Laboratory for Social Machines, MIT Media Lab

The LSM team uses natural language processing, network science, machine learning, and user experience design to conduct analyses and build tools that promote deeper learning and understanding in human networks. 

Projects
Recent LSM project work includes mapping public conversation about the 2016 US Presidential Election, analyzing isolation of online socio-political tribes, and modeling the spread of false and true rumors on Twitter.

This research led to our current efforts to develop indicators of the health of public sphere conversation and to surface, through a series of “Deep Listening” projects, the voices and concerns of Americans under-represented in news and social media. 

LSM's research also extends into small-scale communities such as children, families,  and their local learning networks. Our  “Playful Words” project aims to tackle illiteracy in underserved communities through the design of playful learning experiences that engage a child’s social network in her learning process.

Team
We are an interdisciplinary team of researchers with backgrounds that include machine learning + AI, interaction design, cognitive science, child development + learning, journalism, marketing, and constitutional law.  We are committed to deploying our research through partnerships with external organizations such as the news media, education non-profits, businesses and advocacy groups.

Cortico
Recently, the LSM team has established a  nonprofit—Cortico—to scale up professional deployment of LSM media analytics R&D. With the mission of fostering a healthy public sphere for all, Cortico provides newsrooms, advocacy and nonprofit organizations, and community influencers tools and programs to connect with their audiences on greater common ground.