On 19 June 2012 ICT4Peace’s Daniel Stauffacher was invited by Oxford University’s Framework for Responsible Research & Innovation in ICT (FRRIICT) Project to participate in a panel discussion at the Science Museum in London on ‘How to innovate responsibly in a digital world?’
The event was opened by a keynote address by Sir Nigel Shadbold (University of Southampton).
The panel discussion focussed inter alia on the question: ‘What are socially desirable and acceptable developments and uses of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)?’
Chair:
Lizzie Coles Kemp (Royal Holloway, University of London)
Panel:
Daniel Stauffacher (ICT4Peace Foundation)
Derek MacAulay (Horizon Institute, University of Nottingham)
John Hand (EPSRC)
Anthony House (Google)
Judy Wajcman (London School of Economics)
Daniel Stauffacher introduced first the work of ICT4Peace since 2003, and mentioned some examples of the use of ICTs to promote peace and to prevent conflict. In particular for identifying conflict situations through early warning systems, supporting humanitarian action, including protection of civilians in armed conflicts, facilitating peacekeeping missions, and assisting post conflict peace-building and reconstruction.
He explained how Open Government Data can help Crisis Information Management and Aid Efficiency. He then discussed the need for data protection and the development and application of “do no harm principles” when using ICT’s in human rights protection work, protection of civilians in a humanitarian crisis. He introduced some examples of existing and emerging codes of conduct, such as regarding the usage of SMS in humanitarian disasters (by e.g. GSMA), managing sensitive protection information (by ICRC), or regarding the usage of civilian UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).
Finally he presented the recent work of ICT4Peace in developing possible Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to be applied in the Cyberspace among States and Training Courses for Diplomats, Government Officials, business and civil society representatives, with a view to support the ongoing international cyber security negotiations.
The event was organized by Marina Jirotka and Grace Eden from the University of Oxford (PI) and Bernd Stahl from De Montfort University (CI).
