Jessa Lingel

Jessa Lingel is an Associate Professor of Communication at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication and Information from Rutgers University and advanced degrees from New York University and Pratt Institute. Her research focuses on digital culture, technology's role in power dynamics, and social justice, with a particular emphasis on queer and feminist frameworks. She directs the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Program (GSWS) and is affiliated with the Center for Media at Risk and the Center on Digital Culture and Society.

Education: B.A., University of California, San Diego (2004); M.A., New York University (2005); M.S., Pratt Institute (2008); Ph.D., Rutgers University (2013).

Research Interests: Digital culture, technology & society, gender & sexuality, activism & social justice, data privacy, and sociotechnical practices. Her work explores how marginalized groups navigate technological systems, resist surveillance, and advocate for equity. Recent projects include studies on #FreeBritney activism, mental health information access, and the gentrification of the internet.

Publications include the award-winning books The Gentrification of the Internet: How to Reclaim Our Digital Freedom (2021) and An Internet for the People: The Politics and Promise of Craigslist (2020). Her articles span journals like Feminist Media Studies, Information Research, and New Media & Society.

Activism: She advocates for prison abolition, library-based education, and mental health access. Her work bridges academic research with grassroots movements, emphasizing participatory methods and community-driven solutions.

Affiliations: In addition to her roles at Annenberg, she collaborates with the Media, Inequality & Change Center and leads initiatives on digital privacy and media at risk. Courses taught include Feminism and the Internet, Qualitative Research Methods, and Ethical Forgetting in Media.