Some software vulnerabilities are one-off bugs or typos in code. Others, however, are symptoms of deeper design flaws embedded in a system. As we increasingly confront harms across digital experiences, Wei argues that these harms are not anomalies, but canaries in a coal mine for systemic inequities. Synthesizing feminist epistemology with computer security and privacy methodologies, they apply a lens of sociotechnical safety to the urgent challenge of combating image-based sexual abuse. In this talk, Wei will share empirical insights into the mechanisms of digital abuse and propose interventions that bridge technical defenses and social realities. They conclude by arguing that this approach provides a grounded basis for hope: by reframing harm as a measurable systemic failure of sociotechnical safety, we move towards rigorous models for intervention and repair.
Content warning: Discussion of image-based sexual abuse, including interpersonal abuse and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). No explicit imagery or graphic descriptions.
Bio:
Miranda Wei studies online abuse and societal factors in sociotechnical safety, especially concerning social media, gender, and interpersonal relationships. Their research interests lie at the intersections of computer security and privacy (S&P), human-computer interaction (HCI), and feminist science and technology studies (STS). They publish in leading S&P and HCI venues such as USENIX Security, ACM CHI, and IEEE S&P, SOUPS. Wei holds a Ph.D. from the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington, where they were a member of the Security & Privacy Research Lab and Tech Policy Lab, supported by a Google PhD Fellowship. They received a B.A. from the University of Chicago in political science and computer science. In fall 2026, they will start as an assistant professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In-person attendance is open to Princeton University faculty, staff and students.
This talk will not be livestreamed or recorded.
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