Data Science Institute
Center for Technological Responsibility, Reimagination and Redesign

Building Democracy from Broadband to Ballot

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Building Democracy from Broadband to Ballot

In anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026, a faculty-led initiative called “Brown 2026”  was convened to consider how the University can best contribute to scholarship, teaching and programming on the history and legacies of the American Revolution, as well as the role of research universities in a democracy.

As the United States nears its 250th anniversary, this project explores how technology enables—and sometimes constrains—access to information, civic participation, and democracy itself. Anchored in CNTR’s vision for technology that works for all, this project directly supports the Brown 2026 commitment to exploring the history and future of democracy through multidisciplinary research, public engagement, and teaching. It tackles real-world questions about access to information, expression of thought, and civic engagement.  Though centered in Rhode Island, this work has national relevance as it joins digital infrastructure research, participatory media design, and civic education to prepare communities for a more equitable, democratic future.

Digital Equity Mapping

We will evaluate real-time broadband and cellular data transfer rates across the state of Rhode Island. Reliable broadband is a civic necessity akin to electricity and running water.  This necessity provides access not only to news and information, but to community groups, local services, and participation in the civic process.
  
Without broadband access, constituents risk:

  • being uninformed on ballot initiatives causing panic voting at the ballot box
  • difficulty learning about candidates, their voting records, and their qualifications
  • not being registered to vote in time or not knowing the location of their polling place


Common limiting factors to broadband access across the country include socioeconomic status, proximity to urban environments, and infrastructure degradation due to geographic features.  In Rhode Island, these factors are present both separately and simultaneously.  

The data we collect can be leveraged for the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program and will help inform policy conversations around creating a reliable and equitable digital infrastructure that works for all Rhode Islanders.

AI in Journalism

We will partner with the Brown News Office and local news outlets to explore how AI is reshaping newsroom practices and affecting public trust in journalism.  As the prevalence and sophistication of AI has skyrocketed in recent years, public trust in the media has degraded.  Meanwhile, newsrooms facing financial instability are increasingly turning to big tech-owned generative AI products to support efficiency—even as those very systems threaten journalists’ livelihoods by automating fundamental aspects of their craft. 

This project will ask what journalist-designed and -owned AI tools might instead look like. Through participatory design approaches, we will invite reporters and journalists to co-design tools and workflows to pilot in their own newsrooms.  With their input we will help ensure transparency of process and representative community voice, and envision what ethical technology adoption might look like in the modern newsroom.

AI Policy Summer School

In summer 2025, we launched our prototype summer learning experience focused on legislative processes and emerging AI policy.  Offering rigorous analysis of legislative components and a deep dive into the mechanisms behind engaging with elected officials, this AI Policy bootcamp attracted over 270 applicants from across the U.S., indicating a clear desire for knowledge in this area.   By analyzing student feedback, we will gather insights to refine future offerings, thus contributing to a new generation of civic-minded technologists and policymakers. 

Team Members