IGF 2015

Networked technology is spreading rapidly from traditional devices to everyday items, and even to the spaces in which we live. Before long, online functionality will be ubiquitous in the most commonplace objects, allowing them to identify, communicate and cooperate with one another.

Internet of Things puts fundamental ethical choices to the world. It comes with innovation, ease, but also questions and potential threats to livelihoods, security, internet governance and privacy. So, whether in employability, education, algorithms and human-“thing” interaction, societies face developments that have an enormous impact in fundamental ways. Ethical discussions have started but need direction and focus. This workshop connects different stakeholders who will discuss the opportunities and threats alike and aims to establish whether there is a need for a new set of norms, values and standards for the digital age. After an introduction, a round table debate will take place between the invited panellist, remote panellist and participants. The debate focuses on:

1. Employability and education in the future;
2. The question of who regulates profiling algorithms?;
3. Permissionless innovation;
4. Political leadership; innovation and ethics.

The report of the workshop provides recommendations on potential ways forward. For this NLIGF runs its own program together with ECP, Platform for the Information Society, in the Netherlands in 2015 and 2016 under the name “Human & Ethics” and closely works together with UNESCO, the Global Forum for Cyber Expertise, the DC IoT and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to translate the recommendations into tangible outcomes.