Koen Frenken

New paper "Geographies of Innovation and Well-being" with Fulvio Castellacci + @emilevenhuis.bsky.social: rdcu.be/eJJpO. We outline the pathways through which innovation can contribute to #wellbeing and how political considerations regarding well-being provide #directionality in innovation (policy).

AI Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring Wholesale electricity costs as much as 267% more than it did five years ago in areas near data centers. That’s being passed on to customers.

www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...

The richest man on earth owns X.

The second richest man on earth is about to be a major owner of TikTok.

The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.

See the problem here?

Event: "Ghostwork, de onzichtbare arbeid achter AI
Hoe beschermen we de 150 miljoen datawerkers achter onze AI?" Kom op 15 oktober naar de Hogeschool van Amsterdam en neem deel aan een discussie over hoe we datawerk een plek kunnen geven in discussies over Responsible AI.

www.hva.nl/evenementen/...

Kom op zondag 5 oktober naar het Utrecht Science Park! Kan een rivier naar de rechter? Bouw met lego je eigen droomtuin! En hoe maak je olifantentandpasta? Ontdek dit en nog veel meer tijdens het Weekend van de Wetenschap, voor families met kinderen tussen de 8-12 jaar.
www.uu.nl/agenda/neem-...

Hoe heroveren we de macht over ons geld? Van woningnood en groeiende ongelijkheid tot de opkomst van autocratische leiders – in zijn nieuwe boek ‘Geld genoeg, maar niet voor jou’ legt FTM-journalist Thomas Bollen bloot waarom de grote proble...

Wat betekent het voor ons als tech-miljardairs en cryptobedrijven de heerschappij van de banken zullen doorbreken? In zijn nieuwe boek ‘Geld genoeg, maar niet voor jou’ neemt Thomas Bollen je mee naar goudkluizen, banktorens en cryptofeestjes. www.ftm.nl/artikelen/ho...

Laat de feiten regeren. Word nu Vriend van Investico. Antidemocratische krachten en cynische politici zijn in opkomst. Feitenvrije politiek bedreigt onze vrijheid. Steun onafhankelijke onderzoeksjournalistiek en laat de feiten regeren.

Onderzoeksjournalistiek is superbelangrijk. Gelukkig is het niveau in Nederland hoog. Maar het kost meer tijd en geld dan het formuleren van een mening... Word dus snel vriend van @investico.bsky.social en steun onderzoeksjournalistiek. Kan al vanaf 1 euro per maand. Je helpt ze er ontzettend mee.

If you think technology will solve your problems, you don't understand technology and you probably don't understand your problems either.

ILO launches Global Policy Tracker on Digital Labour Platforms A new ILO resource to support evidence-based policymaking and social dialogue on platform work.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is launching a new global policy tracker to provide a comprehensive overview of legislative initiatives concerning digital labour ('#gigeconomy') platforms. Great resource for all stakeholders. See: www.ilo.org/resource/new...

My new article "Do artifacts have political economy" out in @sthv.bsky.social - developing a constructivist #politicaleconomy as a way to understand the embedding of political economy in #technology (incl bridges, #generativeAI + #adtech)

Wanna see a crazy chart? Of course you do.

Spending on constructing datacenters and manufacturing facilities for computers & electronic products in the US now exceeds the entire retail and wholesale industry and almost as much as the rest of the office and manufacturing sectors combined.

Just out our paper on realities, politics & economics of so-called digital twins, and how the imaginary of "digital twins" is stifling dissemination & implementation.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

Enough of the billionaires and their big tech. ‘Frugal tech’ will build us all a better world | Eleanor Drage Titans like Musk would love us to believe innovation means top-down solutions that only enrich the wealthy. In fact, we all have the power, says Eleanor Drage, research fellow at Cambridge University

Enough of the billionaires and their big tech. ‘Frugal tech’ will build us all a better world | Eleanor Drage

Opinie | De vloek van AI Kunstmatige intelligentie: Het AI-plan van Trump zal desastreuze gevolgen hebben voor de planeet, schrijft Roel Dobbe.

Roel Dobbe (TU Delft) in NRC: "De vloek van AI" (in Dutch): www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

@haroonsheikh.bsky.social @marleenstikker.bsky.social @claesdevreese.bsky.social @mtschaefer.bsky.social @algosoc.org @silvertje.bsky.social @fvandervlist.bsky.social @albertmeijer.bsky.social

Some journals are claiming that you need to pay big $$ for gold open access to comply with NIH's new public access policy. FYI that is total bs. You can comply by depositing the Accepted Manuscript into PubMed Central on the Date of Publication without embargo. Pass it on.

Do not ever use WeTransfer to transfer files.

Use something that's end-to-end encrypted, like Wormhole, instead.

wormhole.app

Opinion | We Warned About the First China Shock. The Next One Will Be Worse.

David Autor and Gordon Hanson on US #innovationpolicy: www.nytimes.com/2025/07/14/o...

📢 PhDs & Postdocs: Join the Eu-SPRI Early-Career Training School📍Utrecht, 7–10 Oct 2025

🎓 Governance of Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) Policy in Times of Transformation

✅ Deepen your expertise
✅ Engage with global scholars
✅ Explore pathways to policy impact

🗓️Apply by 14 July. Link below👇

This is very worrying. Making offering a "bowl of soup" to someone without legal papers a criminal offense. In times of far-right political experimentation, Dutch politics can ill afford a parliamentary "slip-up". It’s up to the Senate now to demonstrate its purpose of chambre de reflexion.

This piece by @alondra.bsky.social is too important. It’s a must read for anyone concerned about the state of scientific research.

The new NATO spending target will hamper Europe’s innovation policy NATO's new 5 percent defence spending pledge is unlikely to help create a more autonomous, competitive and sustainable Europe.

I wrote a blog for LSE-EUROPP on the mismatch between the 5% #NATO spending target and EU's innovation policy objectives (strategic autonomy, competitiveness, sustainability). See: blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...

The new NATO spending target will hamper Europe’s innovation policy NATO's new 5 percent defence spending pledge is unlikely to help create a more autonomous, competitive and sustainable Europe.

💥 New: The new NATO spending target will hamper Europe’s innovation policy

✍️ @kfrenken.bsky.social ‬ blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...

New here and not sure who to follow? 👀
We’ve created a starter pack of researchers working on topics related to socio-technical change. It’s a first attempt and will grow over time.
Know someone who should be on it or want to be included yourself? Comment below or send us a DM ✉️
go.bsky.app/7STgwpg

De nieuwe NAVO-norm zit innovatiebeleid in de weg - ESB Door de hogere NAVO-norm komt er in Nederland en in de Europese Unie 0,6 procent van bbp extra beschikbaar voor R&D-uitgaven. Door de aard van de investeringen en de fragmentatie in Europa zullen deze...

Ik schreef een blog over de mismatch tussen de NAVO-norm van 5% BNP en de doelen van het innovatiebeleid (autonomie, concurrentievermogen, duurzaamheid). Zie: esb.nu/de-nieuwe-na...

I'm very honoured with the awarding of the 2025 Stevin prize for my research. And I'm particularly pleased that this prize goes to a philosopher, as it recognizes that we not only do blue sky research, but also analyses that can make a difference to the world.
www.nwo.nl/en/prof-dr-i...

'The Elgar Companion to Regulating Platform Work: Insights from the Food Delivery Sector'

Order it here 🔗 www.elgaronline.com/edcollbook/b...

This study by @vtraag.bsky.social and colleagues offers a great demonstration of the power of rigorous data-driven metaresearch.

It also shows the value of the RoRI model. Without this model, it would have been almost impossible to bring together the various data sets used in this study.

@cwts.nl

Thinking about joining the demonstration but not sure if it’s suitable for kids? Good news—families are welcome!
@savethechildren.nl is hosting a special kids’ corner at the protest. It’s a safe, fun space where parents and children can gather, play, and then walk together in solidarity.

Wij trekken de Rode Lijn Demissionair kabinet of niet – wij eisen nú concrete actie. Juist nu moeten partijen kleur bekennen, dus eis dat ze die Rode Lijn trekken. Sluit aan op zondag 15 juni!

Details #RodeLijn Protest:
🗓️ Sunday June 15th
⏰ 13:00 – Gather at Malieveld, The Hague
🚶‍♀️ We’ll walk together to the Peace Palace
🔴 Dress in red to form a human red line!
More info via @oxfamnovib.bsky.social
www.oxfamnovib.nl/rode-lijn-st...

"It’s impossible to have your eyes open, and not have your heart broken". (Gabor Maté). Besides our eyes & heart, we have a voice. Your voice has power!

Join us this Sunday for #RedLine protest in The Hague to demand upholding of international law & ending complicity with destruction of Gaza.