• One holistic interdisiplinary method for all X.

    1. Offer one holistic, interdisicplianry, and X for all four of the core existential issues of post digital X and Y
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The IDH Story

  • Ph.D. & Master's in the Study of Law

    The Ohio State University 2012

    Digital Culture, Law,  & Politics
    Interdisciplinary joint program between the Dept. of English and Moritz College of Law

    Dissertation: "Fear and Loathing in the New Media Era: How to Realign our Rhetorical Judgments for the Post-Postmodern, Digital Media Age"

  • M.A. English

    The Ohio State University 2012
    Critical Theory: Law & Politics

    B.A. Political Science

    B.A. English
    University of Nebraska-Lincoln 1998

    Minors: Conflict Resolution, History, International Affairs

    Graduated w/Distinction I Phi Beta Kappa

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    1. Offer one holistic, interdisicplianry, and X for all four of the core existential issues of post digital X and Y
  • North Central University 2018-2023

    Director, School of English, Digital Media, and Communication Arts

    Associate Professor, Digital Media  

  • anti-defamation league 2019-2022

    consultant / curriculum designer ai ethics, privacy, disinformation

  • hamline university 2011-2017

    assistant professor digital culture, politics, ethics, and lawfree speech and the first amendment

  • mcgraw-hill 2007-2011

    consultant / ed tech inventor disinformation

  • ohio state university 2001-2010

    speechwriter, office of the president assistant editor, narrative associate, digital media project

    associate, first-year writing program 

    instructor department of english

  • nebraska appleseed center for law in the public interest1 1998-2000

    program associate

    nebraskans for peace pac 1998
    coordinator

  • FORBES
    NBC KARE-11: MINNEAPOLIS
    OMAHA WORLD-HERALD
    NBC: TOLEDO, HOUSTON, SACREMENTO
    HUMAN LAWYER
    PIONEER PRESS
    NEXT GENERATION POLITICS
    AI & YOU 
    OUR BLACK NEWSAG NEWS
    OMAHA DAILY RECORD
    SLOAN FILM SUMMIT
    LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR
    DAILY NEBRASKAN

  • Mr. Obrien,

    My name is Dr. Aaron McKain.  I’ve been a top AI, disinformation, and free speech expert for 20 years.  Which is around when my teams and I – dozens of top world experts; hundreds of lawyer, artists, and comedians – figured I’d be sending this email someday.

    • Since the election, there is an extremely (95%) high likelihood that my teams’ (dozens of literal top in the world people; hundreds of lawyers, artists, students) two-ecade Manhattan Project is the last thing left standing.
    • Which is why I have the ear of state/national officials and  am being headhunted to run – and turning down because this shit won’t work in time – the national famous orgs, run for office, be a Dean, etc.  (See www.aaronmckain.com for resume, press, and other credentials.)
    • Hre’s the punchline: My shit works because I built everyting with comedians.   And then (like a complete asshole) said fuck it and turned higher ed into late night.

    We dont’ need a Rogan for the left (and the fucking cavalry, obvoiusly, ain’t coming: I was in it)

    • Whoever scales one of these things I build for a living at a national scale first wins the 21st century.   (The other team/Project 2025  is buying up all the “evil” me’s, btw.  But none of them can do this – or had time to – thank God.)
    • The worst case scenario is that it builds an immedfitely viable/miliatary grade disinformation fighting system, gives comedians leverage AI, disinformation, and higer ed reform efforts, and we don’t put a gun in our mouth.  #IrishCatholic  

    I do this for a living.  My teams’ (and I) have compromised their careers, safety, and financial well-being to keep this option alive.  I have to throw this football immediately.

    • My two options are the comedy industrial complex or MAGA.  For #norm/privacy reasons, I don’t think I can do MAGA.   (And, walking in with my dick in my hand, they’d eat me alive and just rip this thing off.)
    • This is not my first rodeo. The gameplan here is really simple: I dump my IP into a new comedy-based non-profit (AI Isn’t Funny), but some people from you industry (whoever) on your board, grab the open window re: the Letterman communication X (and the Carson school) or just start our own (Norm MacDonald Institute for Digital Humanity), then launch crowd-sourced comedy-based public education re: AI, disinformation, and free speech/inclusivity; wait for MAGA to get jelly, send in a lawyer, cut a deal for them to adopt; if they say “no” we could get a state almost immediately.   This is me and my teams’ job.  We are good.  We’ve never had a partner we liked or legit funding  
    • So as you read everything that follows keep in mind the punchline: I used comedians (Norm, Daily Show, etc) to do my research; used all of you (almost literally) to teach this shit for two decades, and then – in a period of “fuck it” after Trump got elected (e.g., became an “echo chamber” diversity it a Bible college to try to stop a civil war) – just said fuck it an started turning higher ed into 90s Late Night.

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NEWS: PRINT AND TV

"Regulating Artificial Intelligence -Is Global Consensus Possible?
Forbes.
Sep 9, 2022 

Criminal Conviction By Algorithms Are Ruining Innocent Lives.” 
Omaha World-Herald.
August 29, 2021

After Facebook Scandal, Local College Students Are Talking Issues of Big Tech.”  
NBC KARE-11 Evening News (Minneapolis)
NBC WTOL 11 (Toledo)
NBC KHOU 11 (Houston)
NBC KXTV  (Sacramento)
7 November 2021 

Why Isn’t There Social Media Forgiveness?” 
 NBC KARE-11: Breaking the News.
13 September 2018 

“Remembrance of Things Past Fuels Recent Run of Reboots, Relaunches, Remakes.”
Pioneer Press. 
21 April 2018   

“How To Protect Your Personal Info on Facebook.” 
NBC KARE-11. Breaking the News.
Minneapolis:  21 March 2018 

“Post Emmys Cameo, Spicer Says He Regrets Battles Over Trump’s Inauguration Size.”
NBC KARE-11 Breaking the News 
Minneapolis: 18 September 2017 

“Breaking Down the Election Speeches.”  
NBC KARE-11 Evening News
Live On Air Interview
9 November 2016

“How do Those Political Speeches Come to Life?”
NBC KARE-11  Breaking the News. 
Minneapolis: 27 July 2016

“What is Plagiarism?”
NBC KARE-11 Breaking the News 
Minneapolis: 20 July 2016

PODCASTS

  • “What is Digital Ethics.” Our Black NewsMay 2021w/ Julius Hernandez and Annelane Sallee.  

  • “What the Floyd VerdictMeans for Minneapolis." Our Black News.  April 2021

INDUSTRY PRESS

“Students Tackle Big Questions of Online Privacy Rights.” Creighton University NewsMay 20, 2023“Creighton Prof To Talk Digital Literary At SXSW EDU.” Omaha Daily RecordFebruary 18, 2022“NCU Technology Students Impacting Nation.’ AG NewsDecember 12, 2021

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    LIST FROM CV

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FOR THE PUBLIC & INDUSTRY

Principles of Digital Law and Ethics
CPI TechREG Chronicle.
Special Issue on Machine Learning. 
Feb 2023

w/ Thomas Freeman, Samson Hall"

A Primer on Digital and Data Science Ethics.

Nebraska Lawyer. 

Sept/Oct 2022w/ Thomas Freeman, Samson Hall

“Criminal Conviction By Algorithms  Are Ruining Innocent Lives.” 

 Omaha World Herald.  
August 29, 2021
w/ Thomas Freeman and Elizabeth Otto.    

“The Legal Implications ofAlgorithmic Decision-Making.” Nebraska Lawyer.  

May/June 2020

w/ Thomas Freeman and Samson Hall.

As Technology Evolves,So Will the Law, and So Must Attorneys,Nebraska Lawyer. July/August 2019w/ Thomas Freeman 

“Free Speech in Post-Digital America.” Hennepin County Library. Permanent Collection. 

September 2019w/ The Institute for Digital Humanity andthe Institute for Aesthetic Advocacy.  

“Are We the RockstarsWe’ve Been Waiting For?PopMatters. 3 Nov. 2008

 

“Mike Huckabee’s Family Guy Values.”Alternet

21 Jan. 2008

 

“A Hypothetical Problem.” PopMatters.

17 Sept. 2006

ACADEMIC

preface: proof I know what I'm talking about

For twenty years, I've been leading weird little teams of Oppenheimers -- on a very particular Manhattan project that can do five critical things that no one else seems to know how to do.

  1. Offer one holistic, interdisicplianry, and X for all four of the core existential issues of post digital X and Y

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