Hi, I'm Anil Dash

I’m a tech entrepreneur and writer trying to make the technology world a little more thoughtful, creative and humane. Having created Internet technologies for two decades, I’m focused on the way technology can transform society, media, the arts, government and culture.

My work tries to ensure that tech serves those who are most vulnerable and that it enables the most people to express themselves. This means that, while my work is grounded in tech, it is deeply connected to policy, culture, art, urbanism, social justice and other domains that tech has historically overlooked. I also try to be fairly accessible, especially to people who don't have access to these systems, so you can reach me at [email protected].

Full Bio:

Anil Dash leads the team behind Glitch, the friendly developer community where coders have collaborated to create and share millions of web apps, serving as CEO of Glitch until its acquisition by Fastly. Honored by the Webby Awards with its lifetime achievement award in 2022, Dash is recognized as a leading advocate for more humane, inclusive and ethical technology through his work as an entrepreneur, activist and writer.

He serves as a board member for organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the pioneering nonprofit organization defending digital privacy and expression, The Markup, the leading nonprofit investigative newsroom pushing for tech accountability, and the Lower East Side Girls Club, which serves girls and families in need in New York City. Previously, Dash was an advisor to the Obama White House’s Office of Digital Strategy, served for a decade on the board of Stack Overflow, the world’s largest community for coders, and was on the board of the Data & Society Research Institute, which researches the cutting edge of tech's impact on society. Today, he continues to advise respected startups and non-profits including DonorsChoose, Medium, The Human Utility and Project Include. In 2008, he led a MacArthur-backed research project that carried out pioneering research on social media's impact on policy making. And during his tenure as CEO of Glitch, the company became the first tech startup to voluntarily recognize its workers' union.

As a writer and artist, Dash was a contributing editor and monthly columnist for Wired, has written for publications like The Atlantic and Businessweek, co-created one of the first implementations of the technology now known as NFTs, had his works exhibited in the New Museum of Contemporary Art, and collaborated with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda on one of the most popular Spotify playlists of 2018.

Described by the New Yorker as a “blogging pioneer”, his personal website has been cited in sources ranging from the New York Times to hundreds of academic papers. In 2013, Time named @anildash one of the best accounts on Twitter, and he is the only person ever retweeted by both Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Prince, a succinct summarization of Dash’s interests. Dash has also been a keynote speaker and guest in a broad range of media ranging from the Aspen Ideas Festival to Desus and Mero's late-night show. He's also guested on most of your favorite podcasts.

Dash is based in New York City, where he lives with his wife Alaina Browne and their son Malcolm. Like most people, he has never played a round of golf, drank a cup of coffee, filed a patent, or graduated from college.

What I Do:

Glitch

Glitch is the easiest way for developers to quickly create web apps or sites, supported by a friendly community of fellow coders. Glitch's groundbreaking development tools have reinvented modern coding, allowing millions of creators of every skill level to collaborate in real-time and enabling the community to create millions of apps for work and for fun.

Glitch was acquired by Fastly in 2022, and is now part of Fastly's global developer engagement team.

anildash.com

I’ve been writing and publishing this personal blog (formerly dashes.com) continuously since 1999. With millions of words published in its nearly two-decade history, this is one of the few personal blogs that’s been quoted in sources ranging from the New York Times to the BBC to TMZ as well as hundreds of academic citations. This site was a Webby honoree in 2010 in the Personal Blog category, and has always tried to cover my recurring obsessions of technology, pop culture, and society.

Requisite disclaimer: None of the organizations mentioned here are responsible for anything you see on this site. As this site has been published continuously for over two decades, many pieces included here may not reflect my current views or the ways I would communicate today.

Board Member

The Electronic Frontier Foundation

The EFF is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world, focused on protecting digital privacy, free speech, and innovation. I joined the board in 2020.

The Markup

The Markup is the most respected independent media outlet focused on driving accountability for the ways our social institutions make use of technology. A pioneering nonprofit newsroom, The Markup is led by journalists who offer a unique view into the ways technology is impacting our daily lives.

The Lower East Side Girls Club

The Lower East Side Girls Club provides innovative, community-based programs and services for girls and young women in my own neighborhood of the Lower East Side, helping break the cycle of local poverty by training the next generation of ethical, entrepreneurial and environmental leaders. I joined the board in 2015.

Advisor

DonorsChoose

I’m a member of the National Advisory Council of respected educational nonprofit DonorsChoose, which pioneered crowdfunding on the Internet to support teachers and classrooms across America.

The Human Utility

I advise The Human Utility (formerly the Detroit Water Project), which does the vital work of supporting water security for communities in need through direct financial support for families that need running water, and by challenging municipalities to better serve their constituents.

Medium

Medium is one of the most influential and broadly-read publishing platforms on the Internet today. I advise the company as it advances the state of the art in open web publishing and sustainable digital publishing.

Project Include

Project Include is one of the most respected and most visible efforts to systemically improve inclusion and diversity in the technology industry, and I help advise on how the organization can bring specific, focused, actionable resources to the tech world.

Selected Press & Media

You may get a better understanding of my work by looking at these videos, podcasts and press articles, or you can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or subscribe to this site to keep up with what I'm doing now.

My interview with Krista Tippet for "On Being", recorded in November 2016.

Other Media Highlights