Supporting Safer Digital Spaces

Curated on Posted on by Stefaan Verhulst

Report by Suzie Dunn, Tracy Vaillancourt and Heather Brittain: “Various forms of digital technology are being used to inflict significant harms online. This is a pervasive issue in online interactions, in particular with regard to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) and technology-facilitated violence (TFV) against LGBTQ+ people. This modern form of violence perpetuates gender inequality and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and has significant impacts on its targets.

As part of a multi-year research project Supporting a Safer Internet (in partnership with the International Development Research Centre) exploring the prevalence and impacts of TFGBV experienced by women, transgender, gender non-conforming and gender-diverse people, as well as TFV against LGBTQ+ individuals, an international survey was conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). The survey examined the influence of gender and sexual orientation on people’s experiences with online harms, with a focus on countries in the Global South. Data was collected from 18,149 people of all genders in 18 countries.

The special report provides background information on TFGBV and TFV against LGBTQ+ people by summarizing some of the existing research on the topic. It then presents the quantitative data collected on people’s experiences with, and opinions on, online harms. A list of recommendations is provided for governments, technology companies, academics, researchers and civil society organizations on how they can contribute to addressing and ending TFV…(More)”

(Read the Supporting Safer Digital Spaces: Highlights here.; Read the French translation of the Highlights here.)

Rewiring The Web: The future of personal data

Curated on Posted on by Stefaan Verhulst

Paper by Jon Nash and Charlie Smith: “In this paper, we argue that the widespread use of personal information online represents a fundamental flaw in our digital infrastructure that enables staggeringly high levels of fraud, undermines our right to privacy, and limits competition.Charlie Smith

To realise a web fit for the twenty-first century, we need to fundamentally rethink the ways in which we interact with organisations online.

If we are to preserve the founding values of an open, interoperable web in the face of such profound change, we must update the institutions, regulatory regimes, and technologies that make up this network of networks.

Many of the problems we face stem from the vast amounts of personal information that currently flow through the internet—and fixing this fundamental flaw would have a profound effect on the quality of our lives and the workings of the web…(More)”

Adopting AI Responsibly: Guidelines for Procurement of AI Solutions by the Private Sector

Curated on Posted on by Stefaan Verhulst

WEF Report: “In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, responsible and ethical adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is paramount for commercial enterprises. The exponential growth of the global AI market highlights the need for establishing standards and frameworks to ensure responsible AI practices and procurement. To address this crucial gap, the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with GEP, presents a comprehensive guide for commercial organizations…(More)”.

Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs)

Curated on Posted on by Stefaan Verhulst

Report by the Information Commissioner’s Office (UK): “This guidance discusses privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) in detail. Read it if you have questions not answered in the Guide, or if you need a deeper understanding to help you apply PETs in practice.

The first part of the guidance is aimed at DPOs (data protection officers) and those with specific data protection responsibilities in larger organisations. It focuses on how PETs can help you achieve compliance with data protection law.

The second part is intended for a more technical audience, and for DPOs who want to understand more detail about the types of PETs that are currently available. It gives a brief introduction to eight types of PETs and explains their risks and benefits…(More)”.

Engaging citizens in innovation policy. Why, when and how?

Curated on Posted on by Stefaan Verhulst

OECD Report: “Innovation policies need to be socially embedded for them to effectively contribute to addressing major societal challenges. Engaging citizens in innovation policymaking can help define long-term policy priorities, enhance the quality and legitimacy of policy decisions, and increase the visibility of innovation in society. However, engaging all groups in society and effectively integrating citizens’ inputs in policy processes is challenging. This paper discusses why, when and how to engage citizens in innovation policy making. It also addresses practical considerations for organising these processes, such as reaching out to diverse publics and selecting the optimal mix of methods and tools…(More)”.

Data for Environmentally Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Mobility

Curated on Posted on by Stefaan Verhulst

Report by Anusha Chitturi and Robert Puentes: “Data on passenger movements, vehicle fleets, fare payments, and transportation infrastructure has immense potential to inform cities to better plan, regulate, and enforce their urban mobility systems. This report specifically examines the opportunities that exist for U.S. cities to use mobility data – made available through adoption of new mobility services and data-based technologies – to improve transportation’s environmental sustainability, accessibility, and equity. Cities are advancing transportation sustainability in several ways, including making trips more efficient, minimizing the use of single-occupancy vehicles, prioritizing sustainable modes of transport, and enabling a transition to zero and low-emission fuels. They are improving accessibility and equity by planning for and offering a range of transportation services that serve all people, irrespective of their physical abilities, economic power, and geographic location.
Data sharing is an important instrument for furthering these mobility outcomes. Ridership data from ride-hailing companies, for example, can inform cities about whether they are replacing sustainable transport trips, resulting in an increase in congestion and emissions; such data can further be used for designing targeted emission-reduction programs such as a congestion fee program, or for planning high-quality sustainable transport services to reduce car trips. Similarly, mobility data can be used to plan on-demand services in certain transit-poor neighborhoods, where fixed transit services don’t make financial sense due to low urban densities. Sharing mobility data, however, often comes with certain risks,..(More)”.

The Power and Perils of the “Artificial Hand”: Considering AI Through the Ideas of Adam Smith

Curated on Posted on by Stefaan Verhulst

Speech by Gita Gopinath: “…Nowadays, it’s almost impossible to talk about economics without invoking Adam Smith. We take for granted many of his concepts, such as the division of labor and the invisible hand. Yet, at the time when he was writing, these ideas went against the grain. He wasn’t afraid to push boundaries and question established thinking.

Smith grappled with how to advance well-being and prosperity at a time of great change. The Industrial Revolution was ushering in new technologies that would revolutionize the nature of work, create winners and losers, and potentially transform society. But their impact wasn’t yet clear. The Wealth of Nations, for example, was published the same year James Watt unveiled his steam engine.

Today, we find ourselves at a similar inflection point, where a new technology, generative artificial intelligence, could change our lives in spectacular—and possibly existential—ways. It could even redefine what it means to be human.

Given the parallels between Adam Smith’s time and ours, I’d like to propose a thought experiment: If he were alive today, how would Adam Smith have responded to the emergence of this new “artificial hand”?…(More)”.

OECD Recommendation on Digital Identity

Curated on Posted on by Stefaan Verhulst

OECD Recommendation: “…Recommends that Adherents prioritise inclusion and minimise barriers to access to and the use of digital identity. To this effect, Adherents should: 

 1. Promote accessibility, affordability, usability, and equity across the digital identity lifecycle in order to increase access to a secure and trusted digital identity solution, including by vulnerable groups and minorities in accordance with their needs; 

2. Take steps to ensure that access to essential services, including those in the public and private sector is not restricted or denied to natural persons who do not want to, or cannot access or use a digital identity solution; 

3. Facilitate inclusive and collaborative stakeholder engagement throughout the design, development, and implementation of digital identity systems, to promote transparency, accountability, and alignment with user needs and expectations; 

4. Raise awareness of the benefits and secure uses of digital identity and the way in which the digital identity system protects users while acknowledging risks and demonstrating the mitigation of potential harms; 

5. Take steps to ensure that support is provided through appropriate channel(s), for those who face challenges in accessing and using digital identity solutions, and identify opportunities to build the skills and capabilities of users; 

6. Monitor, evaluate and publicly report on the effectiveness of the digital identity system, with a focus on inclusiveness and minimising the barriers to the access and use of digital identity…

Recommends that Adherents take a strategic approach to digital identity and define roles and responsibilities across the digital identity ecosystem…(More)”.

Reimagining Digital ID

Curated on Posted on by Stefaan Verhulst

Report by the World Economic Forum: “For centuries, ID, a way for people to prove attributes about themselves, has played a pivotal role in society. Yet today roughly 850 million people still lack legal ID, making it difficult or impossible for them to fully engage with society. Simultaneously, many of those with ID do not have privacy and control over how their data is shared.

Innovative approaches to digital ID are now being developed that could help expand access while offering individuals control. Decentralized ID, one such approach, could offer a secure way of managing data without depending on intermediaries. While decentralized ID presents opportunities, it also poses risks and faces challenges. Without fit-for-purpose policy, regulation and technology, the potential for these systems to have a socially beneficial impact will be limited.

The result of an international collaboration involving more than 100 experts spanning the public and private sectors, this report provides tools, frameworks and recommendations for government officials, regulators and executives seeking to engage with decentralized ID…(More)”

Digital Freedoms in French-Speaking African Countries

Curated on Posted on by Stefaan Verhulst

Report by AFD: “As digital penetration increases in countries across the African continent, its citizens face growing risks and challenges. Indeed, beyond facilitated access to knowledge such as the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, to leisure-related tools such as Youtube, and to sociability such as social networks, digital technology offers an unprecedented space for democratic expression. 

However, these online civic spaces are under threat. Several governments have enacted vaguely-defined laws, allowing for random arrests.

Several countries have implemented repressive practices restricting freedom of expression and access to information. This is what is known as “digital authoritarianism”, which is on the rise in many countries.

This report takes stock of digital freedoms in 26 French-speaking African countries, and proposes concrete actions to improve citizen participation and democracy…(More)”