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Digital Ethics

Digital Ethics

Our society needs a constructive discourse around ethics in the digital realm, as well as a wide-spread literacy on how to design for ethics in a digitalised environment.

The need for a constructive discourse around ethics in the digital realm, as well as the necessity for a wide-spread literacy in how to design for ethics in a digitalised environment has acquired, in the recent years, a central focus in industry and society in relation to emerging applications, such as autonomous cars and robots, difficulties regulating and evaluating software, personal integrity and privacy in regard to big data, the rise of AI and smart systems in general. At the moment, the debate is dominated by discussions related to development and implementation of AI, but ethical issues increasingly occur in society at large as digitalisation impacts more crucial functions and services. 

RISE, as the Swedish research institute is working to design sustainable futures together with all actors in society: with its ability to gather stakeholders from industry, academia, public sector and the civil society, RISE undertakes projects and builds programs to systemically tackle cases that require an ability to design for ethics, in particular when digital technologies play a part. For this reason, RISE has chosen Digital Ethics as a strategic area to explore and develop, not only to define normative directions, but to establish an applied and actionable field of design knowledge, shaping how to realize future material or immaterial artefacts.

Growing and consolidating deep knowledge in all ethical aspects related to digital technologies is practice-driven and being built by implementing solutions and proposals, such as design interventions, pedagogical initiatives, debates, workshops.

Digital ethics can support projectwork in several ways: 

  • Support in writing a project application/preparing a pitch, including aspects related to digital ethics; 
  • Support in carrying out the work of the project (when ethical questions emerge along the way);  
  • Support in reflecting and articulating how the project has dealt with ethical considerations (at the end)  
  • Support in connecting with other initiatives that deal with similar issues / creating dialogue / increasing competences  

This happens in different formats: 

  • professional education, 
  • methodological support in designing with digital materials and minimising unintended consequences of products, services and systems.

RISE hosts public conversations on Digital Ethics, in collaboration with Umeå Institute of Design and Eindhoven University of Technology, to raise awareness and create knowledge in this area. 

Hosted by Nina Bozic, Katarina Pietrzak and Ambra Trotto. Feel free to contact us, if you want to receive an invitation to participate. 

Here are the links to some of the talks from conversations on digital ethics:

November 2nd, 2020:

November 27th, 2020:

January 27th, 2021:

This is a lecture on how to Design for Digital Ethics, given by Ambra Trotto at the Umeå Institute of Design. 

Summary

Project name

Digital Ethics

Status

Active

Region

Region Blekinge, Region Dalarna, Region Gotland, Region Gävleborg, Region Halland, Region Jämtland Härjedalen, Region Jönköping County, Region Kalmar County, Region Kronoberg, Region Norrbotten, Region Skåne, Region Stockholm, Region Sörmland, Region Uppsala, Region Värmland, Region Västerbotten, Region Västernorrland, Region Västmanland, Region Örebro län, Region Östergötland, Västra Götaland Region, Other than Sweden

RISE role in project

Coordinator

Project start

Duration

ongoing

Partner

Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Industrial Design, Umeå University, Umeå Institute of Design

Project members

Supports the UN sustainability goals

1. No poverty
2. Zero hunger
3. Good health and well-being
4. Quality education
5. Gender equality
6. Clean water and sanitation
7. Affordable and clean energy
8. Decent work and economic growth
9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure
10. Reduced inequalities
11. Sustainable cities and communities
12. Responsible consumption and production
13. Climate action
14. Life below water
15. Life on land
16. Peace, justice and strong institutions
17. Partnerships for the goals
Christina Lagerstedt

Contact person

Christina Lagerstedt

Forskare

+46 10 228 41 38

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Tisha Hupkes

Contact person

Tisha Hupkes

Forskare

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