Topic

Technology

Commentary

What is the Collingridge dilemma and why is it important for tech policy?

The Collingridge dilemma highlights the challenge of regulating new technologies due to limited early knowledge and entrenched systems later. Experimental governance offers a solution through early, continuous collaboration between stakeholders, fostering transparency and trust. This approach helps co-develop accountable and equitable technologies while addressing societal risks.

Let’s rethink: A vision for digital platforms

Digital platforms have the potential to support meaningful governance and strengthen civil society. By leveraging their precision, transparency, anticipatory abilities, and capacity to incentivize behaviors, platforms can play a central role in addressing societal challenges like climate change and inequality. However, conscious efforts must be made to steer platforms away from solely benefiting businesses and toward empowering citizens, fostering pluralism, and enabling collective action. The next few years are critical in determining how platforms will shape the future of governance and civil society.

For blockchain to create trust, we need public governance and regulation 

Trust is integral to the functioning of any society and the legitimacy of public institutions. In recent years, the trust in public institutions has been decreasing. At the same time, blockchain technology has created hope and hype in indirectly rebuilding public trust and governance. Blockchain has the potential to solve challenges related to trust, but only when combined with (a) appropriate regulation and (b) accountability mechanisms for public governance.

Policies against algorithmic discrimination still lacking

The deployment of AI systems in the public sector is still in its infancy, but algorithmic discrimination has been identified as a growing risk. The first findings of research project ‘Avoiding AI Biases‘ show that tools to assess and address discrimination are still lacking. The challenge: Algorithmic discrimination threatens fundamental…

DLT in public sector: Moving from transparency to accountability

Decentralized Ledger Technologies (DLT) hold a tentative promise for positive public sector transformation. They could improve capabilities to deliver services and answer societal challenges, and thus, increase societal trust. To turn promise into reality, Demos Helsinki is contributing to an EU-funded project called TOKEN. How can Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs)…

Four blockchain experiments to transform the public sector

Blockchain-based currencies were designed to be independent of public monetary institutions or states. Meanwhile, public organizations are investing a lot in utilizing blockchain-based technologies. Distributed ledger technology (DLT) is believed to have the potential to allow public services to improve effectiveness, reduce friction between agencies, reduce bureaucratic barriers, boost public engagement,…

Publications

The Future as Told Through the Garden and the Streets

THERE ARE FOUR THINGS that everyone needs to understand. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next year, not next decade. Today. ONE: The hyperconnected planet is already happening. TWO: Eventually, the technologies presented in this publication will become part of our environment and daily lives. THREE: It will inevitably change…

Nordic Cities Beyond Digital Disruption

The stories of places like Songdo in South Korea or Masdar city in Abu Dhabi fit the classic Smart City mold: technologically highly advanced, newly built cities, planned in a top- down manner by leading architects and technology companies. This, however, is not the reality in which most of us…

Trailer of Nordic Cities beyond Digital Distruption

I think this is the key way to go…..rather than thinking of Songdo as the model. – Saskia Sassen, professor, Columbia University, on “Nordic Cities Beyond Digital Disruption” Many urban areas – both buildings, services and urban activity – are dilapidating. Smart urban services provide new jobs and make cities…

Projects

Impact of algorithmic management on workers

In this digital era, the prevalent use of algorithmic management in the workplace has created a new set of challenges for workers and labour unions. This project studies the profound effects of algorithmic management on workers and labour organising in the Nordic context.

ARISE – Human-centric, agile, and ethical human-robot interaction (HRI)

Demos Helsinki and nine other front-running organisations in technology across Europe join forces in this project towards making industrial human-robot interaction (HRI) more accessible, cheaper, and easier to adopt. The particular focus of the project is on HRI in healthcare, intralogistics and manufacturing. 

Navigating impactful R&I policy and technology neutrality

As technological breakthroughs can play a critical role in addressing societal challenges, research & innovation (R&I) policy needs to shift the focus from merely appreciating the inherent value of technology development to exploring how they can be harnessed for achieving key societal goals. This project aims to produce a knowledge base to ensure Finland’s R&I policy is strategically impactful while remaining supportive of emerging technologies.

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