Tackling AI in the Time of COVID
Tackling AI in the Time of COVID
How can we protect our digital rights amidst tech-solutionist approaches to combat the COVID-19 pandemic?
30 participants in DFF’s “AI in times of COVID” workshop examined this question from different angles over the past 3 days, joining for an online meeting from around the world.
The workshop built on the “Litigating Algorithms in Europe” workshop DFF and the AI Now Institute organised in November 2019. One of the desired follow-ups from that gathering was an international meeting on combatting the impact of AI on human rights through strategic litigation.
As we all know, the world has changed quite a bit since, which changed not only the format of the meeting, but also the scope.
As we wrote earlier this year, the COVID-19 pandemic also created a crisis for digital rights. However, the transborder nature of the pandemic also created an opportunity: if we are seeing similar measures –– COVID apps, health trackers and other tech solutions –– being rolled out around the world, how can we make sure we push for standards that protect our human rights? Can we leverage positive results in one jurisdiction in another? And: what best practices and tactics from the pre-COVID world can we draw upon to successfully fight these battles?
…what best practices and tactics from the pre-COVID world can we draw upon to successfully fight these battles?
Trends in Tech-solutionism
We started the first day of the workshop by listening and learning from participants across the globe who have been monitoring the “tech-solutionist” measures that have been rolled out during the pandemic both in and outside of Europe. They explained the issues they had been spotting and which litigation actions they were considering taking in response.
Reflecting on these sessions at the outset of day 2, participants noted that “tech inevitability” was a common thread across different jurisdictions and asked the question how we could counter the narrative of governments framing technology as the main way to solve the health crisis.
One of the key issues in challenging automated systems being used is knowing that they are being used in the first place. There often is a lack of transparency of what type of algorithmic decision-making is being deployed, as well as when and how.
One way to push for greater transparency is by using freedom of information requests. After hearing experiences from different participants in using this tool, we co-created a checklist of what litigators could be asking for.
One way to push for greater transparency is by using freedom of information requests.
After that (as well as a joint coffee break to top up the levels of caffeine), participants looked at what could be learned from successful cases in a non-COVID context. Lawyers who had worked on the Dutch SyRI case, the challenge to police use of facial recognition in the UK, and lawyers who had taken on a Medicaid algorithm that reduced care to disabled patients and the COMPAS risk assessment system in the US shared their stories, tactics, and lessons learned.
Best Practice Brainstorming
Following a round of participant-proposed best practice brainstorming sessions on day 3, which looked at best practices for communicating the impact of COVID technology to sceptical judges, strategies to safeguard against repurposing COVID tech after the pandemic, how to solve tech inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic, and tackling machine and human bias in automated systems, we revisited the potential cases we started the workshop with on day 1 to see how the strategies and tactics discussed between that first and this last session could be leveraged.
…we looked at best practices for communicating the impact of COVID technology to sceptical judges, strategies to safeguard against repurposing COVID tech after the pandemic, how to solve tech inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic, and tackling machine and human bias in automated systems
It is unfortunate that the group were not able to meet in person during these exceptionally challenging times, but it was truly uplifting and inspiring to virtually connect, discuss and brainstorm with an amazing group working hard to safeguard our digital rights during the current health crisis. There was plenty of food for thought, and ideas shared for further collaboration and information sharing, and we look forward to seeing this invaluable work progress.
Graphic Recordings by Blanche Illustrates and TEMJAM