Björn Ross

@bjoernross.bsky.social

Reader in Computational Social Science at the University of Edinburgh. he/him

When we talk about GenAI, we often focus on what these systems can do. It's equally important to understand how they can be misused, and what this means for safety evaluation. This new paper explores this in the context of child safety: dx.doi.org/10.1007/s001... #AISafety #ResponsibleAI

Generative AI in child sexual exploitation and abuse: views from UK law enforcement - AI & SOCIETY

Amidst the general excitement about the opportunities afforded by artificial intelligence (AI), the tech industry must confront the uncomfortable reality that generative AI also facilitates child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). This issue remains under-addressed in the literature. Aiming to deepen the understanding of online CSEA and the misuse of generative AI, we report empirical insights from semi-structured interviews with seven UK law enforcement practitioners. The topics covered ranged from AI facilitating grooming and lowering barriers in image generation to its impacts on society and investigative policing. Interviewees highlighted significant inadequacies and gaps in current safeguards associated with multi-turn AI tools, including interaction-centred misuse patterns and a “testing gap” between existing AI safety evaluation methods and the real-world practices of offenders. We use insights from these interviews to expand the scope of AI safety evaluation methods and propose changes to regulatory guidance. Our contribution foregrounds perspectives of experts on technology-facilitated CSEA crimes and specifies actionable directions for responsible AI and public safety.

dx.doi.org

One month to the 2026 Men’s FIFA World Cup kick-off ⚽️ and this edition looks set to become one of the most politicised ever. In our latest JQD:DM paper, we revisit the 2022 edition in Qatar through the lens of politicisation. A few things stood out: [1/9] journalqd.org/article/view...

Beyond the Game: Comparing Political News Coverage and Twitter Discussions during the 2022 FIFA World Cup | Journal of Quantitative Description: Digital Media

journalqd.org

I'm super thrilled to be bringing #ICWSM to Scotland with my colleagues Walid Magdy and @clarellewellyn.bsky.social ! Submit your papers on online social dynamics & human behaviour by the 15 May or 15 September 2026 deadline to present in Edinburgh in 2027! #computationalsocialscience

@icwsm.bsky.social · 4mo ago

🚨 Big news! #ICWSM '27 is heading to Edinburgh, Scotland 🏰 More details on dates and venue coming soon ✨ ❗How submissions work: • May 15, 2026: accept (→ ICWSM '27), R&R → Sept '26 • Sept 15, 2026: accept (→ ICWSM '27), R&R → Jan '27 • Jan 15, 2027: accept (→ ICWSM '27), R&R → May '27 (→ ICWSM '28)

Congratulations on passing your viva - you can be very proud of the work you've done, and all the best for your new(ish) role!

Agostina Calabrese@agostinacal.bsky.social · 6mo ago

I passed my viva! 🎓🥹 Thanks to @bjoernross.bsky.social and Mirella Lapata for pushing me to write a thesis I’m proud of, to examiners @malvinanissim.bsky.social and Emily Allaway for making the viva such a positive experience, and to everyone who supported me, in person or from afar 🥰