Tero Karppi

Tero Karppi is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto Mississauga's Institute of Communication, Culture, Information, and Technology (ICCIT), with a graduate appointment in the Faculty of Information. His research focuses on Critical Computation, Digital Media, and disconnection studies, examining how social media platforms engage users and maintain power through design and algorithmic practices. He holds a PhD from the University of Turku and has held roles at institutions like the University at Buffalo and Microsoft Research. Key publications include *Disconnect: Facebook’s Affective Bonds* (2018) and co-authored works like *Undoing Networks* (2021).

Education:

• PhD in Media Studies, University of Turku, Finland
• Previous positions at University of Tampere's Game Research Laboratory and Microsoft Research

Research Interests:
Dr. Karppi explores disconnection studies, platform power dynamics, social media design, and media theory. His work critiques how digital platforms shape user behavior and societal structures through cultural techniques and algorithmic governance. He is particularly interested in the paradoxes of user disengagement and corporate accountability in tech.

Publications:
His recent work (2021-2024) addresses platform studies, digital standards, and disconnection paradoxes. Earlier research includes analyses of AI limitations, predictive policing, and robotic care.

Advising & Labs:
Currently supervising Yuxing (Yolanda) Zhang. Affiliated with the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. His lab work integrates media theory with digital humanities approaches.