About UsAncient Wisdoms x Digital Technologies ~ Informed by years of social media and media analytics, CCC's work combines the ancient wisdoms of human conversation with emerging digital technologies to promote shared understanding and trust rather than reinforcing the "side-taking" and binary thinking that too often divides us.The Center is an evolution and scaling of the Laboratory for Social Machines (LSM), which was established by Prof. Deb Roy at the MIT Media Lab in 2014 and today includes a team of approximately 30 academic researchers, technologists, and humanists. LSM had a traditional research group structure and pioneered work in social media analytics and the design of human-machine systems to support communication and learning.Center for Constructive CommunicationCCC_77b2e160-cea1-11ef-bab9-85541f83ea00MIT Media LabBased at the MIT Media Lab and working closely with the non-profit Cortico, CCC brings together researchers in AI, computational social science, digital interactive design, and learning technologies with software engineers, journalists, political scientists, designers, and community organizations.CorticoCortico Collaboration ~ A special CCC field collaborator is Cortico, a non-profit social technology company with the mission of bringing underheard voices to the center of a healthier public dialogue.Cortico FoundersFounded in 2016 by Prof. Deb Roy, Russell Stevens, and Eugene Yi, Cortico maintains a unique cooperation agreement with MIT that enables collaboration on IP, prototyping, and field pilots.Prof. Deb RoyProf. Roy currently serves as Cortico’s CEO and board chair (with both positions uncompensated).Russell StevensEugene YiForaCortico operates Fora, a speech platform designed to bring communities together for listening, understanding, and sharing. The platform has been at the heart of collaborative CCC/Cortico projects in Madison, in Boston, and at MIT -- and will continue to be a focus of research (e.g., conversation analytics), prototyping, and pilots moving forward.AcademiaLocal OrganizationsCCC FundersFunding ~ The primary aim of the Center's work is to create social benefit, as expressed through our Approach, Lab Projects and Field Projects. The Center also works with commercial collaborators to explore "dual use" applications of research that may be relevant to commercial interests. We only accept funding for work that is aligned with our research and project aims, with a preference for long-term funder relationships. ^^ Founding support for the Center's launch includes multi-year commitments from Reid Hoffman (general operating support), Project Liberty, McKinsey & Company (for developing tools for modeling stories and audience networks), and the Media Lab consortium. As it grows, the Center will continue to add funding from value-aligned philanthropic, government, and corporate organizations.Reid Hoffmangeneral operating supportProject LibertyMcKinsey & Companyfor developing tools for modeling stories and audience networksMedia Lab ConsortiumCreation of social benefit_77b2e340-cea1-11ef-bab9-85541f83ea00To promote shared understanding and trust_77b2e494-cea1-11ef-bab9-85541f83ea00CommunicationThe Principles of Constructive Communication ~ Born out of research on social media, our work at CCC has led us to key principles to foster respectful open dialogue at scale:SmallnessSmall is beautiful. Small groups are the essential unit of meaningful dialogue. We shouldn't expect to throw large groups of people into a town hall or onto sprawling digital platforms and expect them to connect constructively.TrustScale at the speed of trust. Just as we can't expect people to connect in large groups from a cold start, we shouldn't expect community-scale dialogue to succeed at the speed of electrons (yet most modern digital platforms feature real-time content broadcast).Human ConnectionBalance the use of technology with ancient wisdoms of human connection. Our technology is designed to interconnect small-group conversations at the speed of trust. Those conversations, in turn, should be intentionally structured and facilitated. And participants should engage with respect, an open mind, and humility; listen generously; and speak only from one's own experience.ValuesValues first. People are able to connect with one another and build bridges when they lead with their values rather than debating over opinions or facts. Values emerge through sharing and listening to stories and experiences that are the connective tissue of our shared humanity.ConveningsBring together researchers in AI, computational social science, digital interactive design, and learning technologies with software engineers, journalists, political scientists, designers, and community organizations_77b2e4d0-cea1-11ef-bab9-85541f83ea00AI ResearchersComputational Social ScientistsResearchers in Digital Interactive DesignLearning Technology ResearchersSoftware EngineersJournalistsPolitical ScientistsDesignersCommunity OrganizationsProgramsLaunch pilot programs focused on building a culture of listening and dialogue that promotes a sense of shared understanding, empathy, and trust_77b2e6a6-cea1-11ef-bab9-85541f83ea00An important aspect of CCC is its commitment to reach both within and beyond academia to work closely with locally based organizations to launch pilot programs focused on building a culture of listening and dialogue that promotes a sense of shared understanding, empathy, and trust.2025-01-09https://www.ccc.mit.edu/about/OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net