By Sine N. Just
As the extent to which digital technologies
already saturate societies is becoming apparent to growing numbers of global
citizens, the question of whether ubiquitous digitalization is desirable is
moving to the forefront of public debate: as we combat COVID-19, should contact
tracing apps and digital vaccination passports be mandatory for all citizens?
In the battle against crime, should facial recognition software be integrated
into surveillance equipment? Seeking to vanquish child abuse, should predictive
algorithms assist social workers’ case evaluation? These are but three of the
many issues that are being debated at present. And what about the (social)
media platforms on which these debates are conducted? Invoking freedom of
speech, should they remain unregulated? Seeking social justice, should hate
speech and incitement to violence be banned? As decision making and opinion
formation alike are becoming thoroughly digitalized, we need to discuss the
content of controversies about data and algorithms as well as the form of
datafied and algorithmic controversies.
A new research project aims to do just
that. Generously funded by the Villum and Velux Foundations, the Algorithms,
Data and Democracy-project will investigate issues of
public concern about digitalisation and datafication as these are shaped
by digital technologies and articulated in the digital
infrastructures of democracy. The aim is to understand current concerns and
challenges so as to be able to suggest ways in which the algorithmic
organisation of data can engage, enlighten and empower individual citizens and
democratic institutions. Turning potential crises of trust in democratic
societies as well as in novel technologies into opportunities for enhanced
digital democracy.
The ADD-project will achieve this aim through strong interdisciplinary
integration as well as disciplinary expertise. It brings together a team of researchers with unique
competences in computer science and technological research, the humanities and
the social sciences, building common theoretical and methodological approach in
the process of studying empirical cases. Further, the project integrates scientific research and public outreach by involving relevant
stakeholders and interested citizens from its outset and throughout the 10
years of its existence. At first, we will seek broad engagement, listening to concerns
and opinions of people and organizations. As we develop our research, we will seek
to enlighten the debate through the communication of results. Finally, we will
join in conversations that can empower citizens and inspire policy-makers to
instigate positive change.
Read more about the project on our website and follow it as it unfolds by subscribing to our
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