Save the Date: 1st WeNet Policy Workshop at the “Beyond Privacy: Learning Data Ethics” event

WeNet is co-organizing the Beyond Privacy: Learning Data Ethics – European Big Data Community Forum 2019 on November 14, 2019 – 9:00-16:30 Solvay Library, Brussels

Big Data Analytics helps organizations, communities and individuals harness the value of growing amounts of data. According to recent forecasts, in 2025, the digital economy will multiply by 10 the volume of data now generated. While, on the one hand, this widespread use of data enables us to create more efficient and effective products and services, and fuel economic growth, on the other hand, this vast potential has created a new range of ethical challenges.

The dark side of data innovation is not only the result of uncontrolled data trading networks, which represent a huge risk to the privacy of individuals, allowing for misuse, but also emerges from numerous well-intentioned service providers who do not take basic measures to limit or protect sensitive data. Strong data protection, privacy-aware data management, transparent online services, and fair data trading approaches are the crucial aspects to be inherent to the EU data market.

Innovators, researchers and policy makers are asked to work together to ensure great safety and trust as foundations of both a responsible data economy and responsible innovation.

If you are active in Big Data research, policy or industry and are wondering how best to deal with ethical challenges, also in view of the rise of Artificial Intelligence, this event will make you aware of the most recent discussions about ethical principles and practical guidelines.

This event is organized by four EU-funded research projects focused on privacy protection technologies, transparency, legal compliance: e-SIDES, SODA, SPECIAL, WeNet.

The event will host WeNet first Policy Workshop, which will be run as a World Cafe’ format, with highly interactive participation of the attendees.

Dr Laura Schelenz will conduct the Workshop “Social and Economic Impacts: focus on extracting data for social good and social welfare”

  • Privacy Preserving Technologies in Big Data Analytics e-SIDES (Daniel)
  • Data for Diversity-Aware Technology: Some Ethical Considerations, Dr Laura Schelenz

Dr Laura Schelenz, International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities, University of Tübingen

She studied American Studies and Peace and Conflict Research in Heidelberg and Frankfurt in Germany and stayed abroad in the USA and Hungary. She was involved in research and advocacy at the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research, Human Rights Watch and World Vision Germany. Since September 2017, Laura works as a researcher at the IZEW. Her research deals with ethical and feminist perspectives on technology development.