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Freedom and Responsibility of IT-Sciences
Joint Workshop of DFG, Leopoldina and TU Darmstadt
The development of new information and communication technologies has changed everyday life enormously, especially in the previous two decades, and has therefor important social and scientific consequences. With the workshop “Freiheit und Verantwortung in den IT-Wissenschaften” the joint committee for the handling of security-relevant research of DFG and Leopoldina provided a platform for discussions about the responsible handling of dual-use relevant research in It-sciences on 27. Oktober 2017 at the Wissenschafts- und Kongresszentrum darmstadtium.
The responsible organization of the research in the face of the user-consideration of new IT-technology- developments opposed to the considerable imminent risks are presenting a challenge for IT-Scientists. Whereas the user of a mobile phone is obvious, a possible abuse, for example through the violation of personal rights or through the new possibilities of well-aimed manipulation of consumer behavior as well as the public opinion, is not always apparent.
Alongside Bärbel Friedrich and Frank Allgöwer of the joint committee of DFG and Leopoldina Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Prömel, president of TU Darmstadt, opened the event. The first block of events focused of the user and the potential risks of new IT- technologies. With three interesting lectures about robotics, data analysis and IT-Security the topic was conveyed to the participants.
Within the second block the beginnings for a value driven IT-research was presented. At first ethics within information technology were presented by Petra Grimm, Institut für Digitale Ethik (HdM, Stuttgart), after that Judith Simon, Universität Hamburg, presented different aspects of value-based decisions in IT-research. During which important question such as what responsibilities are taken by the research sponsors, but also what influence IT-researcher have on the possibly abusive use of their research results.
The closing panel discussion was once again about the question „Freedom and responsibilities within the IT-sciences – how are researcher, politics and the society handling this? “ Wolf-Dieter Lukus, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the journalist Ingo Dachwitz, netzpolitik.org, Thomas Lengauer, MPI for Computer Science, Saarbrücken as well as Harald Schöning, Software AG, contributed interesting arguments with their different perspectives and completed the event.
The committee for the handling of security relevant research pleads to minimize possible risks without compromising the freedom of the researcher and their development for peaceful purposes and with that the benefit of society.
Information about the joint committee for the handling of security relevant research
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