The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a two-phase United Nations (UN) summit, first introduced by Tunisia in 1998. The summit aims to create an evolving multi-stakeholder platform to address issues raised by information and communication technologies (ICTs) at the national, regional, and international levels. The goal is to build a people-centric, inclusive, and development-oriented Information Society where everyone can create, access, utilize, and share information.
The WSIS Forum is an annual multistakeholder event within the WSIS process. The forum is hosted annually by the ITU and co-organized by several UN organizations. The WSIS Forum’s process aligns with that of the SDGs. The forum’s program is collaboratively curated through crowdsourcing, promoting extensive ownership and facilitating continual improvements. The WSIS Forum in 2024, branded as WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event 2024, will take place on 27-31 May 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland, and will serve as a platform to provide multistakeholder discussions and to take stock of the achievements and key trends, challenges and opportunities since the Geneva Plan of Action in 2003.
The Green Light-Year Youth Delegation arrived in Geneva on May 25. This article shares insights from the second day of the GLY Youth Delegation’s participation in the conference.
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Wenzu Gong
Team leader
Ethical AI is to Achieve Digital Inclusion
We have to know the baseline where we are to understand where we need to go and where we need to build new.
In the era of Digital SDGs, AI plays a profound role in accelerating achieveing SDGs and bringing global citizens into a sustainable life. While, for AI to be truthly transmative, it should be implemented ethically to ensure the digital inclusion for all and the process of the WSIS Action Line 2: Information and communication infrastructure: an essential foundation for an inclusive information society. As one of the most important actors in related to Digital Inclusion, private sectors need to committe to ethical AI practices to promote digital inclusion. Additionally, private sectors must understand the current baseline to chart the comprehensive and effective path forward.
However, while more and more private sector commitments are being made to Ethical AI, they are all internal commitments. Each private company has its own internal standard system or AI ethics principles, and most of the internal systems lack clarity, strategic guidance, and do not disclose relevant standards to the outside world. This leads to a still lack of transparency and standardization in the field. Thus, the commitment of private sector companies to a Standard AI Ethics Principles can drive the establishment of more standardized practices and ensure transparency, which in turn can contribute to the protection of human rights and the promotion of a more inclusive digital society. Finally, companies often make critical disclosures about their AI capabilities primarily in reports aimed at investors, which may not be available to the general public. Therefore, shifting to a more open and accessible approach to AI ethics can strengthen accountability and promote digital inclusion.
Looking ahead in WSIS process, the establishment and widespread adoption of Standard AI Ethics Principles hold the key to unlocking a more equitable and inclusive digital future. As the momentum builds within the private sector towards embracing ethical AI practices, the focus now shifts towards fostering collaboration and alignment on a unified set of principles. By working together in a multistakeholder cooperation mode, organizations like the Digital Inclusion Team of the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) are spearheading efforts to create a common framework for ethical AI that transcends individual company boundaries. This cooperative approach not only sets the stage for greater transparency and accountability but also paves the way for a more harmonized ethical landscape in the field of artificial intelligence. As WBA and its allies rally the support of influential companies worldwide to disclose their commitments to ethical AI, a domino effect is expected to occur, propelling the industry towards a future where ethical considerations are integrated seamlessly into the fabric of digital innovation. The journey towards Standard AI Ethics Principles is not just a matter of compliance but a strategic imperative that will guide organizations towards a more responsible, inclusive, and sustainable digital society.
Jiazhou Ni
Vice team leader
In recent years, the climate crisis has heightened vulnerabilities to disasters and has underscored the critical need for robust emergency response mechanisms, frameworks, and strategies at the global level. The rapid development of digital technologies has prompted Governments around the world to strengthen their connectivity and resilience by leveraging ICT and space technologies for disaster prevention, monitoring, early warning, and relief efforts.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is committed to building the capacities of member States in mainstreaming emergency response in their National Emergency Telecommunications Plans (NETP). In emergency contexts, when response teams on the ground are no longer able to communicate or take proper action, ITU has been deploying equipment, satellite phones and routers that response teams can utilise to effectively execute their rescue and relief plans. Alongside the deployment of ICT infrastructure, ITU provides tailored capacity development interventions to ensure that policymakers and practitioners are equipped with the necessary digital skills to operate the equipment deployed, and thus improve the speed, quality and effectiveness of their emergency response mechanisms.
The following questions were discussed during the session for Action Line C4 :
What is the role of policymakers in leveraging the potential of digital skills to strengthen the emergency responsiveness of their ecosystems (institutions, society, community, etc)?
How can the private sector and academic institutions partner with Governments to develop digital capacities for emergency response at national and local levels?
How does effective digital skills development contribute to bridging the knowledge and skills gap between technical (practitioners) and non-technical staff (communities)?
What are some of the best practices to ensuring inclusive capacity development interventions and equipping communities (even the most underserved ones) with the necessary digital skills and capabilities to proactively participate in emergency response and disaster relief plans?
How can the international community best support those efforts?
During the session, Ms. Mariela Machado, Senior Director, of Humanitarian Technology at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) shed lights on the importance of volunteers. Shanghai Green Light-Year also have a group of volunteers who call themselves as spinach. With the aid of volunteers, we are making efforts for sustainable development.
Kefei Chen
Team member
When exploring gender equality in AI ethics, we can gain important insights from the WSIS+20 conference “Gender Equality and Inclusion in our Digital Future” and related reports from UNESCO. These reports reveal the challenges of achieving gender equality in current AI technologies and propose several measures and findings to address these issues.
Challenges
Presence of Gender Bias:
Significant gender bias exists in AI systems. Statistics show that 44.2% of AI systems exhibit gender bias, and 25.7% exhibit both gender and racial bias.
The development and application of AI technologies have, in many ways, perpetuated and even deepened existing gender discrimination. For example, the popular AI avatar application Lensa generates sexualized or nude photos without users’ consent, primarily targeting female users.
Underrepresentation of Women in Technology:
Women are significantly underrepresented in the technology sector. Globally, only 22% of AI professionals are women. In software development, only 5% of developers are women, and 80% of software is developed by all-male teams.
Digital Gender Divide:
Women and girls face significant obstacles in accessing and using digital technologies. For instance, the proportion of women using the internet globally is 25% lower than that of men. The lack of digital skills and literacy places women at a disadvantage in accessing information, participating in online activities, and protecting their privacy and safety.
Measures and Findings
Enhancing Digital Skills and Literacy for Women:
UNESCO actively works to narrow the digital gender divide by providing digital skills training and media information literacy education. These trainings enable women and girls to better utilize digital technologies and enhance their career development potential.
Establishing Ethical Standards and Guidelines:
UNESCO has developed the “AI Ethics Recommendation,” which includes a dedicated gender equality chapter to guide member states in integrating gender and diversity considerations into AI development. The establishment of the Women4Ethical AI platform supports governments and businesses in ensuring equal representation of women in the design and deployment of AI.
Advocating for Women’s Participation and Leadership in Digital Technologies:
Encouraging more women to participate in the development of technology and AI helps eliminate gender bias and ensures that AI technologies better serve the needs of society as a whole. Supporting and encouraging female entrepreneurship and promoting gender diversity throughout the AI system lifecycle.
Specific Cases and Projects
In AI forums in Southern and Eastern Africa, UNESCO highlighted the profound impact of gender bias in AI on women’s lives, calling for strengthened cooperation to achieve ethical, equitable, and inclusive use of AI.
In Pakistan, UNESCO collaborated with the local telecommunications authority to develop a digital inclusion and gender mainstreaming strategy aimed at promoting gender equality by enhancing the digital skills of women and girls.
References:
UNESCO in action for gender equality: 2022-2023 (https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000387300)
Zihan Gao
Team member
In the session Al and Global Challenges: Ethical Development and Responsible Deployment, the use of AI in various areas of society and its implications for privacy and ethics were discussed.With the rapid development of AI technology, much attention has been paid to its potential to improve efficiency and drive innovation.However, the privacy issues and ethical challenges that accompany technological advances cannot be ignored.I will analyse the current status and challenges of AI technologies in data use and privacy protection from the conference discussions and propose solutions accordingly.
The impact of AI on privacy
1. data collection and use:
* It was noted that AI systems relied on large amounts of data, often derived from users’ online activities and social media interactions.Although these data help improve the quality of services, they also raise privacy concerns.For example, certain AI applications may collect and analyse personal data without users’ consent.
2. lack of privacy and transparency:
* There is a lack of transparency in data collection and use by large companies and governments, and users often have no control over how their data is used.It was mentioned that trust should not be the main attitude towards technology, but rather a focus on its reliability and transparency.
3. risk of surveillance and suppression:
* Another potential risk of AI technology is its use in surveillance and repression activities.For example, certain governments may use AI to conduct mass surveillance and violate citizens’ privacy.Specific cases were mentioned, such as the Pegasus spyware, that illustrate how AI technology can be misused to invade privacy and suppress freedom.
Role of large companies and governments
1. large corporations:
* Large companies also face privacy protection challenges as they advance AI technologies.It was noted in the conference that companies such as Google are guilty of privacy violations in their use of data.While these companies claim to be committed to ethical AI, their actual operations often prioritise commercial interests.
2. governments:
* While governments are using AI technologies for social governance, they may also misuse these technologies for surveillance and repression.The behaviour of several countries in this regard was discussed in the session, highlighting the need for governments to find a balance between protecting the privacy of their citizens and maintaining national security.
Solutions and recommendations
1. strengthening data protection laws:
* It was recommended that countries should enact strict data protection laws to ensure that the collection, use and sharing of user data is strictly regulated.The law should clarify the responsibilities of companies and governments for data use and increase users’ control over their personal data.
2. Improve data transparency:
* The meeting emphasised that companies and governments should increase transparency in the use of data by clearly informing users of the purposes for which data are collected and how they are used.Public trust in the use of data can be enhanced through transparent data processing processes.
3. Integration of technology and ethics:
* The development of AI technologies should focus on ethical issues.The conference called for the establishment of interdisciplinary ethical review committees to supervise and guide the development and application of AI technologies, and to ensure that technological developments do not infringe upon users’ privacy and fundamental rights.
4. User education and awareness raising:
* The meeting recommended raising public awareness of privacy protection and data security and helping users to understand their data rights and protections.Promote privacy protection tools and technologies to enhance users’ self-protection ability.
Conclusion
The conference pointed out that AI technology brings privacy protection and ethical challenges while promoting social progress.The roles of large corporations and governments in data use need to be strictly regulated to protect users’ privacy rights.By enacting strict laws and regulations, increasing data transparency, incorporating ethical guidelines and raising user awareness, a balance can be found between technological development and privacy protection to ensure that AI technologies do not infringe upon users’ fundamental rights while promoting social development.
Jinghan Gao
Team member
Today is exciting and challenging. As a first-time independent participant, I chose two topics that particularly intrigue and pique my curiosity: 1. China’s digital inclusion products for the elderly and their current status, and 2. How youth actively engage in social organizations and contribute.
During the first session organised by the Internet Society of China , Chinese companies and organizations analyzed and explained the current status of digital inclusion for the elderly from various aspects such as policy formulation, technological adaptation, and social participation. In recent years, China has also actively promoted measures to facilitate digital access for the elderly. From this session, I not only gained a lot of professional knowledge but also got to know related technological products, which greatly broadened my horizons and made me proud of the progress in digital inclusion for the elderly in our country.
The second session was also rewarding. The humorous and witty host effectively controlled the pace and atmosphere of the entire meeting. The speakers actively and passionately shared the influence of youth on the times and how to better engage in social organization actions. Among them, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a speaker from an organization that practices youth climate change actions. She shared their research and achievements in related policies over the years and warmly encouraged and supported young climate activists to pay attention to and engage in this work. I felt very excited and curious about this. Proudly, I overcame the shyness of speaking for the first time and actively approached her after the meeting. I expressed my enthusiasm and concern and shared with her the climate actions I am currently practicing. From her detailed introduction, I also gained more information and inspiration. After in-depth communication, we exchanged contact information. This experience profoundly taught me and convinced me that active communication and sharing of experiences are extremely valuable, both in professional fields and personal growth.
This experience undoubtedly strengthened my confidence and sparked my enthusiasm for continuous exploration and learning. As youth, we have the responsibility and ability to drive positive changes in society. I look forward to applying the knowledge and experience gained from this conference to my daily life and studies, and I also hope to continue participating in more similar activities to contribute to promoting social inclusiveness and sustainable development.
Siping Zhang
Team member
Today, I attended a relevant conference on Youth Engagement Around WSIS Action Lines (World Summit Awards (WSA)).
During the conference, the participation of youth was given utmost importance. It was emphasized that youth are not only active participants in the information society, but also a crucial force for promoting social progress and innovation. Therefore, ensuring that youth can participate in the policy-making process not only allows their voices to be heard, but also promotes the diversity and inclusiveness of policies.
However, in reality, many high-level policymakers may have misunderstandings with youth groups due to factors such as age, experience, and cultural background. This misunderstanding may lead to insufficient attention and realization of youth’s creativity and needs.
Despite these challenges, the conference still conveyed a positive message: the future belongs to youth! This means that although there may be some obstacles at present, in the long run, the vitality, innovative spirit, and vision for the future of youth will drive social progress. Therefore, encouraging and supporting youth participation in policy-making is not only a sign of respect and trust for youth, but also a responsibility for the future society.
To achieve this goal, a series of actions need to be taken, including but not limited to providing more platforms and opportunities for youth participation, strengthening communication and understanding between youth and policymakers, and enhancing youth’s policy-making capabilities through education and training. Through these efforts, we can allow youth’s voices to be heard in policy-making and jointly shape a more open, inclusive, and dynamic information society.
This conference made me realize the importance of the world to youth and youth to the world. I will work harder to create a better society.