M-RCBG Senior Fellow-Led Study Group: John Fiske

Thursday, September 19, 10:30am-12:00pm  Wexner-102: Marc Heng & Family Conference Room

The online ‘infosphere’ remains a poorly managed social environment.  On the one hand it brings tremendous benefits to many around the world (it provides 5B+ people with limitless information, entertainment, free global communication and access to economic opportunities worth $1.1T in 2024 ($200B in social advertising plus $900B social commerce). On the other hand, the social media environment is still plagued by misinformation, fraud, hate speech, harms to youth, and numerous other harms.  Regulators and politicians are struggling with how to bring this complex system under better control, while preserving its many benefits.

John Fiske, M-RCBG Senior Fellow and Director of Data Protection at Meta, will discuss options to better manage this sector.  He will summarize his current research and hypotheses, and would invite comments, questions, alternative ideas (no matter how far out!) and all type of constructive challenges.  Looking forward to the conversation!

This study group / discussion is open to all HUID holders. Registration is not necessary. 

M-RCBG welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs. To request accommodations or ask questions about access provided, please email: mrcbg@hks.harvard.edu


John Fiske head shot photo

John Fiske is currently Director of Data Protection at Meta where he manages a team of subject matter experts advising the business on a wide range of privacy-related issues.  Recent focus areas include the definition and framing of various types of AI risk, operationalization of fairness and transparency concepts, evaluation of operational controls around sensitive data, etc.  Another of his long-term focus areas is identity assurance.  Recent advances in digital identification allow privacy-protective identity assurance, subject to user controls and selective disclosure. This potentially opens up a range of online safety improvements without compromising privacy. John Fiske has spent his career in the technology sector, in a range of product management, consultative, operational and general management roles.  Prior to joining Meta, John was a VP at SAP, focused on data management products, and served as COO for a global business unit.  He has also worked for various telecom service providers (Comcast, Cable & Wireless, AOL) and consultancies (Gemini Consulting, CEB/Gartner).  He has an A.B from Harvard in Sanskrit & Indian Studies and an MBA from INSEAD. He lives with his family in Arlington, Virginia. While an M-RCBG Senior Fellow, John will explore structural options to reduce online harm.  These options include information integrity controls, identity assurance, fair distribution, accountability, and other mechanisms.  While each of these offers potential improvements, they also pose societal tradeoffs which much be considered carefully.  Understanding this tension will hopefully help regulators and technology companies better balance online protections with user rights and freedoms. John’s faculty sponsor is John Haigh, Co-Director, Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, and Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Email: jfiske@hks.harvard.edu