Nel Escher

Can laws be translated into software? In a new study, @nelescher @jeffbilik @nikola_banovic and I show that the translation process is rife with misunderstandings, leading to errors and policy distortions in legal software. dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/36…

@nikola_banovic @syardi i’m interested! might be a stretch, but i study automated legal decision making tools and assess whether users trust their determinations

@syardi Could your work fall under this category, @nelescher ? :)

@Hon3yBoBo sava’s urban foraging collab??

got this plant for my office so that she would grow alongside me as i progressed in my phd. amazing how she’s paralleled my journey 😍

Tithonus, a browser extension by @nelescher "that subjects tweets loaded with infinite scroll to decay." You can adjust the decay rate; I have mine cranked to 1, which means it doesn't last long. chrome.google.com/webstore/detai… addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/…

@dustinbpalmer @codeforamerica Hi! Glad you found out a copy. In which contexts are you looking?

@nelescher Hi Nel! I just saw your paper about PA's eligibility screener. First, bravo - awesome work! Second, curious if a full copy is available to read? I work on safety net programs at @codeforamerica and I'm curious if your methods could be applied in other contexts.

@Hon3yBoBo there are stellas in the fridge my sweet get you one :*

So glad to see my #CSCW2020 paper with @nikola_banovic is prompting Pennsylvania state officials to fix errors in their automated benefits system! Families face so many challenges during the pandemic, and software bugs shouldn’t discourage them from applying for aid.

Are online automated tools helping or hurting people seeking Pa. benefits? @KateGiammarise reports on a study that found Pa.'s website may be incorrectly telling people they don't qualify for child care help. post-gazette.com/news/social-se…

This is a personal testimonial from one of our ResStaff members that almost hurts to share. This is what we are facing with on a daily basis. This is what being an RA means this year. Our lives & our health are treated like they're inconsequential. We can't keep living like this.

@aaronkbr Glad to send a copy your way — check your DMs!

@nelescher Is there a public draft available by any chance? Would love to read. We're working with a number of legal aid groups on similar issues.

The US welfare system is broken & so is the technology that administers it. The punitive nature of means-testing is compounded by software failures. For commentary on welfare access during COVID-19 & a summary of our #CSCW2020 paper, see my Medium article: link.medium.com/ooP8luAQD7

My #CSCW2020 paper with @nikola_banovic on exposing error in poverty management technology using algorithmic auditing is now available on ACM DL dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/33…