Rishab Nithyanand is an Assistant Professor and Emeriti-Faculty Scholar in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Iowa where he leads the SPARTA lab. He also holds a courtesy appointment in the College of Law and co-directs the Center for Publics, Platforms, and Personalization (CP3).

Professor Nithyanand’s research is broadly in the areas of privacy and social computing. His research aims to improve transparency and accountability in the online data ecosystem. He accomplishes this goal through a rigorous examination of the algorithms and processes used by social media platforms and online advertising technologies. This involves developing computational techniques for assessing: (1) the internal mechanisms of opaque systems, (2) how these systems interact with their stakeholders, and (3) whether these systems are operating within the bounds of existing norms and regulations. His research focuses on social media platforms and ad-tech because of their significant influence on the Internet and society, their similarly opaque processes, and heavy reliance on user data. Therefore, by enhancing the transparency and accountability of these ecosystems, his research improves the core mechanisms that influence user experiences and behavior across the Internet.