This Week In Digital Trust

This is the third episode in a short series about AI. In this episode we explore international moves to regulate AI, with approaches ranging from voluntary guidance and self regulation to dedicated legislation for AI. We explore the varying philosophical approaches (notably between the US and Europe), and discuss Australia's approach to the challenge, which is currently focused on a discussion paper from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources.   Links: OpenAI’s CEO Goes on a Diplomatic Charm Offensive (Foreign Policy)https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/06/20/openai-ceo-diplomacy-artificial-intelligence/   Department of Industry, Science and Resources discussion paperhttps://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/Rapid%20Response%20Information%20Report%20-%20Generative%20AI.pdf   Exclusive: OpenAI Lobbied the E.U. to Water Down AI Regulation (TIME) https://time.com/6288245/openai-eu-lobbying-ai-act/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email   EU lawmakers eye tiered approach to regulating generative AI (TechCrunch)https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/21/eu-ai-act-generative-ai/   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This is the second episode in a short series about AI. With the potential harms of AI receiving greater exposure over recent months, we take a look at how businesses are responding. We explore the role and effectiveness of "ethical principles", introduced by many organisations to guide AI usage, and how existing corporate governance practices can be extended to the challenges of AI.   Links: UTS HTI: The State of AI Governance in Australia https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/HTI%20The%20State%20of%20AI%20Governance%20in%20Australia%20-%2031%20May%202023.pdf The uselessness of AI ethics (Academic paper by Luke Munn) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-022-00209-w Governing AI: A Blueprint for the Future (Microsoft) https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RW14Gtw Australia’s AI Ethics Principles https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/australias-artificial-intelligence-ethics-framework/australias-ai-ethics-principles Safe Work Australia on the effectiveness of different regulatory interventions https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1702/effectiveness-whs-interventions-by-regulators-literature-review.pdf The ethics of AI ethics (Academic paper comparing AI guidelines) https://arxiv.org/abs/1903.03425 Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This is the first episode in a short series about AI. After months of frenzied activity and dialogue, the AI conversation seems to be consolidating around some common questions, including: What is AI exactly? What are the harms it can cause? How should businesses govern their use of AI? What should policymakers and governments do? What's the public perspective and how is that being shaped? And there seems to also be some consolidation of opinions in response to those questions. In this series, we'll explore those questions and the emerging consensus. In this episode, we tackle the first two of those questions - What is AI and what are its harms?   Links: Article about US Lawyer who used ChatGPT facing penalties for made up citations (NY Times) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/08/nyregion/lawyer-chatgpt-sanctions.html UTS HTI: The State of AI Governance in Australia https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/HTI%20The%20State%20of%20AI%20Governance%20in%20Australia%20-%2031%20May%202023.pdf Government releases AI discussion papers (InnovationAus https://www.innovationaus.com/ed-husic-releases-discussion-papers-on-ai-regulation/ Generative AI: Language models and multimodal foundation models https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/Rapid%20Response%20Information%20Report%20-%20Generative%20AI.pdf Article about AI "extinction risk" (TechCrunch)https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/30/ai-extiction-risk-statement/   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

We break down the recent record fine against Meta by the Irish data protection regulator, which focuses on Meta's practice of transferring data about its EU customers to the US, where it is exposed to US spy agencies. The fine, and the legal proceedings that led to it, originate with a complaint by an Austrian man called Max Schrems. For over a decade, Schrems and his not-for-profit NOYB have pursued several privacy complaints via the courts - leading to the striking down of major international data transfer agreements. Who is this man that has had an outsized impact on international data protection arrangements? We take a look at his story. Links: Meta hit with record $1.9 billion fine over transfer of users' data to United States (ABC) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-23/meta-record-fine-facebook-data-eu-us-transfer-data/102379666 IAPP analysis of fine (IAPP) https://iapp.org/news/a/ireland-dpcs-data-transfers-decision-pragmatic-punch-or-knockout-blow/ Max Schrems response to fine (NOYB) https://noyb.eu/en/edpb-decision-facebooks-eu-us-data-transfers-stop-transfers-fine-and-repatriation Interview with Max Schrems https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9HhCTnRoow Article about Max Schrems (Irish Times) https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/max-schrems-the-man-who-took-on-facebook-and-won-1.3451485 Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This week we dissect proposals to introduce online age verification to protect kids from explicit content and other harmful effects of online platforms. There's significant momentum behind the idea, with various technologies being offered as an answer and the Australian government evaluating a roadmap from the eSafety Commissioner and also considering using digital identity as a solution. But the concept has its complications, including privacy implications, the workability of proposed technologies and potential broader effects on online participation.   Links: Govt mulls digital ID for online age verification (InnovationAus) https://www.innovationaus.com/govt-mulls-digital-id-for-online-age-verification/ Online age verification roadmap https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/esafety-provides-age-verification-roadmap-government-for-consideration The Verge article on age verification (The Verge) https://www.theverge.com/23721306/online-age-verification-privacy-laws-child-safety US Bill to protect children from social media https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-cotton-murphy-britt-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-help-protect-kids-from-harmful-impacts-of-social-media Meta uses AI to verify age on Instagram (AdNews) https://www.adnews.com.au/news/meta-uses-ai-to-verify-age-on-instagram Age verification provider Yoti responds to The Verge https://www.linkedin.com/posts/robin-tombs-6928195_online-age-verification-is-coming-and-privacy-activity-7064599256958951424-1KzX/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Amazon age verification for buying beer https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/amazon-one-age-verification   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

It's referred to as the gold standard or high watermark of privacy regulation around the world. This week is five years since the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect. We are joined by elevenM privacy practice lead Melanie Marks to reflect on the history and importance of the regulation and to discuss its impact and shortcomings. Links: What Is GDPR and Why Should You Care? (WIRED) https://www.wired.com/story/how-gdpr-affects-you/ GDPR success summary (European Commission) https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/eu-data-protection-rules/gdpr-fabric-success-story_en How GDPR Is Failing (WIRED) https://www.wired.co.uk/article/gdpr-2022 GDPR three-year review (IAPP) https://iapp.org/news/a/three-years-in-gdpr-highlights-privacy-in-global-landscape/ GDPR Enforcement Tracker Report (CMS) https://cms.law/en/deu/publication/gdpr-enforcement-tracker-report NOYB's more critical review of GDPR enforcement https://noyb.eu/en/five-years-gdpr-media-resources NOYB's ongoing complaint about Meta's approach to consent https://noyb.eu/en/breaking-meta-prohibited-use-personal-data-advertising Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This week we look at the Federal Government's budget commitments to privacy, cyber security and online safety. Notably, the Government has signifantly increased funding for privacy regulation for the next four years, while its funding commitments for cyber security reflect an important shift towards building broad-based economy-wide resilience.  We break down the various commitments and their likely impact.   Links: Budget documents https://budget.gov.au/content/documents.htm OAIC portfolio budget statements https://www.ag.gov.au/system/files/2023-05/2023-24-AG-PBS-OAIC.PDF eSafety funding quadruples (InnovationAus) https://www.innovationaus.com/esafety-resources-quadruples-as-national-cyber-office-funded/ OAIC welcomes additional Budget funding https://www.oaic.gov.au/newsroom/oaic-welcomes-additional-budget-funding Cyber funding reporting (The Mandarin) https://www.themandarin.com.au/219732-budget-2023-chalmers-champions-sustainable-funding-of-government-services/ Cyber Wardens program https://cyberwardens.com.au/   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

Momentum continues to build for the need to rein in AI. Despite it being a global challenge, the approaches to regulating AI vary from country to country in some fairly fundamental (and even philosophical) ways. In this week's episode, we explore these different approaches.Links: Australian experts call for AI regulator (InnovationAus) https://www.innovationaus.com/australian-experts-want-a-ai-regulator-investigation-of-failures/ Microsoft warns against AI regulation in favour of industry-led sandbox approach (InnovationAus) https://www.innovationaus.com/microsofts-warning-against-sovereign-data-and-tech-capability/ Lina Khan essay (NYTimes) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/03/opinion/ai-lina-khan-ftc-technology.html Thomas Friedman column (NYTimes) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/02/opinion/ai-tech-climate-change.html?mkt_tok=MTM4LUVaTS0wNDIAAAGLhrcb_2iwIVn93sPquIulsJEQEQ0RujT-BPq3FwH1gj19MxjnR0yiBdgoPfirc5aCuIEM3ysagc7lccIAo43z7PuSD-HaSSbhs_HGRyryZ_Gm White House AI meeting fact sheet https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2023/05/04/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-actions-to-promote-responsible-ai-innovation-that-protects-americans-rights-and-safety/ EU AI Act explained (WEF) https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/03/the-european-union-s-ai-act-explained/#:~:text=The%20Artificial%20Intelligence%20Act%20aims,of%20AI%20for%20industrial%20use.%E2%80%9D   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

It's Privacy Awareness Week, so we're peeling back the layers on one of the most common concepts used to raise awareness about privacy: the creepy test. It's that sense of "ew!" we sometimes feel when we encounter technologies or business practices that step over the bounds of responsible use of our personal information. This week, we break down the concept of the creepy test and evaluate its usefulness.   Links: "A Theory of Creepy" (Paper by Tene and Polonetsky) https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2326830 Criticisms about the creepy test (Slate) https://slate.com/technology/2021/12/why-privacy-matters-excerpt-creepiness.html Article about Target predicting a teenager was pregnant (NYTimes) https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html Privacy Awareness Week (OAIC) https://www.oaic.gov.au/engage-with-us/events/privacy-awareness-weekCredits: Music by Bensound.com

This week, we discuss the push to abolish anonymity on social media, as a means to preventing online abuse.   Policymakers have been grappling with the challenges of trolling and online abuse for a few years, but it has come into the spotlight after the complaints of several prominent Australian footballers and athletes.   While enforcing real identity seems an obvious solution, Arj and Jordan debate its effectiveness and explore its adverse side effects on other internet users.   Links: Article about abuse of NRL players (Fox Sports) https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/social-media-abuse-in-sport-special-investigation-latrell-mitchells-dire-warning-of-youth-suicide/news-story/061024cdebe27ccc4f3a73cd4f31ec72   Comments by AFL inclusion manager (ABC News) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-09/tanya-hosch-says-afl-must-continue-to-stamp-out-racism/100360890   Article about Anti-Trolling Bill (SMH) https://www.smh.com.au/national/morrison-government-s-plan-to-unmask-online-trolls-creates-legal-confusion-20211128-p59cuu.html   Article about Korea's ban on anonymity (Ars Technica) https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/08/what-south-korea-can-teach-us-about-online-anonymity/   UK Government inquiry into anonymity https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1123426/Report_into_the_Connection_between_Abuse_and_Anonymity.pdf   Credits: Music by Bensound.com