The Tech Impact & Policy Center

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About The Center

The Tech Impact and Policy Center (TIP) is a social technology research and impact center at Stanford University with a mission to transform research into real-world impact that advances human agency and well-being in the era of social media and AI. The center's goal is to produce research that sparks change through partnerships, policies and tools that make a tangible difference in everyday lives.

TIP is led by founding director Jeff Hancock, a recognized international expert in the psychology of technology, and founding director of the Stanford Social Media Lab. Research and programs explore the latest developments in social technology and AI. Our center is made up of four programs: AI and Digital Literacy, Youth and Phones, AI and the Future of Social Science, and Re-imagining Social Media.

In addition to its core programs, TIP spearheads affiliated research projects and hosts the annual Trust and Safety Conference, held each September on the Stanford campus. The Center also publishes the Journal of Online Trust and Safety and co-hosts the Trust and Safety Teaching Consortium. It is part of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.

Our Leadership

Jeff Hancock is founding director of the Center and is well-known for his research on how social technologies like artificial intelligence and social media shape trust, well-being, and human behavior, with a focus on helping organizations and policymakers navigate the psychological impacts of emerging technologies. He is the Harry and Norman Chandler Professor of Communication at Stanford University, Founding Director of the Stanford Social Media Lab, a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute (FSI), Founding Editor of the Journal of Online Trust & Safety, and previously the co-director of the Stanford Cyber Policy Center.

A leading expert in behavioral sciences and the psychology of online interaction, Professor Hancock studies the psychological aspects of social media and AI technology. Professor Hancock earned his PhD in Psychology at Dalhousie University, Canada and was Professor of Information Science and Communication at Cornell prior to joining Stanford in 2015.

OUR PROGRAMS

grandmother with child who is helping grandma use a laptop placed on a desk

AI and Digital Literacy

AI and Digital Literacy is led by the Center’s director, Jeff Hancock. It identifies tools and techniques that empower individuals with skills to navigate rapidly changing technology and media environments with agency and intention.

Youth and Phones

Youth and Phones is helmed by economist Matt Gentzkow, working alongside Jeff Hancock. It evaluates the impact of devices and related policy interventions on youth well-being.

AI and the Future of Social Science

AI and the Future of Social Science is headed by social scientist Robb Willer. It investigates how AI can transform research methods to accelerate real-world impact, most notably through the development of a social science sandbox.

woman looking at her phone with background of city lights

Re-Imagining Social Media with AI

Re-Imagining Social Media is led by computer scientist Michael Bernstein and clinical psychologist Jeanne Tsai. It explores how tools like AI and middleware can reshape and realign social platform design to reflect user values, judgement, and social priorities.

Upcoming Events

Tue Oct 27

11:40 AM - 01:00 PM

Susan Sawyer | Australia's new social media legislation: the world is watching

Tue Oct 27

12:00 PM - 01:15 PM

After Fission: Recognition and Contestation in the Atomic Age | Sidra Hamidi

Wed Oct 28

09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

The Future of Decision-Making Conference