Work

AI & Technology Leadership

I've covered AI from the frontier—interviewing Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, Andrew Ng, and the researchers building foundation models at OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, and Meta. As Editorial Director at VentureBeat, I translate breakthrough research into clear, authoritative reporting that helps millions understand how AI is reshaping industries, science, and society.

Case Study: The Facebook Investigation

Investigation that prompted a congressional inquiry

In May 2016, I published an investigative series for Gizmodo that exposed Facebook’s editorial practices in its Trending Topics news section. The investigation revealed that human curators—not just algorithms—controlled what appeared as “trending,” and included allegations of suppressing conservative news sources.

The Impact

• Prompted a U.S. Senate inquiry from Senator John Thune, Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee
• Entered into the Congressional Record on multiple occasions
• Sparked a global debate about platform accountability and algorithmic transparency
• Led to major product changes at Facebook and the elimination of the Trending Topics team
• Became a defining moment in the 2016 election narrative about tech platforms and media
• Featured as a central case study in An Ugly Truth by Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang

The Investigation (Original Reporting)

• Former Facebook Workers: We Routinely Suppressed Conservative News — Gizmodo, May 9, 2016
  Investigation revealing human editorial control and allegations of political bias in Facebook’s Trending Topics section.
• Want to Know What Facebook Really Thinks of Journalists? Here’s What Happened When It Hired Some — Gizmodo, May 16, 2016
  Inside account of Facebook’s fraught relationship with its journalism team and the toxic work environment.
• Facebook Announces Sweeping Changes to Trending Section — Gizmodo, August 26, 2016
  Breaking coverage of Facebook’s response: firing the entire Trending Topics team and overhauling the product.
• Facebook’s Fight Against Fake News Was Undercut by Fear of Conservative Backlash — Gizmodo, November 14, 2016
  Follow-up investigation showing how the controversy paralyzed Facebook’s response to fake news during the 2016 election.

Defining Coverage & Long-Term Influence

• Inside the Two Years That Shook Facebook—and the World — WIRED, February 2018
  WIRED’s definitive 10,000-word reconstruction of Facebook’s crisis years, describing the investigation as “the screenshots heard round the world.”
• An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination — Harper, 2021
  New York Times bestseller by Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang featuring the investigation as a pivotal moment in Facebook’s history.
• Senate Commerce Committee Inquiry — U.S. Senate, May 2016
  Senator John Thune’s formal letter to Mark Zuckerberg demanding answers about editorial practices and political bias.
• New York Post Front Page — New York Post, May 10, 2016
  The investigation made front-page news across major outlets the day after publication.
• Former Facebook staff say conservative news was buried, raising questions about its political influence — The Washington Post, May 2016
  Front-page analysis exploring the investigation’s implications for platform power and political media.

Industry-Wide Impact

The investigation became a defining case study in platform accountability, algorithmic transparency, and tech companies’ editorial responsibilities. It has been cited in academic research, congressional testimony, and ongoing debates about social media’s role in democracy.

Covered by: The New York Times • BBC • Bloomberg • The Wall Street Journal • CNN • CNBC • CBS News • The Guardian • Politico • Columbia Journalism Review • NPR • Reuters

Media & Speaking

I've represented major publications on national and international media, translating complex tech developments for mainstream audiences.

• CNN — Mark Zuckerberg on Whether Facebook Impacted the 2016 Election
  Interview on AI and Facebook • 2023
• CBS This Morning — Technology Trends
  Segment on consumer technology and platforms • 2015
• CBS This Morning — Facebook Denies Claims the Site Is Politically Biased
  Discussion of Facebook’s alleged political bias and news curation • 2016
• CBS This Morning — Is Facebook Suppressing Conservative News Stories?
  On-air segment discussing social media, platform power, and political bias • 2016
• Fox Business — Technology Industry Commentary
  Live commentary on the tech industry and market impact • 2018
• Nasdaq Studios / Mashable Weekly Tech Show
  Weekly tech show segment on emerging platforms and startups • 2019

Networks: CNN • CNBC • CBS This Morning • Fox Business • Fox News • BBC World News • Good Morning America • The Today Show • MSNBC • ABC News

Industry Recognition: AI & Journalism Leadership

• AI in News Reporting: A Test Is Coming for Journalism Ethics — Bloomberg, April 2023
• What San Francisco's AI Boom Means for the Future of Creative Jobs — San Francisco Standard, September 2023
• How Will AI Change News in the Future? — Palo Alto Daily Post, April 2023
• Leading Journalists Share Their Views of and Experiences With AI — Bospar, 2023
• Facebook Caught Doing Journalism — WNYC Studios, May 2016

For a complete archive, see my profiles on VentureBeat, Forbes, Gizmodo, and Mashable.