Sopra Steria: The importance of digital ethics in government technology #techUKDigitalPS

Technology is evolving at high speed, transforming our everyday lives, and at greater scope than our ability to understand it. While the benefits of technological innovation are undeniable, it is equally important to recognise the potential risks and harm that can come from unchecked innovation. Regulation doesn’t need to restrict innovation; it needs to guide it to ensure advancements are made in an ethical manner while being mindful of the end users.

We have a responsibility to ensure that these technological advancements are used ethically and for society's benefit, created with the end-user in mind. This is where collaboration between government and industry plays a crucial role.

The fine line between innovation and ethics

Regulatory guardrails are necessary to protect the public, but they must be balanced to avoid stifling innovation by making them too complicated.

For example, the General Data Protect Regulation (GDPR) has enshrined the right to data protection and privacy for millions of people, but it is complicated. Smaller companies may struggle to have enough resources to fully understand the regulation and may lack the confidence in compliance, meaning they shy away from innovation. Fines of up to 4% of global annual turnover can mean the breakdown of an otherwise successful business - a risk most can’t face taking.

The ethics by design approach

‘Ethics by design’ means taking an ethical approach to innovating and developing technology, right from the start, all the way through to implementation and beyond. Each stage in the design process is broken down to be examined for the ethical challenges it may raise. By taking this approach from the outset, and by breaking down the process into smaller, more manageable stages, ethical challenges can be managed and addressed more effectively.

Some people may feel that this adds complexities to innovation, or multiplies ethical quandaries, but it is critical in future proofing the project. These quandaries exist, whether obvious or not, and they will emerge at some point if not addressed during the design stage.

Ethics by design and a human centric approach to developing solutions go hand in hand to put the needs, desires, and experiences of people at the centre of the design process. By adopting this approach, products and services will be better able to meet the needs of the end user, whilst also ensuring they are protected from potential harm.

When industry and government work together in this way, practical and effective ethical frameworks can be created, which can help build public trust in the use of digital technology.

Ensuring trust and confidence through ethical governance

Robust governance of ethics is imperative to support the ethical development and use of technology. Guidelines and guardrails are needed to ensure that technology supports the public good and helps government and industry collaborate with confidence.

At the same time, guidelines shouldn’t be overly complex, or they risk stifling innovation or pushing it underground. It’s a tricky balance to get right, but essential in order for innovation to serve the needs of people using it.

Join our webinar on Wednesday 24th May where we’ll be discussing the role of Digital Ethics in delivering successful digital public services. 

This article was written by Dr. Kevin Macnish Digital Ethics Consultant Manager at Sopra. Kevin has 12 years of experience as an academic and consultant in digital ethics and was a lead contributor to the EU SHERPA project on the ethics and human rights implications of AI. Kevin has published over 40 academic articles, chapters and books on ethics and technology. Learn more about Kevin.

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