AI-Enabled Abuse
How people abuse AI systems, and how people perceive and respond to abusive AI-generated media.
AI Sexual Content • Longitudinal Analysis of AI Detection Methods • Bias in AI Media Moderation • Perceptions of AI Media
Human Aspects of cyber Protection & PrivacY
The Happy Lab studies how people shape the security, privacy, and real-world use of AI systems. We investigate where human factors create new vulnerabilities, where they unlock better defenses, and how to build safer AI systems in practice.
Recent News
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Humans of Generative AI @ CVPR, a workshop on understanding how sociotechnical insights can inform technical AI design, is coming to Denver in just under two weeks. Hope to see you there!
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Two papers were conditionally accepted to SOUPS 2026! Congrats to the authors!
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Our paper with Drs. Lucy Qin and Elissa M. Redmiles from Georgetown University, "Unlimited Realm of Exploration and Experimentation": Methods and Motivations of AI-Generated Sexual Content Creators", was accepted to FAccT!
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Work with the SEFCOM and TSP Lab, "I Can SE Clearly Now: Investigating the Effectiveness of GUI-based Symbolic Execution for Software Vulnerability Discovery", has been conditionally accepted to CHI 2026, congrats all!
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A joint work with Lindsay Sanneman and Anil Murthy was accepted to NeurIPS LLM-Eval Workshop.
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Jaron and Tanusree from the GPSLab were recently awarded Google Research Scholar Grant for their proposal: "Designing Accessible Tools for Blind and Low-Vision People to Navigate Deepfake Media"
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We're excited to welcome Ashely Ishoel and Harshit Mathur for their SURI internships!
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Aditi, Joy, and Nihaarika are the newest folks working with the Happy Lab! Welcome!
Research Areas
AI for Security Applications
How AI can be integrated into security-sensitive environments.
Security and Privacy of AI
How sociotechnical factors impact real-world security and privacy of AI.
Security and Privacy (General)
Usable security and privacy, system security, and evaluation of HCI methodology.
Symbolic Exec GUI • Sociodemographics • Audit Log SoK • Bot Survey Fraud • Survey Fraud SoK • Privacy Zones
Interested in working with the group?
The lab site is the best place for current openings, application details, and ways to get involved.