Submit a RADAR
Donate

What’s New in NYC Civic Tech – August 29, 2025

Gabby Langston

Recently, we kicked off the 13th cohort of Civic Innovation Fellows! Since 2015, we’ve trained CUNY students to navigate the digital workplace, use open data, and understand how government works.

We’re thrilled to welcome new fellows from the College of Staten Island, in partnership with the CUNY Public Interest Tech Lab. Come meet Ayela and Jillian at CityCamp NYC or at a Mapping for Equity class!

Are you registered for CityCamp NYC? Join us as we explore big questions: What should the future of NYC look like? How do we build it together? How should the next Mayor and City Council approach service design, tech, and AI? Can digital tools truly boost democratic engagement?

To close out the day, join us for our end-of-summer party and Civic Innovation Changemakers Awards. These awards celebrate New Yorkers making our city more open, just, and equitable. This year’s nominees are: MTA Open Data Team, CUNY Mapping Service, NYC Mesh, Transit Techies, and El Puente / Community Tech NY.

Lastly, don’t miss Understanding AI, a four-part series from Data & Society and the New York Public Library (NYPL). While there’s plenty to critique, there’s also hope that advanced tech can help us move forward. I’ve RSVP’d to a few events—come join me!

See you at CityCamp NYC!

Noel Hidalgo

TL;DR:

Upcoming Events with BetaNYC 🎊

September 6 CityCamp NYC, Spend the day shaping NYC’s civic tech future! CityCamp NYC is a participant-led unconference where YOU set the agenda. Jump into workshops, cross-sector collaborations, and lively discussions on tech, data, and policy. General admission tickets are still open! 

September 6 at 5:30 pm CityCamp NYC After Party & Fundraiser, Keep the momentum going at the After Party. This celebration is open to everyone, whether or not you attended CityCamp NYC! Expect an evening of connection, celebration, and civic tech spirit, all while raising funds for open government, data equity, and community-driven change. CityCamp NYC attendees get discounted tickets!

September 12 at 12 pm Discovering NYC Open Data: Online Session, Join the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation’s Open Data Team and BetaNYC for a hands-on introduction to NYC Open Data. In this virtual session, you’ll learn how to navigate the NYC Open Data portal, work with real public datasets, and see examples of how residents, advocates, and organizations use open data to drive insight and community action. Whether you’re brand new to data or looking to sharpen your skills, this workshop is a chance to discover how open data can be a powerful tool for civic engagement!

Graphic for CityCamp NYC with the tagline “a public interest unconference.” Large blue text in the center reads “tickets on sale now!” surrounded by thick black radiating lines. At the bottom right, orange text reads “www.citycamp.nyc” with blue text below showing “6 September 2025, CUNY Law School.”
Flyer with a light beige background. Large blue text reads “CityCamp NYC After Party & Awards.” Below in smaller text: “Sat, Sep 6, 5:30–8:30 PM, The Greats of Craft LIC.” A link icon appears with the text “citycamp.nyc/party,” where “/party” is in blue and orange. Underneath, smaller gray text reads “Celebrate the civic tech community with food, drink, music, & civic innovator awards.” In the bottom corners are the BetaNYC and CityCamp NYC logos. On the right side, a gray pigeon wears an orange-and-blue striped party hat and stands next to a large gold trophy.

Community Resources 📚  

  • New printable “Report ICE” zines: Megan Piontkowski illustration created free, downloadable guides on reporting ICE activity and knowing your rights.
  • Accessibility spot-check with America by Design: Jesse Gardner does a brief review and provides feedback on the new federal “America by Design” website, with suggestions to improve usability.
  • Origins of Blacksky: New_ Public breaks down how Blacksky reached millions of users without spending money. This comes amid an insightful Bluesky thread crediting Black and trans early adopters for shaping the community. 
  • Fare hike hearing pointers: Second Ave Sagas shares some policy points to consider when providing feedback on the MTA’s proposed changes to fares and tolls.
  • Forecasting Hurricanes Since Katrina: NPR looks at two decades of progress in climate science and storm prediction as extreme weather intensifies.

This Week in NYC Civic Tech 🗽

  • Surveillance in Public Housing: Three committee chairs of the NYC Council wrote a letter requesting that the NYPD cease use of cameras in NYCHA communities, raising questions about oversight and transparency.
  • Legionnaires’ Outbreak in Harlem: Gothamist reports that residents wished for clearer communication during the public health scare, and looks ahead to next steps to prevent another outbreak.
  • Delivery Worker Safety Bill: THE CITY covers a bill introduced 18 months ago aimed at boosting protections for app-based delivery workers, and how food app industry spending on lobbyists and political ads have prevented the bill from moving forward.
  • People’s Surveillance Handbook: StopSpying.org shares a new resource for New Yorkers concerned about government monitoring.
  • NYC Website Scan: ScanGov takes a deep dive into the city’s digital presence, sharing feedback on accessibility and usability.

This Week in Data, Tech, & Gov News 🏛️

Artificial Intelligence 🤖

  • AI and Future Generations: First Lady Melania Trump is taking on a new role leading a White House effort that will educate the next generation about artificial intelligence.
  • AI Explained on TikTok: parthknowsai breaks down how AI agents are ubiquitous, and vulnerable to attacks.
  • Humanize AI: This new platform is designed to help writers and organizations smooth out the robotic feel of AI-generated text.
  • Shadow AI Economy: A recent MIT study, covered by Fortune, explores the hidden “shadow economy” of AI, where workers rely on unapproved or off-the-books AI tools. (Paywall)
  • Global AI Governance: The Financial Times looks at how governments around the world are scrambling to establish guardrails for AI. (Paywall)

Jobs Alert and Announcements 💼 

Upcoming Events 📅

Note: All times are listed in EDT

Two t-shirts lay side by side, one olive green and one deep red, featuring a bold white graphic that mimics a New York City parking sign. The design reads “NO KING ANY TIME” with double-headed arrows pointing left and right at the bottom. Below are the logos for BetaNYC and alfredtwu.com.

Every week, our newsletter brings you the latest stories at the intersection of technology, government, and community, curated to keep you informed and connected to NYC’s civic tech world. 

If you’ve found value in these updates, please consider supporting our work. Your contribution helps us sustain this resource, grow our community, and keep civic tech news accessible for all. Head to beta.nyc/support-us-no-king.

Want to sponsor this newsletter or be featured in future ones? Share your community resources, projects, events, and anything else happening so we can feature them in future posts. 

What did you think of today’s newsletter? We’d love to hear your feedback and ideas. Reply to this message. Take care of each other, and have a great weekend!