Sam Liebeskind

The polarization footprint doesn’t offer a silver bullet. But it gives us something we’ve long lacked: a rigorous way to quantify how much our feeds are shaping division. It opens the door to real accountability — not just for platforms, but for regulators, designers, and society at large.

Not all conflict is bad. Disagreement — over taxes, education, or policy — is essential to a healthy democracy. But affective polarization isn’t about differing ideas. It’s about identity.

It emerges when people begin to dislike, distrust, or even dehumanize others because of who they are — their ethnicity, region, religion, political affiliation,... See more

Through data we collected in 2024, we found that most people in the U.S. had little sense of belonging in their community. Most don't feel accepted or "fit in" with others in the places they live, and this non-belonging crisis is leading to less involvement in community events and activities.

We find that people in the U.S. who are surrounded by prompts and reminders to participate in generosity-related activities are more likely to participate in them .

Ken Doctor’s media brand Lookout in Santa Cruz and Eugene, Oregon uses AI to automate the assembly of hyperlocal neighborhood newsletters from public data sources like permits, roadwork, inspections, crime reports, weather, and events. But Lookout is more than a local news outlet. It is a platform for solving local problems together with the... See more

Fast-forward to the near future: AI has the potential to change the fundamentals of local news. In 2026, the news organizations that thrive will stop thinking of themselves as publishers and start operating as community information utilities. They won’t just report on the school board meeting. They will show you when it happens, let you search past... See more