Dr. Desmond Upton Patton's Avatar

Dr. Desmond Upton Patton

@dupatton.bsky.social

31st PIK University Professor at UPenn| SAFElab and PCIIT Founding Director| Studying Gun violence, AI Ethics, Youth and Mental Health, Grief, Social Media and Joy.

3,429 Followers  |  608 Following  |  64 Posts  |  Joined: 13.11.2024
Posts Following

Posts by Dr. Desmond Upton Patton (@dupatton.bsky.social)

Are Cell Phones Bad For Your Kids? - Tired Parents Club
YouTube video by Queen City News Are Cell Phones Bad For Your Kids? - Tired Parents Club

Tired Parents Club spoke to Professor @dupatton.bsky.social about when you should give your child access to a cell phone and how teachers can utilize cell phones in their classrooms:

24.02.2026 21:11 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Decoding Language of Grief and Joy in Digital Life | No Such Thing Dr. Desmond Patton on youth, AI, and the stakes of misinterpretation

Decoding Language of Grief and Joy in Digital Life, a new #nosuchthingpod episode - come join @dupatton.bsky.social and I for a discussion of social media, AI, and interpretation #research #media #technology #youth Follow ☝️for info on release of his new new book. shows.acast.com/nosuchthing/...

19.02.2026 23:18 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Large projected slide with a bright yellow-green background titled β€œJoy: What is it?” The slide lists bullet points defining joy as an emotional response to a perceived good, sometimes emerging after pain, grief, or collective struggle, and emphasizing that joy is not passive but cultivated through intentional practice. A tall black speaker stack partially blocks the right side of the slide, and a smaller teleprompter screen with partial text is visible below.

Large projected slide with a bright yellow-green background titled β€œJoy: What is it?” The slide lists bullet points defining joy as an emotional response to a perceived good, sometimes emerging after pain, grief, or collective struggle, and emphasizing that joy is not passive but cultivated through intentional practice. A tall black speaker stack partially blocks the right side of the slide, and a smaller teleprompter screen with partial text is visible below.

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"what does it mean to privilege JOY in AI development?" @dupatton.bsky.social sharing his insights at #SSWR2026
@pennsp2.bsky.social

17.01.2026 15:28 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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β€œWhat if I told you social media isn’t just a platform but a neighborhood?"- @dupatton.bsky.social, keynote speaker at our symposium. A leading researcher on social media and community gun violence, his work is reshaping how we approach digital spaces in violence prevention. White paper coming soon!

04.12.2025 19:51 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A Road Map To Reduce Firearm Harms by 2040

Three Penn faculty members, including PIK Professor @dupatton.bsky.social, are among more than 40 experts to author a report addressing the persistent challenge of gun violence and proposing solutions stemming from a JAMA Summit convened last spring:

04.11.2025 18:24 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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During his early fieldwork in Chicago, Dr. | Maria Bryan During his early fieldwork in Chicago, Dr. Desmond Patton noticed something unexpected: his students weren’t just using Twitterβ€”they were navigating it like a neighborhood. What started as a study on...

www.linkedin.com/posts/mariab...

07.08.2025 11:40 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

health.usnews.com/wellness/min...

23.07.2025 21:41 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Through to Thriving: Journeying to Joy with Dr. Desmond Upton Patton | TechPolicy.Press Anika Collier Navaroli spoke to Dr. Patton about his personal and intellectual journey, and how the pursuit of joy could change the way we think of technology.

In the latest episode in her special podcast series, Through to Thriving, Tech Policy Press fellow @anikacolliernavaroli.com talks with @dupatton.bsky.social about his personal and intellectual engagement with the concept and practice of joy, and what it all has to do with technology and policy:

12.06.2025 23:50 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

thanks, Rachel!!

10.06.2025 14:00 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Through to Thriving: Journeying to Joy with Dr. Desmond Upton Patton | TechPolicy.Press Anika Collier Navaroli spoke to Dr. Patton about his personal and intellectual journey, and how the pursuit of joy could change the way we think of technology.

In the latest episode in her special podcast series, Through to Thriving, Tech Policy Press fellow Anika Collier Navaroli talks with Dr. Desmond Upton Patton about his personal and intellectual engagement with the concept and practice of joy, and what it has to do with technology and policy:

09.06.2025 12:21 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

I really enjoyed this conversation!

09.06.2025 14:54 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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How are aggression and violence affecting youth in digital spaces? #ChildSafety

Gain critical insights for building a safer, more equitable digital landscape for children from @dupatton.bsky.social, @drmandyk.bsky.social, and others at #MediaAndMinds25.

Secure your spot today: bit.ly/3zOUbjH

30.05.2025 16:10 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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β€œWe are only slowly beginning to understand the impact that social media is having on violence. In the 21st century we really need to invest in this space.”

@upenn.edu professor and @nam.edu member Desmond Patton shares his perspective while attending #JAMASummit.

13.05.2025 20:53 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Desmond Patton at #JAMASummit #Shorts
YouTube video by JAMA Network Desmond Patton at #JAMASummit #Shorts

youtube.com/shorts/8HszQ...

17.05.2025 19:45 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Your joy plan index card.

30.04.2025 14:10 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
CSSW 2025 Commencement Speaker | Columbia School of Social Work

socialwork.columbia.edu/news/cssw-20...

29.04.2025 20:39 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Saturday of ##SOBP2025 starts at 8am(!!) but we're here for exciting talks on AI. Dr. Desmond Patton presents important work on social media and gun violence. Highlights important interactions between virtual and physical neighborhoods and discussing CASM- with caution on potential misuse.

26.04.2025 13:15 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

thank you so much!!!

26.04.2025 13:52 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

An absolutely incredible talk by @dupatton.bsky.social! So many implications and tips for engaging with communities and the important of community expertise in our research!

26.04.2025 13:21 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

thank you so much!!! I cant wait to share it!

20.04.2025 21:46 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ“The Book I’ve Been Holding in My Chest

I’ve been writing a book for yearsβ€”one shaped by a single question:Who gets to be understood online?
It’s about grief, algorithms, and Gakirah Barnes.She was 17.She was brilliant.Her lifeβ€”lived on Twitterβ€”has something to teach us all.

20.04.2025 21:42 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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To Curb Online Sexual Abuse of Children, Experts Look to AI Researchers in Norway and the U.S. are training artificial intelligence to address cybergrooming. Will it work?

To Curb #Online Sexual Abuse of #Children, Experts Look to #AI undark.org/2025/03/31/c... | Thanks to Dr @dupatton.bsky.social for chatting with me for @undark.org

15.04.2025 20:14 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

wonderful and thank you!

08.04.2025 01:16 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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How can AI help us predict language and communication patterns that reveal how violence operates? How can it be used as a research tool? In this #PennAI video, @dupatton.bsky.social discusses how he uses AI in his research. Watch the full video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqki...

03.04.2025 20:17 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
SSWR 2025: Opening Plenary
YouTube video by Society For Social Work & Research (SSWR) SSWR 2025: Opening Plenary

"Collaboration often means reconciling different ways of knowing--whether it's the lived experiences of community, or the technical precision of data science, or the structural perspectives of social work."

Check out @dupatton.bsky.social's keynote at SSWR this year!!!!

31.03.2025 15:45 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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#joystacking #thejoyplan TikTok video by DUP

www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2GfpFcC/

21.03.2025 14:01 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

check in with PRIMR:https://primr.org/

20.03.2025 18:56 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Trump administration freezes $175 million in federal funding to Penn According to a White House tweet, Wednesday's decision is a result of Penn's

They are coming for every university, if you think you’re safe because it hasn’t been yours yet I don’t know what to tell you. Join AAUP, refuse to comply, organize your colleagues

19.03.2025 14:36 β€” πŸ‘ 2224    πŸ” 929    πŸ’¬ 49    πŸ“Œ 58
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I wrote a book about the life of Gakirah Barnes and her life on Twitter. Follow along to learn about how is used AI to analyze tweets, the mistakes i made and the potential of working with youth to re... TikTok video by DUP

www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2g8a4Q1/

16.03.2025 16:35 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0