Charter for Emerging Technology
Stage: Policy publishedCity Hall is developing a Charter for Emerging Technology with expectations for both Londoners and innovators about how new technology is deployed in our city.
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808 Londoners have responded | 16/06/2020 - 31/08/2021
Have your say on the draft Charter for Emerging Technology
City Hall is developing a Charter for Emerging Technology. It sets out the city’s expectations of new technologies enabled by 5G and faster internet, machine learning and artificial intelligence. This will, for the first time, help structure and inform public discussion in this area.
We want to make sure that Londoners are engaged and listened to in the process of developing new technologies. It’s important your concerns and the likely effects these innovations will have on your lives are fully understood by the technologists developing them.
The draft charter aims to support innovation and technology, while ensuring the needs and expectations of Londoners are met. It centres around four key principles:
- Establish common, open and trusted ways of working
- Respect equality, diversity and human rights in the design and use of emerging technology
- Collect, manage and share data safely and responsibly
- Support the long-term recovery of the city from COVID-19
What do you think of these principles, what do they mean to you? Is anything crucial missing?
Tell us in the discussion below!
Learn more about machine learning, artificial intelligence and 5G.
The discussion ran from 26 November 2020 - 26 February 2021
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Community Member 3 years agoPart 2
For us to be included we need to be the designers and not be excluded. 3 of UN 17 sustainable development goals, social inclusion, mental health and education equality access… Our voice needs to be heard but opportunities of access...
Show full commentPart 2
For us to be included we need to be the designers and not be excluded. 3 of UN 17 sustainable development goals, social inclusion, mental health and education equality access… Our voice needs to be heard but opportunities of access where we can be able to write the design code too.
Collect, manage and share data safely and responsibly – I belive the Internet of Things and Big data are amazing technologies but I am concerned with the security of our data, how it will be use ethically and to whose benefit. I am also concerned with oppressive algorithm especially with the firing of Timnut Gerbru from Google… Not sure if our data is safe or if it will be used responsibly especially in the Health/education sectors.
Support the long-term recovery of the city from COVID-19
Again not 100% sure about this – especially with how BME groups have been disproportionately impact with covid-19. Just my thoughts …
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 3 years agoEstablish common, open and trusted ways of working
New and emerging technologies are excellent. My only concerns are who are the technologists creating the algorithms, if we cannot trust them face to face how can we trust them behind...
Show full commentEstablish common, open and trusted ways of working
New and emerging technologies are excellent. My only concerns are who are the technologists creating the algorithms, if we cannot trust them face to face how can we trust them behind the code? With the issues around unconscious bias I honestly feel that the black and Asian communities will be further discriminated against and we will not be able to track it.
Respect equality, diversity and human rights in the design and use of emerging technology Currently there’s a disparity issues when it comes to diversity in the tech industry. Here’s my story…Women, we know, are in the minority in STEM professions. Only 28% of start-ups, for example, have a female founder. To find the reason why, you have to go back to school. Girls do not differ in their capabilities when it comes to STEM, but due to lack of encouragement from an early age, they are not as confident at pursuing the subjects. The proportion of women in specialist computing roles increased to its highest ever level this summer, rising to 20% from 17% at the same point in 2019, according to BSC, The Chartered Institute for IT. The pandemic could push women to the back of the STEM line. As the World Economic Forum has pointed out, science and gender equality are imperative to reaching global sustainability goals. The pandemic has shown us that digital skills are critical in times of a crisis. But, paradoxically the global health emergency may actually end up setting black women back in STEM careers. Black women are still heavily under-represented in IT and by comparison, across other occupations their level of representation is 2.5 times higher. They have suffered greater job losses in the IT sector than men and have carried much of the burden of home schooling.
Show less of commentSaray
Community Member 3 years agoI think the first point of the charter should also include healthy ways of working. The impact on technology on positive habits, behaviours and healthy ways of living should be assessed to inform and guide people of future complications.
XIAOSHUCHAO
Community Member 3 years agoIt's foundamental and priority to make London again a safe place to work and live.
NigelB
Community Member 3 years agoI suggest the Covid-specific principle should be re-worded to more general goals such as benefit to all Londoners.
I suggest that a lot of technology is to monetise what was not able to be monetised previously. Hence, there may be conflict...
Show full commentI suggest the Covid-specific principle should be re-worded to more general goals such as benefit to all Londoners.
I suggest that a lot of technology is to monetise what was not able to be monetised previously. Hence, there may be conflict between commercial gain and quality standards required by these principles. This may require a City Hall body to oversee / regulate such changes.
Show less of commentfulano
Community Member 3 years agoPlease let's add a fifth principle: Support and help London to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and a steady-state economy
lizzy4
Community Member 3 years agoThe key principles outlined sound good and the words represent high ideals. I also liked what the person from Tooting had to say.
Unfortunately the truth is no one is truly consulting the general public on the roll out of 5 G etc. All...
Show full commentThe key principles outlined sound good and the words represent high ideals. I also liked what the person from Tooting had to say.
Unfortunately the truth is no one is truly consulting the general public on the roll out of 5 G etc. All these innovations are driven by profit making for big companies and powerful individuals like Elon Musk or Larry Page. Our environment is being changed in ways that it will never recover from. Even so called " green " technology like solar panels or wind farms still cause environmental harms.
Almost without us noticing, masts to give mobile phone coverage, are appearing all over the city.
Now with the additional problems caused by Covid-19, more people are giving in to the idea that scientists and science will "solve" all the problems of the future. I believe this is out of fear , ignorance, and also being seduced by material goods. Everyone wants that shiny new phone so they can walk around staring into the screen , not noticing that the city, and the planet itself, is slowly dying around them.
Show less of commentTooting resident
Community Member 3 years agoAI can be used for bad as well as good. The Charter should also quallity-check innovations in technology to ensure that they cannot be used to exploit people, invade their privacy, or attack London's essential services (e..g. by blocking...
Show full commentAI can be used for bad as well as good. The Charter should also quallity-check innovations in technology to ensure that they cannot be used to exploit people, invade their privacy, or attack London's essential services (e..g. by blocking ambulance/police/fireservice communications, or interrupting electricity supplies etc). It should also cover existing abuse, such as trolling on social media, and should tackle the use of existing technologogy which contravenes principle 2. For instance, the Captcha programme used to supposedly protect people's security uses American pictures of taxis, traffic lights, fire hydrants etc not seen in London. The introduction of such protections could create new jobs, which would help with recovery from the Covid crisis. Some thought also needs to be given to enforcement of the principles, which again might involve job creation. Thought should also be given to using AI to solve existing problems. For example, "intelligent" traffic lights which detect the flow of traffic, and the needs of pedestrians to cross busy roads, could help to improve traffic flow as well as putting people before cars. A more integrated sat nav system could help to avoid blockages around roadworks, and so on. Above all, technologiical advances needs to be regulated and there need to be remedies for people who have been harmed by technology.
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