elites. 🎙️ Full episode: youtu.be/zs8zEJI4lEA #Podcast #DegreesOfFreedom #podcast

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The Internet is Crack Podcast @theinternetiscrack.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

Who’s responsible when AI makes decisions? Dr. Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd explains why deploying algorithms is still a human choice—even when we don’t fully understand the system. Full episode here 👉 youtu.be/zs8zEJI4lEA #EthicalAI #Robotics #TechResponsibility #DegreesOfFreedom

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 12/12/2025

Thank you!! I'm glad it's finally out, and will be even more glad when the open access PDF is finally out and in students' hands. In the meantime, I'm working with colleagues to plan a variety of theater pieces and comedy shows over the next year to highlight these risks for local non-readers.

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 12/12/2025

BTW, *Degrees of Freedom: On Robotics and Social Justice* is 20% off at Penguin with READMIT20... and will be available to read FOR FREE via MIT Direct2Open any day now :)

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 12/12/2025

Another reason to call for #NoJusticeNoRobots! I discuss the significant surveillance risks of police drone programs in Chapter 6 ("End Effector") of my new book, "Degrees of Freedom" from @mitpress.bsky.social www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/798105...

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 12/12/2025

Excited to say that I'll be running more robot comedy events this spring! ROBOT RIOT brings together roboticists, ethicists, and some of Denver's funniest comedians, to inform the public about risks of AI and Robotics while making them laugh. Our first show is 2/6/26:

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Jeet Heer @jeetheer.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

It's fitting that the cover on AI mindlessly apes an earlier creation and also displaces workers while elevating Silicon Valley plutocrats.

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The Internet is Crack Podcast @theinternetiscrack.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Should Robots Ever Be Soldiers? Dr. Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd questions whether robots can make war more ethical at all. He argues the real goal isn’t better battles — it’s preventing conflict and ensuring robotics serves people, not the powerful. 👉 Full episode: youtu.be/zs8zEJI4lEA #podcast

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The Internet is Crack Podcast @theinternetiscrack.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Why Ethical Reasoning in Robots Is Non-Negotiable Humans assign moral intent to machines, even when it isn’t there. Dr. Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd explains how robots influence human judgment and why ethical AI is essential to preventing real-world harm. Full episode → youtu.be/zs8zEJI4lEA

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The Internet is Crack Podcast @theinternetiscrack.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Bias Isn’t a Glitch — It’s Human Input with @tomwilliams.phd Robots absorb our norms and assumptions. The challenge is designing responsibly. The episode explores robotics built with empathy and ethics at the core. 🎧 Watch here: youtu.be/zs8zEJI4lEA #Robotics #TechResponsibilityBias #podcast

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 10/12/2025

It was supposed to be accessible on the MIT Press website today but I guess it needs a few days to "process" 😅 I'll post as soon as it's visible!

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The Internet is Crack Podcast @theinternetiscrack.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Robots: machines or new life? Dr. Williams @tomwilliams.phd breaks down why seeing robots as social beings shapes how we think and act. His mission: robots with empathy and ethics that serve the public, not just tech elites. Watch here: youtu.be/zs8zEJI4lEA #Robotics #AIEthics #TechForGood

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MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

In "Degrees of Freedom," @tomwilliams.phd explores why the field of robotics tends to reinforce white patriarchal systems of power—and how roboticists can work to change these systems: mitpress.mit.edu/978026255402...

A copy of "Degrees of Freedom: On Robotics and Social Justice" by Tom Williams on a plain background. The cover is orange with an illustration of a robotic man attached to a handcart.

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 09/12/2025

The book will also be available to read for free (any day now) on the MIT Press website (mitpress.mit.edu/978026255402...)

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 09/12/2025

IT'S OUT! Degrees of Freedom is out on shelves as of today! TODAY ONLY the book is 30% off with code MITP30 at www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/798105.... Please share! If you got a copy, please post about it on your favorite platform, and tag me and MIT Press!

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 08/12/2025

Degrees of Freedom (@mitpress.bsky.social) launches tomorrow! As a final preview, check out my episode of @theinternetiscrack.bsky.social! Other recent guests incl. @pluralistic.net.web.brid.gy, @michaelzimmer.bsky.social, @davidgunkel.bsky.social Watch: lnkd.in/gbTh5vvj Listen: lnkd.in/ge9hy7Qd

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Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

This is what government censorship actually looks like: defunding entire fields, deporting researchers, and quite effectively chilling speech that helps people understand how our information systems are being exploited and calls out powerful people and platforms for their bullshit.

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Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

The actual reasoning, of course, is the Roberts court thinks racial gerrymanders should be legal, and that GOP power outweighs the text of legal statutes. But they appealed to the worst of Lawyer Brain. You're never allowed to call BS, and must treat bad faith as good, no matter how obvious it is.

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Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Texas clearly did a racial gerrymander, which is illegal. A district court found that Texas did a racial gerrymander, rejecting the new map because it is illegal. But the Supreme Court reversed it. Because? Must assume the gerrymanderers were acting in good faith (despite the evidence otherwise).

Based on our preliminary evaluation of this case, Texas
satisfies the traditional criteria for interim relief. See Indi-
ana State Police Pension Trust v. Chrysler LLC, 556 U. S.
960 (2009) (per curiam). Texas is likely to succeed on the
merits of its claim that the District Court committed at
least two serious errors. First, the District Court failed to
honor the presumption of legislative good faith by constru-
ing ambiguous direct and circumstantial evidence against
the legislature. Contra, Alexander v. South Carolina State
Conference of the NAACP, 602 U. S. 1, 10 (2024). Second,
the District Court failed to draw a dispositive or near-
dispositive adverse inference against respondents even...

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ElieNYC @elienyc.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

If we're not at war, Pete Hegseth is a murderer. If we are at war, Pete Hegseth is still a murderer. He's a murderer. And you don't need to go to The Hague to hold him accountable because there are perfectly good, American laws AGAINST MURDER. My latest in @thenation.com

thenation.com

Pete Hegseth Should Be Charged With Murder

No matter how you look at the strikes on alleged “drug boats”—as acts of war or attacks on civilians—Hegseth has committed a crime and should be prosecuted.

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 02/12/2025

We're one week from release of Degrees of Freedom, from @mitpress.bsky.social! tomwilliamsphd.beehiiv.com/p/degrees-of...

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Sam Menefee-Libey @sml47.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

A corollary of this is if this “compact” doesn’t spark an immediate faculty strike at a crippling scale, with most of that 99.3% making themselves and the university ungovernable, no matter the whining about the fait accompli of binding contracts, what power could they ever possibly get back?

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

Harvard Law School’s Jack Goldsmith: “In short, if the Post’s facts are correct, it appears that Special Operations Forces committed murder when the ‘two men were blown apart in the water, as the Post put it.’” open.substack.com/pub/executiv...

11:19
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in shot, i the Post's facts are correct it appears
that Special Operations Forces committed murder when the "two men were blown apart in the water," as the Post put it.
It is unclear from the Post's Seporting precisely what role Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth

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Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

Insanely stupid and short-sighted choice. I didn't even know they were still trying to run this racket. You put more universities in danger with this shit you idiots!

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 23/11/2025

It's unboxing day for DEGREES OF FREEDOM from @mitpress.bsky.social! :D

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 22/11/2025

The show is going to blow people's minds, and I think it's just the beginning. I'm excited to get @coschoolofmines.bsky.social researchers and research in front of non-academic audiences in such a fun way and am sure we'll keep doing it!

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 22/11/2025

1. STEMProv: a local (Black woman led!) improv group that will be reforming to do their first show since before the pandemic: a longform improv set inspired by a monologue from Naomi Fitter, with periodic interventions from a robot from my lab!

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 22/11/2025

2. Subtext Improv (yes that's me in the back --- my profile picture is from the same photoshoot!) improvising a sci-fi novel! With two new members performing for their first time!

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 22/11/2025

3. My Mines colleague @estellesmithphd.bsky.social, a longtime singer and comedian, roasting AI in song.

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 22/11/2025

4. Robot themed improv group Not My Robot, who have previously come to my robotics classes to help teach student improv-based robot design principles, doing an even more roboty set than normal 🤖

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 22/11/2025

The show will feature (in reverse order): 5. Headliner Naomi Fitter from @oregonstate.edu doing standup with her robot, who autonomously adjusts its joke delivery (all human written jokes!) based on audience response. Naomi gave a killer seminar on her robot comedy research yesterday at Mines.

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Tom Williams @tomwilliams.phd · 22/11/2025

I'm wildly excited for tonight. Why? I'm running my first ROBOT COMEDY event tonight and it's already SOLD OUT! Check out this lineup 🤩🧵➡️

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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

Very simple lesson here: Faculty governance will defend academic values, like academic freedom, even when it is unpopular. Political appointees who serve as Regents will blow with the ideological winds, which in Texas are anti-speech.

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