10 December 2020 – TechUK Digital Ethics Summit

Join our Director of Policy and Strategy, Annemarie Naylor, on Day 2 of the Summit. She’ll be speaking at the 10 am session on public engagement and democracy.

The current pandemic has arguably exacerbated the digital divide in our society, with many vulnerable groups being harder to reach than ever before. COVID-19 has also demonstrated the importance of ensuring that technology works for people and society and earning the trust and confidence of the public, particularly in scenarios where mass adoption of technology is critical to its success. Understanding public attitudes towards technology is therefore critical and the quality and focus of public dialogue going forward will be key.

In this session, panellists will discuss what we mean by public engagement in 2021 and how this has been impacted by the events of this year. As we continue to spend significant periods of time at home and online, how can technology be used to prevent echo chambers and keep people informed during critical events, such as elections and during a public health crisis. Finally, what are the key lessons and insights we can take forward with us in 2021 to ensure that citizens voices are heard? What more must be done to ensure that those that are vulnerable or at risk have the appropriate channels to raise their concerns?

Final out the agenda of the summit here, and the speaker list here.