The recent ABC article titled How safe are GPS trackers for children – and what should I know before buying one? raises concerns about the ethics of technological surveillance and asks, ‘are we being sucked in by their convenience?’ When we digitise information or upload it to the internet, we run the risk of having that information disclosed or controlled and manipulated.
Consumers’ Federation of Australia is responding to these issues, with consumer representatives participating on two Standards Australia Technical Committees involved in the development of standards on the Internet of Things and related technologies (IT-042) and artificial intelligence (IT-043).
The Consumers International (CI) report Artificial intelligence: Consumer experiences in new technology (2019) identifies the need to ensure opportunities in AI enabled services are maximised for consumers while risks and detriment are minimised.
The European Commission identified a human-centric approach to AI is needed to ensure that the development and use of AI is not used as a means in itself; rather, it should aim to increase human well-being. Read more at EU Commission Ethics guidelines for trustworthy AI (2019)
Read more about about the Government’s approach to data security at What is the Australian Government doing in data and Australia’s Tech Future. Also see the Gradient Institute: The Science of Ethical AI, an independent not-for-profit research institute whose purpose is to progress the research, design, development and adoption of ethical AI systems in Australia.
Find out about the CFA Standards Project and how you can get involved as a consumer representative on a Standards Australia Technical Committee or contact standards@consumeraction.org.au for more information.