Distinguished author, musician, and computer scientist Jaron Lanier will visit The College of New Jersey to deliver a talk on disconnecting from social media.
The third speaker in the Foster Distinguished Visitor Series, Lanier will present his talk, “Why You Need to Delete Your Social Media Accounts: The Case for Disconnecting Today,” on Tuesday, November 18, at 4 p.m. in Mayo Concert Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
Credited with popularizing the term “virtual reality,” Lanier has made major contributions to technological innovation and continues to explore how artificial intelligence might shape the future of humanity. He is widely recognized as an influential thinker, dedicating his life to examining the social implications of emerging technologies.
Lanier appears in Netflix’s The Social Dilemma as a computer scientist and “Founding Father of Virtual Reality.” In the documentary-drama hybrid about the dangers of social media, he shares insights into how social media has transformed human interaction. His upcoming talk will further explore how disconnecting from such an integral part of modern life can change the way we live.
Lanier currently serves as the Prime Unifying Scientist at Microsoft’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer. He also contributes to major publications including The New Yorker and Wired. His bestselling books have received awards including Harvard’s Goldsmith Book Prize and the 2014 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade.
Created in 2022 by a gift from TCNJ’s 16th president and current political science professor, Kathryn A. Foster, the Foster Distinguished Visitor Series brings nationally known scholars, artists, writers, scientists, political leaders, and other luminaries to campus for a combination of in-person public presentations and small-group discussions with students, faculty, staff, partners, and friends of the college.
The Kathryn A. Foster Distinguished Visitor fund and all gifts to the college are stewarded by the TCNJ Foundation. This nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation partners with TCNJ to thoughtfully invest and preserve the college’s endowment and ensure that contributions from donors are used according to their wishes and in support of the college’s mission.
— Leah Cruz ’26