Tuukka Lehtiniemi

Tuukka Lehtiniemi is a University Researcher at the Centre for Consumer Society Research, part of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki. He holds a PhD in Economic Sociology (2020) and serves as a Docent in Economic Sociology at the University of Turku (2024–present). His research focuses on digital society, datafication, algorithmic systems, and the data economy. He examines societal changes driven by datafication, particularly human roles in automation and the distribution of agency between humans and machines. His work spans qualitative studies on data work in prisons, AI in child welfare, data activism, and journalistic personalization.

• Education: PhD in Economic Sociology (2020), multidisciplinary background in technology and economics.
• Research Interests: Algorithmic decision-making, automated systems, data activism, digital inequalities, and the sociotechnical implications of AI.

Lehtiniemi has led or contributed to major projects like 'Pleasing the Algorithm' (2023–2025) and 'REPAIR: Valuable Breakages' (2022–2025), addressing algorithmic governance and societal values. He actively supervises Master's students in digital inequalities and teaches at the university level. His work bridges critical research with actionable insights for societal improvement.

He is frequently engaged in academic activities, including organizing conferences (e.g., Sosiologipäivät 2025) and peer-reviewing for journals like New Media & Society and Information Society. Media outlets such as Euronews and Wired have highlighted his research on topics like AI training in prisons.