Disrupting Technological Innovation? Towards an Ethical and Legal Framework
Technological innovation brings both benefits and harms to our societies
Take, for instance, encryption technology. It is indispensable in securing banking transactions, private communications, and personal data in the cloud. At the same time, this technology makes it harder for a state鈥檚 police agencies to detect and prevent fraud, organized crimes and terrorist attacks. Encryption is part of a much larger realm of information technology which has enriched our forms of communication but which has also been widely contested. Consider giant IT innovators such as Google, Facebook, Apple, Twitter et cetera. They are by no means mere neutral platforms. Information can be selected by these platforms, and their complex algorithms may allow users to see only what they already like; this invisible information filter can hinder the free flow of information and potentially polarize people鈥檚 preferences and political opinions.
What we need, however, is an ethical and normative framework on technological innovation.
Information technology is one of the examples of so-called 鈥渄isruptive technology鈥 coined by Christensen in 1997. Technological innovation (including, for instance, artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printers, blockchain, and driverless cars) deeply disrupts existing markets and consumer behavior. Studies have been produced to map economic and social dynamics of disruptive technology.
Important questions
The framework should support innovation but may also limit it鈥攁nd thereby even disrupt it鈥攊n order to safeguard the fundamental values that protect the public interest. In order to establish the ethical and normative framework, we have to answer a series of important questions.
- Who is responsible when the technology fails?
- Where to step in, in terms of regulation? Can we rely on shared principles and self-regulation or should algorithms developed by industry be open to any supervisory control?
- What international norms should be applicable to remote computer searches by law-enforcement agencies, and how do these norms relate to sovereignty concerns?
- What kind of robotic technology should be allowed in applications ranging from the care of the elderly and disabled to law enforcement and warfare?
- What would be the concrete relevance of human dignity and human rights in regulating the use of innovative technology?
Past events
12 December 2018, Utrecht.
Dialogue: Disrupting Technologies of Trust: Ethical and Regulatory Challenges of the Platform Economy.
This dialogue on technological innovation addressed the complex interaction of trust, regulation, and data technology, in the context of the platform economy, such as Airbnb, Uber and 鈥榬eputational technologies鈥.
Check out the main speakers in these video's:
Disrupting Technologies of Trust: overview
Regulating the Platform Economy 鈥 What are the options?
Trust and Reputation in the Platorm Society
Democracy and the Platform Economy
Friday 2 November 2018 (Eindhoven)
颅 Debate 鈥 鈥淩OBOGOV: Robots, Rights and Norms鈥
The event took place as part of the exhibition. How shall we interact with robots? Any ethical and legal limits? Shall human beings acknowledge the rights of robots? How does the 鈥済overnance鈥 of robotic technologies look like?
Monday 28 May 2018 (12.00-13.00, Utrecht)
Brownbag Lunch Seminar 鈥 鈥淩obots and Rights鈥
Should a robot have 鈥渞ights鈥? In this seminar, Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 researchers discussed legal issues regarding automated robotic technologies, robots as legal person, and algorithms and human rights implications.
Follow-up blogpost: 鈥溾
Monday 9 April 2018 (12.00-13.00, Utrecht)
Brownbag Lunch Seminar 鈥 鈥淐ambridge Analytica Fallout鈥
In response to the Cambridge Analytica saga involving Facebook users鈥 data, Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 researchers discussed various regulatory issues, including the implications on information filter bubble, data protection, unfair trading practices, and algorithms and biases.
Follow-up blogpost:
Thursday 15 March 2018 (15.15-17.00, Utrecht)
UGlobe Dialogue 鈥 鈥淒e nieuwe wet op de inlichtingen- en veiligheidsdiensten: vooruitgang of teloorgang?鈥
This first UGlobe Dialogue on disruptive technology was organized in the week before the referendum in the Netherlands on a new Dutch Law on the Intelligence and Security Services (the Wet op de inlichtingen- en veiligheidsdiensten, Wiv).
Programs & speakers: Bob de Graaff, Nico van Eijk, Beatrice de Graaf, Peter Koop, Mireille Hagens
Follow-up blogpost:
De nieuwe wet op de inlichtingen- en veiligheidsdiensten: vooruitgang of teloorgang?
We are the interdisciplinary platform
About Disrupting Technological Innovation
We are the interdisciplinary platform within the Utrecht Centre for Global Challenges (UGlobe). Our platform strives to analyze an ethical and normative framework for regulating technological innovation. The project focuses on: information technology, its application to government and commercial decision-making, the design of algorithms, and the introduction of robotics, and artificial intelligence.
As part of our activities, we organize UGlobe Dialogue Series on 鈥淭echnological Innovation, Ethics and Law" (see also this ). The Dialogue Series aims to strengthen ties between UGlobe researchers and external researchers dealing with innovation and ethics/law in other universities. The Series also strives to contribute to the debate with the wider public.