Digital Policy – Remembering the Human Roundtable Series 2018

Digital innovation, the Internet of Things, mobile and tablet technologies, AI, algorithms, listening and broadcasting devices, voice-activated technologies, wellness apps, travel apps and financial transaction apps – innovation is exploding around the world. Yet, too often they are designed, developed and delivered without thinking about the human factor. People are expected to adapt their standards to digital technology, rather than have digital technology and innovation adapt to human needs and best practice standards.

A global series of 12 – 14 events and roundtables will be hosted by Digital Living Labs Foundation and its affiliates together with Dr. Parry Aftab, beginning with the first event in Delhi, India on February 16, 2018 footnote 1, culminating in Vienna with our Fall 2018 UN summit of the same name. Two events will be held in Ireland, two in Canada, two in India, three in the United States, one in Hong Kong, one in Singapore, one in either Dubai or Kuala Lumpur, one in the UK, one in Portugal and one in Italy. The rest are to be determined over the next few months.

Each of the series of smaller events will host up to 100 by-invitation-only guests, each an expert and all with a diverse set of perspectives. Most will begin with a global-level policy expert local to that region opening the conversation. That opening will frame the discussions and be followed by a panel of industry experts on the overall sub-theme. (Sub-themes are relevant to the region and the overall theme of “remembering the human.”)

A second panel comprised of young people with personal experience using the technologies (or in some cases, women or senior citizens to whom the innovation is directed) will discuss the sub-theme issue in unique ways, bringing the human perspective to the front.

A third panel will consist of a broader group of stakeholders, relevant to the issue. They may include highly experienced experts, industry leaders, researchers, media representatives, educators, legal, policy and wellness professionals, criminal justice representatives, human rights advocates, NGOs, government agencies, youth, seniors and consumers. Each set of speakers will be constituted based on their perspective, expertise and innovative approach to identifying risks, benefits and framing solutions.

Digital apps will be used to facilitate audience questions and feedback and the events will be video recorded and, when possible, webcast live. And, at the culmination of each event, the group will determine up to five items that should be explored further, the stakeholder which should be included in discussions going forward and what a panel at the UN summit might look like.

Because the events are limited in venue size and participant numbers, all participants must be approved in advance. No substitutions are permitted. A waitlist will be created and will be cleared for all spaces that open up the day before the event. All attendees and presenters must agree to be videotaped and audio recorded. No PowerPoints, other than one containing the speakers’ names and designations, will be used. Surveys of participants will be collected in advance of each event to better frame the discussions and identify insightful approaches. A guide will also be compiled with the results of the event, recommendations and conclusions.

footnote 1. The first event will take place at The Leela Palace, Diplomatic Enclave, Delhi in the Grand Ballroom. It will address “Digital and Mobile Privacy, Cybersafety and Digital Transactions Policy in India.” The youth panel will be comprised of Indian tweens 11- 14 years of age. Her Honour, Madame Secretary Aruna Sundararajan, Ministry of Telecommunications, Government of India, will be the opening speaker. Since the Government of India is in the process of identifying promising models and policies for privacy, cybersecurity and safety in mobile telecommunications, this sub-theme was particularly timely and will help guide global discussions in Vienna at the UN later this year on mobile policy challenges. Dr. Aftab can be reached at [email protected].