introducing goodbot!
Welcome to the goodbot gazette launching in October 2023! goodbot is an interdisciplinary community of socially-minded professionals working in law, technology, design, social sciences, and policy. Our purpose is to support the development of trusted, accountable, and socially sustainable technology ecosystems by strengthening awareness, research, policy, and practice.
Through our newsletter, you will have the opportunity to learn about what goodbot is working on, how to engage directly on responsible tech initiatives, and what critical responsible technology issues and developments are arising at home and around the world. We look forward to building the responsible technology movement with you!
To learn more, visit our website, join our SubStack and follow us on social media.
goodbot reports
Goodbot is excited to introduce its Canadian Responsible Technology Landscape Series with the launch of the first two of eight reports which will follow this fall. Check out Part #1 An Introduction to Canada’s Responsible Technology Landscape and Part #2 Key Terms, Approaches & Frameworks. Look out for an announcement of our online launch this fall!
latest from the goodblog
How Citizen Assemblies Can Create Collaborative and Equitable Technology Regulation by Sam Wollenberg
In recent years, the rapid advancement of AI-enabled technology has outpaced the ability of global lawmakers to regulate its wide-ranging impacts on individuals, communities, and democratic institutions. This widening gap prompts crucial questions about not only the development of effective policies but also the role of citizens in shaping these frameworks. Read the full story here
Image Source: DemocracyNext - Assembling an Assembly Guide (pg. 3)
policy must-reads
45 nonprofits tell Canada that AI Data Act is not up to the task
+ An open letter was sent to Minister Champagne on Sept 25 calling for privacy to be declared a human right, for oversight of AI outside of ISED, for AIDA to be separated from the Digital Charter Implementation Act and for better public engagement on AIDA
Big Tech monopolies are facing unprecedented challenges
+ The US accused Google of abusing its power over search to stem competition (NYT)
+ The US and 17 states also launched a suit against on Amazon for abuse of dominance in a landmark monopoly case (CNN)
+ Meanwhile, the EU has begun cracking down in Europe aimed at breaking up Big Tech companies, promoting competition and strengthening consumer choice (AP)
+ Canada is working to strengthen antitrust law on telecomms and banking (Reuters)
+ And OpenMedia launched a petition to create a Canada anti-monopoly charter
“Right to Repair” laws can help make maintaining electronics cheaper
+ This policy supports competition, the environment and consumers (the conversation)
+ Apple sees “writing on the wall” and moves to support (ieee spectrum)
+ A Western professor’s fight for “right to repair” goes to the House of Commons (western news)
quote of the month
“Faced with disorienting technological change, people instinctively turn to technologists for solutions. But the impacts of advanced AI cannot be mitigated through technical means alone; solutions that do not include broader societal insight will only compound AI’s dangers. To really be safe, society needs a sociotechnical approach to AI safety.” (Seth Lazar and Alondra Nelson)
responsible tech events
+ Register for the next Tech Stewardship course by Sept 30th, 2023 (TSProgram)
+ Register for Oct 9 livestream book celebration of You Belong to Us: A Secretive StartUp’s Quest to End Privacy As We Know It (All Tech is Human)
responsible tech media club
what we’re reading
+ Outrage Machine: How Tech Amplifies Discontent, Disrupts Democracy—and What We Can Do About It (Indigo)
+ Regulatory gaps and oversight: On AI and self-governance (Schwarz Reisman Institute)
what we’re listening to
+ Protecting our Freedom of Thought with Nita Farahany (Your Undivided Attention podcast from the (Center for Humane Technology)
+ Why Big Tech is Getting Worse to Use (CBC.ca)
outstanding volunteer of the month
Every month, goodbot recognizes volunteers who make outstanding contributions to goodbot’s work and who demonstrate a clear commitment to advancing responsible technology in their work.
Femi Gbolahan
For our inaugural gazette, we are pleased to recognize Ottawa-based legal practitioner and volunteer Femi Gbolahan who plays a lead role on goodbot’s Research Team. Femi has co-authored three goodbot reports that focus on policy. Specifically these reports provide an inventory of 1) technology-related public policy in effect in Canada in 2023, 2) bills that are before Canadian parliament and provincial legislative assemblies, and 3) notable technology-related litigation & investigations in Canada, along with the relevant bodies of law. All three reports will be launching in October 2023. A well deserved thanks and congratulations to Femi for his outstanding contributions!
on the lighter side
+ This bond between a dog and a baby is one of the cutest things you’ll see all day
+ Want to interact with cats as never have before? check out this website
+ An abandoned fishing village off China’s east coast has been reclaimed by nature
