, The Washington Post; Life during lockdown might be much better if technophobia hadn’t held back innovation
"Now that much of the world is in lockdown, relying on technology that many viewed with worry and suspicion mere months ago, the consequences of that fearfulness are coming into focus...
Too bad so many bosses once resisted allowing employees to work from home — even though research has found that remote workers are more productive, take shorter breaks, take less time off and stay with their companies longer. That resistance inevitably limited the marketplace for video tools, leaving only a few options available when the pandemic crisis struck.
Unfortunately, that’s how things tend to go with new technologies. Fear leads to smaller markets, reducing investment by innovators.
This story has repeated itself across time and culture...
How will we handle the next wave of innovation? That will be our greatest collective challenge. The pessimists will surely have something to say. It would be good to think back to this moment, recalling the many ways that feared technologies came to be seen as a blessing. Then we can encourage something that really does improve lives. It isn’t resistance to change. It’s change."
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Ethical practice in isolation, quarantine & contact tracing; American Medical Association (AMA), April 28, 2020
American Medical Association (AMA); Ethical practice in isolation, quarantine & contact tracing
"Contact tracing and isolation or quarantine of sick or exposed individuals are among the most effective tools to reduce transmission of infectious disease. Yet like many public health activities it raises concerns about appropriately balancing individual rights, notably privacy and confidentiality, with protecting the health of the community. The AMA Code of Medical Ethics provides guidance to help physicians strike this balance when they act in a public health capacity.
Opinion 8.11, “Health promotion and preventive care,” provides that “physicians who work solely or primarily in a public health capacity should uphold accepted standards of medical professionalism by implementing policies that appropriately balance individual liberties with the social goals of public health policies.” That includes notifying public health authorities when physicians “notice patterns in patient health that may indicate a health risk for others.”
In keeping with Opinion 8.4, “Ethical use of quarantine & isolation,” physicians should also educate patients and the public about public health threats, potential harm to others and the benefits of quarantine and isolation, and should encourage voluntary adherence. Physicians should support mandatory measures when patients fail to adhere voluntarily."
"Contact tracing and isolation or quarantine of sick or exposed individuals are among the most effective tools to reduce transmission of infectious disease. Yet like many public health activities it raises concerns about appropriately balancing individual rights, notably privacy and confidentiality, with protecting the health of the community. The AMA Code of Medical Ethics provides guidance to help physicians strike this balance when they act in a public health capacity.
Opinion 8.11, “Health promotion and preventive care,” provides that “physicians who work solely or primarily in a public health capacity should uphold accepted standards of medical professionalism by implementing policies that appropriately balance individual liberties with the social goals of public health policies.” That includes notifying public health authorities when physicians “notice patterns in patient health that may indicate a health risk for others.”
In keeping with Opinion 8.4, “Ethical use of quarantine & isolation,” physicians should also educate patients and the public about public health threats, potential harm to others and the benefits of quarantine and isolation, and should encourage voluntary adherence. Physicians should support mandatory measures when patients fail to adhere voluntarily."
AI researchers propose ‘bias bounties’ to put ethics principles into practice; VentureBeat, April 17, 2020
Khari Johnson, VentureBeat; AI researchers propose ‘bias bounties’ to put ethics principles into practice
"Researchers from Google Brain, Intel, OpenAI, and top research labs in the U.S. and Europe joined forces this week to release what the group calls a toolbox for turning AI ethics principles into practice. The kit for organizations creating AI models includes the idea of paying developers for finding bias in AI, akin to the bug bounties offered in security software.
This recommendation and other ideas for ensuring AI is made with public trust and societal well-being in mind were detailed in a preprint paper published this week. The bug bounty hunting community might be too small to create strong assurances, but developers could still unearth more bias than is revealed by measures in place today, the authors say."
"Researchers from Google Brain, Intel, OpenAI, and top research labs in the U.S. and Europe joined forces this week to release what the group calls a toolbox for turning AI ethics principles into practice. The kit for organizations creating AI models includes the idea of paying developers for finding bias in AI, akin to the bug bounties offered in security software.
This recommendation and other ideas for ensuring AI is made with public trust and societal well-being in mind were detailed in a preprint paper published this week. The bug bounty hunting community might be too small to create strong assurances, but developers could still unearth more bias than is revealed by measures in place today, the authors say."
Do I sound sick to you? Researchers are building AI that would diagnose COVID-19 by listening to people talk.; Business Insider, April 30, 2020
Aaron Holmes, Business Insider; Do I sound sick to you? Researchers are building AI that would diagnose COVID-19 by listening to people talk.
"Analyzing people's speech, coughing, and breathing patterns as a diagnostic tool isn't new — tussiphonography, or the study of cough sounds, has been around for decades. Now, AI researchers are emboldened by early reports from doctors that COVID-19 appears to have unique effects on patients' coughing and speech...
To give people an incentive to donate voice audio, Singh's lab initially published a rough AI tool online that would predict whether people have a higher chance of being COVID-19 positive using voice samples, along with a disclaimer that the tool wasn't giving real medical advice. But within 48 hours, Carnegie Mellon forced the lab to take down the online test, which could have run afoul of FDA guidelines and be misinterpreted by people regardless of the disclaimer.
"It's a perfectly valid concern, and my whole team had not thought of that ethical side of things," Singh said. "The other side is that hopefully the COVID pandemic will pass, and once it passes, hopefully it will never come back. So if we don't get the data now, we're never going to have data for research.""
"Analyzing people's speech, coughing, and breathing patterns as a diagnostic tool isn't new — tussiphonography, or the study of cough sounds, has been around for decades. Now, AI researchers are emboldened by early reports from doctors that COVID-19 appears to have unique effects on patients' coughing and speech...
To give people an incentive to donate voice audio, Singh's lab initially published a rough AI tool online that would predict whether people have a higher chance of being COVID-19 positive using voice samples, along with a disclaimer that the tool wasn't giving real medical advice. But within 48 hours, Carnegie Mellon forced the lab to take down the online test, which could have run afoul of FDA guidelines and be misinterpreted by people regardless of the disclaimer.
"It's a perfectly valid concern, and my whole team had not thought of that ethical side of things," Singh said. "The other side is that hopefully the COVID pandemic will pass, and once it passes, hopefully it will never come back. So if we don't get the data now, we're never going to have data for research.""
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Supreme Court Copyright Ruling Could Shake Up Legal Publishing; Publishers weekly, April 27, 2020
Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly; Supreme Court Copyright Ruling Could Shake Up Legal Publishing
"In upholding the appeals court reversal, the Supreme Court held that the annotations amended to the state of Georgia’s legal code were “ineligible for copyright protection” under the “government edicts doctrine,” a legal regime developed from a trio of 19th-century Supreme Court decisions.
“The animating principle behind the government edicts doctrine is that no one can own the law,” Roberts wrote. “Over a century ago, we recognized a limitation on copyright protection for certain government work product, rooted in the Copyright Act’s ‘authorship’ requirement. Under what has been dubbed the government edicts doctrine, officials empowered to speak with the force of law cannot be the authors of—and therefore cannot copyright—the works they create in the course of their official duties.”"
In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court this week held that legislators "cannot be the authors of—and therefore cannot copyright—the works they create in the course of their official duties."
"In upholding the appeals court reversal, the Supreme Court held that the annotations amended to the state of Georgia’s legal code were “ineligible for copyright protection” under the “government edicts doctrine,” a legal regime developed from a trio of 19th-century Supreme Court decisions.
“The animating principle behind the government edicts doctrine is that no one can own the law,” Roberts wrote. “Over a century ago, we recognized a limitation on copyright protection for certain government work product, rooted in the Copyright Act’s ‘authorship’ requirement. Under what has been dubbed the government edicts doctrine, officials empowered to speak with the force of law cannot be the authors of—and therefore cannot copyright—the works they create in the course of their official duties.”"
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Georgia Can’t Copyright Its Entire State Code, the Supreme Court Rules; The New York Times, April 27, 2020
; Georgia Can’t Copyright Its Entire State Code, the Supreme Court Rules
In a 5-to-4 ruling with unusual alliances, the court said that annotations cannot be copyrighted if they are the official work of state lawmakers.
"Georgia may not copyright its entire official code, which includes both the state’s laws and annotations interpreting them, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday. The 5-to-4 decision featured unusual alliances and would most likely be widely felt, as about 20 other states have claimed that parts of similar annotated codes are copyrighted."
In a 5-to-4 ruling with unusual alliances, the court said that annotations cannot be copyrighted if they are the official work of state lawmakers.
"Georgia may not copyright its entire official code, which includes both the state’s laws and annotations interpreting them, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday. The 5-to-4 decision featured unusual alliances and would most likely be widely felt, as about 20 other states have claimed that parts of similar annotated codes are copyrighted."
Silicon Valley needs a new approach to studying ethics now more than ever; TechCrunch, April 24, 2020
Lisa Wehden, TechCrunch; Silicon Valley needs a new approach to studying ethics now more than ever
"These are fresh concerns in familiar debates about tech’s ethics. How should technologists think about the trade-off between the immediate need for public health surveillance and individual privacy? And misformation and free speech? Facebook and other platforms are playing a much more active role than ever in assessing the quality of information: promoting official information sources prominently and removing some posts from users defying social distancing.
As the pandemic spreads and, along with it, the race to develop new technologies accelerates, it’s more critical than ever that technology finds a way to fully examine these questions. Technologists today are ill-equipped for this challenge: striking healthy balances between competing concerns — like privacy and safety — while explaining their approach to the public...
If the only students are future technologists, though, solutions will lag. If we want a more ethically knowledgeable tech industry today, we need ethical study for tech practitioners, not just university students...
Over half of the class came from a STEM background and had missed much explicit education in ethical frameworks. Our class discussed principles from other fields, like medical ethics, including the physician’s guiding maxim (“first, do no harm”) in the context of designing new algorithms. Texts from the world of science fiction, like “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin, also offered ways to grapple with issues, leading students to evaluate how to collect and use data responsibly."
"These are fresh concerns in familiar debates about tech’s ethics. How should technologists think about the trade-off between the immediate need for public health surveillance and individual privacy? And misformation and free speech? Facebook and other platforms are playing a much more active role than ever in assessing the quality of information: promoting official information sources prominently and removing some posts from users defying social distancing.
As the pandemic spreads and, along with it, the race to develop new technologies accelerates, it’s more critical than ever that technology finds a way to fully examine these questions. Technologists today are ill-equipped for this challenge: striking healthy balances between competing concerns — like privacy and safety — while explaining their approach to the public...
If the only students are future technologists, though, solutions will lag. If we want a more ethically knowledgeable tech industry today, we need ethical study for tech practitioners, not just university students...
Over half of the class came from a STEM background and had missed much explicit education in ethical frameworks. Our class discussed principles from other fields, like medical ethics, including the physician’s guiding maxim (“first, do no harm”) in the context of designing new algorithms. Texts from the world of science fiction, like “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin, also offered ways to grapple with issues, leading students to evaluate how to collect and use data responsibly."
Friday, April 24, 2020
Trump says his comments on injecting disinfectants were “sarcastic.” Let’s review the tape.; Vox, April 24, 2020
Aaron Rupar, Vox; Trump says his comments on injecting disinfectants were “sarcastic.” Let’s review the tape.
"President Donald Trump now claims he was being “sarcastic” when he mused on Thursday about disinfectant injections being a possible miracle cure for the coronavirus.
Unfortunately for him, there’s video.
Asked during a White House bill-signing ceremony on Friday to explain his comments — which were widely mocked for being ridiculous and more than a little irresponsible, became the top trending topic on Twitter, and prompted warnings from health agencies that it’s actually a bad idea to inject or consume bleach — Trump tried to rewrite history.
“I was asking a sarcastic, and a very sarcastic question, to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside,” Trump lied. In reality, he was looking at White House officialswhen he earnestly asked them to investigate whether there’s “a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that.”
Notably, even as he tried to distance himself from his remarks, Trump illustrated his fundamental inability to ever admit a mistake by continuing to defend his premise.
Disinfectant “does kill it, and it would kill it on the hands, and that would make things much better,” Trump said.
Watch the two clips back to back for yourself:"
Spoiler alert: He’s lying.
"President Donald Trump now claims he was being “sarcastic” when he mused on Thursday about disinfectant injections being a possible miracle cure for the coronavirus.
Unfortunately for him, there’s video.
Asked during a White House bill-signing ceremony on Friday to explain his comments — which were widely mocked for being ridiculous and more than a little irresponsible, became the top trending topic on Twitter, and prompted warnings from health agencies that it’s actually a bad idea to inject or consume bleach — Trump tried to rewrite history.
“I was asking a sarcastic, and a very sarcastic question, to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside,” Trump lied. In reality, he was looking at White House officialswhen he earnestly asked them to investigate whether there’s “a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that.”
Notably, even as he tried to distance himself from his remarks, Trump illustrated his fundamental inability to ever admit a mistake by continuing to defend his premise.
Disinfectant “does kill it, and it would kill it on the hands, and that would make things much better,” Trump said.
Watch the two clips back to back for yourself:"
‘Stable genius’ or dangerous ignoramus?'; The Washington Post, April 24, 2020
, The Washington Post; ‘Stable genius’ or dangerous ignoramus?
"We can laugh (uproariously) about Trump’s ignorance and inanity, but like his hawking of hydroxychloroquine — which induced hoarding of medication needed by patients with other diseases (and perhaps others to harm themselves) — this is one more instance in which concern for public safety should spur news networks to discontinue live coverage of the daily briefings. Like a con man peddling patent medicine, Trump dispenses false hope and crackpot remedies, thereby promoting disdain for scientific inquiry and valid research. Once more, one is compelled not only to shudder that such an intellectually unfit man could be president but that legions of right-wing hucksters and sycophants could regularly contort themselves not merely to defend his blabbering but also to lionize him.
It is little wonder that only 23 percent of Americans, according to the latest Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, have a high level of trust in what Trump says. (Some of us find it disturbing the number is that high, although the poll was taken before his latest quackery.)"
"We can laugh (uproariously) about Trump’s ignorance and inanity, but like his hawking of hydroxychloroquine — which induced hoarding of medication needed by patients with other diseases (and perhaps others to harm themselves) — this is one more instance in which concern for public safety should spur news networks to discontinue live coverage of the daily briefings. Like a con man peddling patent medicine, Trump dispenses false hope and crackpot remedies, thereby promoting disdain for scientific inquiry and valid research. Once more, one is compelled not only to shudder that such an intellectually unfit man could be president but that legions of right-wing hucksters and sycophants could regularly contort themselves not merely to defend his blabbering but also to lionize him.
It is little wonder that only 23 percent of Americans, according to the latest Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, have a high level of trust in what Trump says. (Some of us find it disturbing the number is that high, although the poll was taken before his latest quackery.)"
Adler astronomer files trademark lawsuit against American Girl; Associated Press via Chicago SunTimes, April 24, 2020
Associated Press via Chicago SunTimes; Adler astronomer files trademark lawsuit against American Girl
"The lawsuit notes the doll has a purple streak in her hair and wears holographic shoes, just as Walkowicz does.
“Here, the defendants used the name and likeness of Lucianne, a well-known figure in astronomy, space and STEM, who particularly studied the star Vega, in conjunction with the American Girl doll Luciana Vega without obtaining her authorization,” the lawsuit states. “In fact, the defendants incorporated the same color hair streak, shoes and style of Lucianne in the Luciana Vega doll.”"
"The lawsuit notes the doll has a purple streak in her hair and wears holographic shoes, just as Walkowicz does.
“Here, the defendants used the name and likeness of Lucianne, a well-known figure in astronomy, space and STEM, who particularly studied the star Vega, in conjunction with the American Girl doll Luciana Vega without obtaining her authorization,” the lawsuit states. “In fact, the defendants incorporated the same color hair streak, shoes and style of Lucianne in the Luciana Vega doll.”"
OSU making intellectual property available to help fight COVID-19; KTVZ.com, April 22, 2020
KTVZ.com; OSU making intellectual property available to help fight COVID-19
"Oregon State University is joining universities and academic health centers nationally in making licensing agreements for its intellectual property quickly executable to speed up the development of technologies that can be used to diagnose, treat and prevent COVID-19.
The COVID-19 Technology Development Framework, spearheaded by Stanford, Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was introduced earlier this month and includes 14 other research institutions across the United States as of April 20.
Researchers at Oregon State and throughout the U.S. will be able to build on concepts generated by other scientists, making the path easier for companies trying to develop new technologies to detect, monitor, prevent and treat the sickness caused by the novel coronavirus...
Below is the full text of the COVID-19 Technology Development Framework:"
"Oregon State University is joining universities and academic health centers nationally in making licensing agreements for its intellectual property quickly executable to speed up the development of technologies that can be used to diagnose, treat and prevent COVID-19.
The COVID-19 Technology Development Framework, spearheaded by Stanford, Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was introduced earlier this month and includes 14 other research institutions across the United States as of April 20.
Researchers at Oregon State and throughout the U.S. will be able to build on concepts generated by other scientists, making the path easier for companies trying to develop new technologies to detect, monitor, prevent and treat the sickness caused by the novel coronavirus...
Below is the full text of the COVID-19 Technology Development Framework:"
Connecticut town tests 'pandemic drone' to find fevers. Experts question if it would work.; NBC News, April 22, 2020
Minyvonne Burke, NBC News; Connecticut town tests 'pandemic drone' to find fevers. Experts question if it would work.
"A Connecticut police department said it plans to begin testing a "pandemic drone" that could detect whether a person 190 feet away has a fever or is coughing.
But an expert on viruses and a privacy advocate question whether such technology can work and, if it does, whether it would help in controlling the spread of the coronavirus."
"A Connecticut police department said it plans to begin testing a "pandemic drone" that could detect whether a person 190 feet away has a fever or is coughing.
But an expert on viruses and a privacy advocate question whether such technology can work and, if it does, whether it would help in controlling the spread of the coronavirus."
Philosophy Professor Helps To Solve Ethical Problems During Lockdown; NPR, April 21, 2020
NPR; Philosophy Professor Helps To Solve Ethical Problems During Lockdown
"David Chan, a philosophy professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, puzzles over the moral quandaries listeners face during the coronavirus outbreak."
Can the coronavirus make society more ethical?; The Times of Israel, April 24, 2020
Simona Weinglass, The Times of Israel; Can the coronavirus make society more ethical?
"Arizona State University Jewish Studies professor Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, by contrast, was optimistic, expressing hope that the coronavirus could usher in a new global spirit of generosity.
“We used to think that globalization would solve all our problems but now we see its ugly side. We realize that resources are ultimately distributed at the state level. Still, I’m going to quote none other than the singer Lady Gaga, who hosted this lovely Global Citizen Music Festival recently. She said ‘kindness is currency of the new world.’
Samuelson expressed the hope that we might see a greater worldwide emphasis on caring and ethical behavior after the coronavirus, as well as more urgent attention to climate change.
“Previously only profits were important. I don’t want to sound naive, but maybe now it will be different.”"
"Arizona State University Jewish Studies professor Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, by contrast, was optimistic, expressing hope that the coronavirus could usher in a new global spirit of generosity.
“We used to think that globalization would solve all our problems but now we see its ugly side. We realize that resources are ultimately distributed at the state level. Still, I’m going to quote none other than the singer Lady Gaga, who hosted this lovely Global Citizen Music Festival recently. She said ‘kindness is currency of the new world.’
Samuelson expressed the hope that we might see a greater worldwide emphasis on caring and ethical behavior after the coronavirus, as well as more urgent attention to climate change.
“Previously only profits were important. I don’t want to sound naive, but maybe now it will be different.”"
COVID-19 and the Ethical Questions It Poses; University of Nevada, Las Vegas, April 22, 2020
University of Nevada, Las Vegas; COVID-19 and the Ethical Questions It Poses
UNLV business ethics expert Wonyong Oh on the coronavirus pandemic and the ethical dilemmas facing health care workers, corporations, and government
"What are some ethical questions that businesses are wrestling with in light of COVID-19?
UNLV business ethics expert Wonyong Oh on the coronavirus pandemic and the ethical dilemmas facing health care workers, corporations, and government
"What are some ethical questions that businesses are wrestling with in light of COVID-19?
Let’s think about one controversial example. Real-time personal location information to track and manage the path of infection has been tried all over the world, especially actively in Asian countries like China, Korea, and Hong Kong. IT companies can track location information using smartphones to prevent virus spread. This raises ethical and legal issues surrounding access to personal information.
If you follow utilitarian ethics, tracking this kind of personal information can be allowed with the “maximum benefits for the greatest number” principle. It’s for keeping society safe from infection by sacrificing personal privacy. It seems that, recently, the views on tracking personal information in the U.S. and Europe began to change. In a few European countries, telecommunication companies began to use mobile phone data to fight COVID-19. In the U.S., Apple and Google are working together to track COVID-19 with Bluetooth. IT companies can help governments reduce the spread of the virus with their technologies. At the same time, high-tech companies need to balance that with protecting individual privacy, which is a new challenge.
Everything about the coronavirus pandemic, however, is unprecedented. The reality is that the virus threatens even ordinary freedoms, like the freedom of movement, with stay-at-home orders."
Thursday, April 23, 2020
The Ethics of NOW from Home: “Privacy versus Public Health in a Pandemic: What are the ethical tradeoffs?”; The Kenan Institute For Ethics at Duke University, April 23, 2020 at 7 PM
The Kenan Institute For Ethics at Duke University; The Ethics of NOW from Home: “Privacy versus Public Health in a Pandemic: What are the ethical tradeoffs?”
"The Ethics of Now with Adriane Lentz-Smith continues from home with a series of brief, thoughtful and timely conversations about the ethical dilemmas of this historic moment.
This week, join Professor Lentz-Smith and Washington and Lee law and cyber ethics expert, Margaret Hu for a conversation about the ethical challenges of privacy during a pandemic: “Privacy versus Public Health in a Pandemic: What are the ethical tradeoffs?” 7:00pm Thursday, April 23, 2020."
"The Ethics of Now with Adriane Lentz-Smith continues from home with a series of brief, thoughtful and timely conversations about the ethical dilemmas of this historic moment.
This week, join Professor Lentz-Smith and Washington and Lee law and cyber ethics expert, Margaret Hu for a conversation about the ethical challenges of privacy during a pandemic: “Privacy versus Public Health in a Pandemic: What are the ethical tradeoffs?” 7:00pm Thursday, April 23, 2020."
The dangerous morality behind the 'Open it Up' movement; CNN, April 23, 2020
Daniel Burke, CNN Religion Editor, CNN; The dangerous morality behind the 'Open it Up' movement
"This kind of moral calculus reflects an unpleasant truth about utilitarianism."
"This kind of moral calculus reflects an unpleasant truth about utilitarianism."
Fair and unfair algorithms: What to take into account when developing AI systems to fight COVID-19; JD Supra, April 17, 2020
Fabia Cairoli and Giangiacomo Olivi, JD Supra; Fair and unfair algorithms: What to take into account when developing AI systems to fight COVID-19
"The regulatory framework includes a number of sources from which to draw inspiration when developing AI technology. One of the most recent ones, the White Paper on Artificial Intelligence of the European Commission, is aimed at defining the risks associated with the implementation of AI systems, as well as determining the key features that should be implemented to ensure that data subjects’ rights are complied with (please see our articles The EU White Paper on Artificial Intelligence: the five requirements and Shaping EU regulations on Artificial Intelligence: the five improvements for a more detailed analysis).
It is worth noting that, particularly in relation to the development of AI technologies to fight the pandemic, the legislator is required to pay great attention to the principles and security systems. Risks associated to AI relate both to rights and technical functionalities. EU member states intending to use AI against COVID-19 will also need to ensure that any AI technology is ethical and is construed and operates in a safe way.
With regards to ethics, it is worth noting that the European Commission issued Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI in April 2019. Those guidelines stressed the need for AI systems to be lawful, ethical and robust (more particularly, AI should comply with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as ensure adherence to ethical principles / values and be designed in a way that does not cause unintentional harm).
With the aim of ensuring that fundamental rights are complied with, the legislator should consider whether an AI system will maintain respect for human dignity, equality, non-discrimination and solidarity. Some of these rights may be restricted for extraordinary and overriding reasons – such as fighting against a pandemic – but this should take place under specific legal provisions and only so far as is necessary to achieve the main purpose. Indeed, the use of tracking apps and systems that profile citizens in order to determine which ones may suffer from COVID-19 entails the risk that an individual’s freedom and democratic rights could be seriously restricted."
"The regulatory framework includes a number of sources from which to draw inspiration when developing AI technology. One of the most recent ones, the White Paper on Artificial Intelligence of the European Commission, is aimed at defining the risks associated with the implementation of AI systems, as well as determining the key features that should be implemented to ensure that data subjects’ rights are complied with (please see our articles The EU White Paper on Artificial Intelligence: the five requirements and Shaping EU regulations on Artificial Intelligence: the five improvements for a more detailed analysis).
It is worth noting that, particularly in relation to the development of AI technologies to fight the pandemic, the legislator is required to pay great attention to the principles and security systems. Risks associated to AI relate both to rights and technical functionalities. EU member states intending to use AI against COVID-19 will also need to ensure that any AI technology is ethical and is construed and operates in a safe way.
With regards to ethics, it is worth noting that the European Commission issued Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI in April 2019. Those guidelines stressed the need for AI systems to be lawful, ethical and robust (more particularly, AI should comply with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as ensure adherence to ethical principles / values and be designed in a way that does not cause unintentional harm).
With the aim of ensuring that fundamental rights are complied with, the legislator should consider whether an AI system will maintain respect for human dignity, equality, non-discrimination and solidarity. Some of these rights may be restricted for extraordinary and overriding reasons – such as fighting against a pandemic – but this should take place under specific legal provisions and only so far as is necessary to achieve the main purpose. Indeed, the use of tracking apps and systems that profile citizens in order to determine which ones may suffer from COVID-19 entails the risk that an individual’s freedom and democratic rights could be seriously restricted."
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
State of America’s Libraries 2020; American Libraries, April 20, 2020
American Libraries; State of America’s Libraries 2020
"On April 20 the American Library Association (ALA) released the State of America’s Libraries 2020 report, an annual summary of library trends released during National Library Week, this year April 19–25, that outlines statistics and issues affecting all types of libraries during the previous calendar year.
Although the report focuses on 2019, libraries are shown to be on the front lines addressing societal and community challenges—a role they are certainly playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many libraries serve as first responders that take on roles outside of traditional library service that support patrons’ needs and community development. Functioning at various times as career counselors, social workers, teachers, and technology instructors, library staff members give special care to adopt programs and services that support the most vulnerable and curious.
The report found that the popularity of libraries in 2019 continued to soar. According to a recent Gallup poll, visiting the library is the “most common cultural activity Americans engage in by far.” In 2019, US adults reported taking an average of 10.5 trips per year to the library, a frequency that exceeded their participation in other common leisure activities like going to the movies, a museum, or the zoo.
The best proof that public libraries are about more than just books is their evolution into libraries of things,offering nontraditional collections that are community-specific and imaginative. The wide array of items available to check out includes air mattresses, dolls, bicycles, binoculars, and accordions."
New report shows libraries on the front lines
"On April 20 the American Library Association (ALA) released the State of America’s Libraries 2020 report, an annual summary of library trends released during National Library Week, this year April 19–25, that outlines statistics and issues affecting all types of libraries during the previous calendar year.
Although the report focuses on 2019, libraries are shown to be on the front lines addressing societal and community challenges—a role they are certainly playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many libraries serve as first responders that take on roles outside of traditional library service that support patrons’ needs and community development. Functioning at various times as career counselors, social workers, teachers, and technology instructors, library staff members give special care to adopt programs and services that support the most vulnerable and curious.
The report found that the popularity of libraries in 2019 continued to soar. According to a recent Gallup poll, visiting the library is the “most common cultural activity Americans engage in by far.” In 2019, US adults reported taking an average of 10.5 trips per year to the library, a frequency that exceeded their participation in other common leisure activities like going to the movies, a museum, or the zoo.
The best proof that public libraries are about more than just books is their evolution into libraries of things,offering nontraditional collections that are community-specific and imaginative. The wide array of items available to check out includes air mattresses, dolls, bicycles, binoculars, and accordions."
8 of last year's 10 most challenged books had one thing in common: LGBTQ content; CNN, April 21, 2020
Alaa Elassar, CNN; 8 of last year's 10 most challenged books had one thing in common: LGBTQ content
"It's clear that the days of censoring books are far from over. And while sex, magic and curse words are all reasons books are still being banned, it's LGBTQ stories that now top the list of challenged books.
In 2019, at least 377 challenges were filed seeking to remove 566 books from libraries, schools and universities, according to a recent news release from the American Library Association (ALA). Out of the top 10 most challenged books of the year, eight of them contained LGBTQ content and characters.
This is the fourth year in a row that books containing lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender characters and story lines have been targeted by mainly patrons, parents, school boards, and political and religious groups."
"It's clear that the days of censoring books are far from over. And while sex, magic and curse words are all reasons books are still being banned, it's LGBTQ stories that now top the list of challenged books.
In 2019, at least 377 challenges were filed seeking to remove 566 books from libraries, schools and universities, according to a recent news release from the American Library Association (ALA). Out of the top 10 most challenged books of the year, eight of them contained LGBTQ content and characters.
This is the fourth year in a row that books containing lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender characters and story lines have been targeted by mainly patrons, parents, school boards, and political and religious groups."
Pandemic Builds Momentum for Broadband Infrastructure Upgrade; The Wall Street Journal, April 22, 2020
The Wall Street Journal; Pandemic Builds Momentum for Broadband Infrastructure Upgrade
Coronavirus crisis shows need for widespread high-speed internet in U.S. homes
"The coronavirus pandemic is boosting momentum for major broadband legislation, highlighting the widespread lack of high-speed internet in U.S. homes at a time when it has become more essential than ever."
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
The Ethics of Developing COVID-19 Treatments and Vaccination; Carnegie Mellon University, April 7, 2020
Jason Maderer, Carnegie Mellon University; The Ethics of Developing COVID-19 Treatments and Vaccination
"In the rush to do science quickly, Carnegie Mellon University ethicist Alex John London says it is easy to make mistakes.
"The point of research is to reduce uncertainty — to sort out dead ends from fruitful treatment strategies," said London, the Clara L. West Professor of Ethics and Philosophy and director of the Center for Ethics and Policy. But if you don’t do rigorous science, you can wind up increasing uncertainty, which can actually make things worse."
London’s research in Carnegie Mellon’s Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences focuses on ethical and policy issues surrounding the development and deployment of novel technologies in medicine...
One strategy to expedite the vaccine process for COVID-19 is turning to the power of artificial intelligence (AI). London’s colleague, Carnegie Mellon professor David Danks, looks at the intersection of ethics and machine learning."
CMU's experts explore the options
"In the rush to do science quickly, Carnegie Mellon University ethicist Alex John London says it is easy to make mistakes.
"The point of research is to reduce uncertainty — to sort out dead ends from fruitful treatment strategies," said London, the Clara L. West Professor of Ethics and Philosophy and director of the Center for Ethics and Policy. But if you don’t do rigorous science, you can wind up increasing uncertainty, which can actually make things worse."
London’s research in Carnegie Mellon’s Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences focuses on ethical and policy issues surrounding the development and deployment of novel technologies in medicine...
One strategy to expedite the vaccine process for COVID-19 is turning to the power of artificial intelligence (AI). London’s colleague, Carnegie Mellon professor David Danks, looks at the intersection of ethics and machine learning."
No Internet access means no school. Here’s how the FCC can help.; The Washington Post, April 21, 2020
Arne Duncan, The Washington Post; No Internet access means no school. Here’s how the FCC can help.
"A simple update to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge would cue the nation’s Internet providers to follow Comcast’s lead and waive prior debts. (While they’re at it, they should also waive restrictions excluding families who subscribed to service within the past 90 days.) More than 12,000 people have signed a petition demanding just this from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
Meanwhile, the FCC should distribute the billions of dollars earmarked under its own power for helping schools and libraries get online. With many schools and libraries closed for the rest of the school year, Rosenworcel made the common-sense suggestion that libraries and schools should be able to use those funds to buy WiFi hotspots for students and families and get them online.
More than a month into this crisis, we have seen no movement from the administration on these relatively simple changes."
"A simple update to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge would cue the nation’s Internet providers to follow Comcast’s lead and waive prior debts. (While they’re at it, they should also waive restrictions excluding families who subscribed to service within the past 90 days.) More than 12,000 people have signed a petition demanding just this from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
Meanwhile, the FCC should distribute the billions of dollars earmarked under its own power for helping schools and libraries get online. With many schools and libraries closed for the rest of the school year, Rosenworcel made the common-sense suggestion that libraries and schools should be able to use those funds to buy WiFi hotspots for students and families and get them online.
More than a month into this crisis, we have seen no movement from the administration on these relatively simple changes."
Friday, April 17, 2020
Hugh Jackman on His Closeted Con Artist in ‘Bad Education’ and Turning Down ‘Cats’; Daily Beast, April 16, 2020
Marlow Stern, Daily Beast; Hugh Jackman on His Closeted Con Artist in ‘Bad Education’ and Turning Down ‘Cats’
"The film makes you think about how educators are compensated, and in these pandemic-stricken times, people have been paying more mind to what is considered an “essential” worker and how society compensates them.
I’ve thought about this a lot. You look at actors like me who, in certain movies, get paid ridiculous amounts of money, and the ethos is, Oh, this is due to market forces and what the market drives, and if you’re not worthy you don’t get it, but it’s astonishing what is happening, where people at the top are getting paid exorbitant amounts while people at the bottom’s wages are stagnating. And here we are in a situation where we’re truly valuing what is actually “essential.” We’re really valuing nurses, teachers, doctors, firemen and women, garbage collectors—all these people who are out there working we’re valuing, and they’re people who I think we’ve neglected for many years. This is something we’re all going to have to look at. The idea of, Well, the market dictates that and it’s not a moral issue is going to get questioned."
"The film makes you think about how educators are compensated, and in these pandemic-stricken times, people have been paying more mind to what is considered an “essential” worker and how society compensates them.
I’ve thought about this a lot. You look at actors like me who, in certain movies, get paid ridiculous amounts of money, and the ethos is, Oh, this is due to market forces and what the market drives, and if you’re not worthy you don’t get it, but it’s astonishing what is happening, where people at the top are getting paid exorbitant amounts while people at the bottom’s wages are stagnating. And here we are in a situation where we’re truly valuing what is actually “essential.” We’re really valuing nurses, teachers, doctors, firemen and women, garbage collectors—all these people who are out there working we’re valuing, and they’re people who I think we’ve neglected for many years. This is something we’re all going to have to look at. The idea of, Well, the market dictates that and it’s not a moral issue is going to get questioned."
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Open COVID Pledge: Removing Obstacles to Sharing IP in the Fight Against COVID-19; Creative Commons, April 7, 2020
Diane Peters, Creative Commons; Open COVID Pledge: Removing Obstacles to Sharing IP in the Fight Against COVID-19
"Creative Commons has joined forces with other legal experts and leading scientists to offer a simple way for universities, companies, and other holders of intellectual property rights to support the development of medicines, test kits, vaccines, and other scientific discoveries related to COVID-19 for the duration of the pandemic. The Open COVID Pledge grants the public free, temporary access to IP rights in support of solving the COVID-19 crisis, removing unnecessary obstacles to dissemination of the knowledge and inventions that could save lives and limit suffering."
"Creative Commons has joined forces with other legal experts and leading scientists to offer a simple way for universities, companies, and other holders of intellectual property rights to support the development of medicines, test kits, vaccines, and other scientific discoveries related to COVID-19 for the duration of the pandemic. The Open COVID Pledge grants the public free, temporary access to IP rights in support of solving the COVID-19 crisis, removing unnecessary obstacles to dissemination of the knowledge and inventions that could save lives and limit suffering."
Veterinarians pledge ventilators, supplies to human medicine; American Veterinary Medical Association, April 15, 2020
Greg Cima, American Veterinary Medical Association; Veterinarians pledge ventilators, supplies to human medicine
"Veterinarians pledged hundreds of ventilators for human use as a surge of COVID-19 cases risked shortages.
Some also described efforts to conserve or donate personal protective equipment, such as gloves and masks, amid supply chain issues as the stress on human health care strained supplies. That threat of shortages expanded as the coronavirus causing the disease spread to more communities daily this spring.
As COVID-19’s spread accelerated—the U.S. leading the world in confirmed coronavirus cases with about 400,000 people as of April 7, according to Johns Hopkins University—leaders of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care started a database of ventilators that could potentially be used for human health care. The zoo veterinarian and veterinary anesthesiology colleges added to the effort in the days afterward.
Dr. Elizabeth B. Davidow, president-elect of the ACVECC, led the effort to create the ventilator database."
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Hospital Technicians Ignore Copyright Law to Fight COVID-19; Reason, April 13, 2020
Paul Detrick, Reason; Hospital Technicians Ignore Copyright Law to Fight COVID-19
"A right-to-repair movement has been fighting to change federal copyright law—or to pass state-level laws that let people fix their own devices. But medical device companies fought back with letters to lawmakers, saying right-to-repair laws could endanger the lives of patients if devices were fixed improperly by untrained personnel."
"A right-to-repair movement has been fighting to change federal copyright law—or to pass state-level laws that let people fix their own devices. But medical device companies fought back with letters to lawmakers, saying right-to-repair laws could endanger the lives of patients if devices were fixed improperly by untrained personnel."
The Open COVID Pledge: What Is It and Is It Right for You?; The National Law Review, April 14, 2020
Theresa Rakocy, The National Law Review; The Open COVID Pledge: What Is It and Is It Right for You?
"Enter one possible solution: The Open COVID Pledge. A group of scientists, lawyers, and entrepreneurs developed the Open COVID Pledge to encourage businesses and research facilities to make their intellectual property available for use in the fight against COVID-19. The idea behind the Open COVID Pledge is to allow open sharing of intellectual property and technology to end the pandemic without the need for timely and costly licenses or royalty agreements. The initiative comes at a time when researchers and companies alike are surging ahead with ways to combat and end COVID-19. In its Press Release, the individuals behind the Open COVID Pledge explain that the license is needed because “enabling individuals and organizations across the world to work on solutions together, without impediments, is the quickest way to end this pandemic.”...
As COVID-19 continues to spread worldwide, with the number of new cases each day still increasing in most countries, research and the development of new technologies to combat and eradicate COVID-19 has blossomed. As discussed in an earlier post, countries and companies are looking for ways to contribute, with many now making available and expanding access to their intellectual property. The balance between access and protection of intellectual property, however, is delicate."
"Enter one possible solution: The Open COVID Pledge. A group of scientists, lawyers, and entrepreneurs developed the Open COVID Pledge to encourage businesses and research facilities to make their intellectual property available for use in the fight against COVID-19. The idea behind the Open COVID Pledge is to allow open sharing of intellectual property and technology to end the pandemic without the need for timely and costly licenses or royalty agreements. The initiative comes at a time when researchers and companies alike are surging ahead with ways to combat and end COVID-19. In its Press Release, the individuals behind the Open COVID Pledge explain that the license is needed because “enabling individuals and organizations across the world to work on solutions together, without impediments, is the quickest way to end this pandemic.”...
As COVID-19 continues to spread worldwide, with the number of new cases each day still increasing in most countries, research and the development of new technologies to combat and eradicate COVID-19 has blossomed. As discussed in an earlier post, countries and companies are looking for ways to contribute, with many now making available and expanding access to their intellectual property. The balance between access and protection of intellectual property, however, is delicate."
Monday, April 13, 2020
Public Libraries’ Novel Response to a Novel Virus ; The Atlantic, March 31, 2020
Deborah Fallows, The Atlantic; Public Libraries’ Novel Response to a Novel Virus
[Kip Currier: The University of Pittsburgh's Master of Library and Information Science graduate degree program will launch for the 2020 Summer Term a brand new required course -- The Information Professional in the Community -- epitomized by this article demonstrating the vital roles that information professionals exercise in a diverse array of analog and digital communities during challenging times, like the Covid-19 pandemic.]
"America’s public libraries have led the ranks of “second responders,” stepping up for their communities in times of natural or manmade disasters, like hurricanes, floods, shootings, fires, and big downturns in individual lives.
Throughout all these events, libraries have stayed open, filling in for the kids when their schools closed; offering therapeutic sessions in art or conversation or writing after losses of life; bringing in nurses or social workers when services were unavailable to people; and hiring life-counselors for the homeless, whom they offer shelter and safety during the day.
Today, interventions like those have a ring of simpler days. But libraries have learned from their experience and attention to these previous, pre-pandemic efforts. They are pivoting quickly to new ways of offering services to the public—the core of their mission. When libraries closed their doors abruptly, they immediately opened their digital communications, collaborations, and creative activity to reach their public in ways as novel as the virus that forced them into it.
You can be sure that this is just the beginning. Today libraries are already acting and improvising. Later, they’ll be figuring out what the experience means to their future operations and their role in American communities."
[Kip Currier: The University of Pittsburgh's Master of Library and Information Science graduate degree program will launch for the 2020 Summer Term a brand new required course -- The Information Professional in the Community -- epitomized by this article demonstrating the vital roles that information professionals exercise in a diverse array of analog and digital communities during challenging times, like the Covid-19 pandemic.]
"America’s public libraries have led the ranks of “second responders,” stepping up for their communities in times of natural or manmade disasters, like hurricanes, floods, shootings, fires, and big downturns in individual lives.
Throughout all these events, libraries have stayed open, filling in for the kids when their schools closed; offering therapeutic sessions in art or conversation or writing after losses of life; bringing in nurses or social workers when services were unavailable to people; and hiring life-counselors for the homeless, whom they offer shelter and safety during the day.
Today, interventions like those have a ring of simpler days. But libraries have learned from their experience and attention to these previous, pre-pandemic efforts. They are pivoting quickly to new ways of offering services to the public—the core of their mission. When libraries closed their doors abruptly, they immediately opened their digital communications, collaborations, and creative activity to reach their public in ways as novel as the virus that forced them into it.
You can be sure that this is just the beginning. Today libraries are already acting and improvising. Later, they’ll be figuring out what the experience means to their future operations and their role in American communities."
How false hope spread about hydroxychloroquine to treat covid-19 — and the consequences that followed; The Washington Post, April 13, 2020
and , The Washington Post; How false hope spread about hydroxychloroquine to treat covid-19 — and the consequences that followed
"The science
As attention on the drugs became even more prolific — online, in the media and from the president — scientists say there is only “anecdotal evidence” on the drugs. To a layperson, that may not sound bad, but it’s actually an insult in the scientific community.
Anecdotal evidence refers to people’s personal stories about taking the drugs and has no basis in scientific data. It’s akin to a Yelp review."
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