Session
Organizer 1: Nicodemus Nyakundi, KICTANet (Kenya ICT Action Network)
Organizer 2: Cherie Oyier, Kenya ICT Action Network
Organizer 3: Florence Ouma, KICTANet
Organizer 4: Judith Hellerstein, 🔒DCAD
Organizer 5: Victor Omondi Kapiyo , KICTANet
Speaker 1: Nicodemus Nyakundi, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Florence Ouma, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 3: Judith Hellerstein, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: Nzambi Kakusu, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 5: Victor Omondi Kapiyo , Civil Society, African Group
Nicodemus Nyakundi, Civil Society, African Group
Judith Hellerstein, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Cherie Oyier, Civil Society, African Group
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: This roundtable layout allows for more interaction between the speakers and the audience, facilitating a more engaging and informative discussion between onsite and online attendees. The 60-minute time allocation ensures that there will be ample time for in-depth exploration of the topic, while also accommodating diverse perspectives and encouraging audience engagement.
1) What policies and regulations should be put in place to ensure that algorithmically driven digital platforms are used ethically and do not harm digitally marginalized and minority groups?
2) Should algorithm policies be open-ended or regulated, and what are the potential benefits and drawbacks of each approach in promoting human rights and inclusion in the digital age?
3) What ethical considerations should inform the development of algorithm policies, and how can policymakers ensure that these policies are transparent, accountable, and fair to all users?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will learn and take away the following:
1) Understand how unregulated algorithms can be manipulated to cause harm, against marginalized and minority groups such as women politicians, sex workers, persons with disabilities, and persons conforming to diverse gender identities.
2) Gain knowledge on potential dangers of algorithmic bias, how these biases can compromise free will, and undermine digital inclusion efforts.
3) Gain insights into the ethical considerations surrounding algorithmic decision-making, including the need for transparency and accountability, the impact of algorithms on social media, the role of algorithms in shaping public opinion, and how algorithms can be used to create echo chambers that exacerbate existing biases and prejudices.
4) Best practices for navigating the algorithms in the digital realm, and how to steer clear of tailored violence.
5) Gain an understanding of how to build fair, transparent, and accountable algorithms for good and not to spread tailored violence.
Description:
The session on "Algorithms and us: Steering clear of tailored violence" aims to share best practices for navigating the ever-increasing and developing algorithms in the digital realm, some of which may be ill-conceived to propagate violence against certain groups of individuals.
Algorithms are powerful tools that can be used for good or bad, and we must understand how they can be manipulated to cause harm.
Most of the victims of the malice include digitally marginalized groups like women politicians, sex workers and persons conforming to diverse gender identities. The impact of these targeted attacks transcends when factors like poverty, digital illiteracy, and disability among others come into play.
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTNet) has been at the forefront of fighting this imbalance through policy formulations, capacity building and awareness creation by working closely with the affected groups, and would therefore wish to share the best practices at the global stage. It will also be a great opportunity to learn from other regions that have undertaken initiatives to curb the effects of non-subscribed but targeted advertisements, spamming, content flooding and propaganda. We also look forward to raising awareness about the potential dangers of algorithmic bias, and how they have been used to compromise free will and undermine inclusion efforts. After that, we will share the importance of building fair, transparent, and accountable algorithms, towards ensuring that algorithms are used for good and not to spread tailored violence.
The session will explore the impact of algorithms on social media, the role of algorithms in shaping public political and social opinions, and how algorithms can be used to create echo chambers that exacerbate existing biases and prejudices. It will also examine the ethical considerations surrounding algorithmic decision-making and the need for transparency and accountability.
Outcomes:
1) Increased awareness and understanding of the potential harms of algorithmic bias and tailored violence.
2) Gain Knowledge and best practices on how to navigate and regulate algorithms for the betterment of all groups in society.
3) Identification of policy gaps and recommendations on how to effectively regulate algorithms in the digital realm.
4) Collaboration and partnerships between different stakeholders towards building fair, transparent, and accountable algorithms.
Specific Outputs:
1) A policy brief on algorithmic regulation and the need for transparency and accountability.
2) Recommendations for best practices on how to navigate and regulate algorithms in the digital realm.
3) A rapporteur report and a blog documenting the session discussions, recommendations, concerns and best practices that can be adopted.
Hybrid Format: We will be leveraging IGF's virtual collaboration platforms and live-streaming tools to facilitate online participation and interaction. This will ensure active and seamless engagement for remote attendees and enhance their overall experience.
Q&A sessions will be organized to facilitate interaction, allowing both onsite and online participants to engage in the discussion.
To ensure that everyone can participate, the presentation formats used during the session will be accessible and inclusive. This includes features like live captioning and sign language interpretation.