- Show all
- All
- Algorithmic accountability research
- Archived News and Events
- Blog
- Companion robots research
- Consent research
- Corporate Responsibility Research
- Events
- Facial recognition research
- Health and Human Rights
- Health research
- Humanitarian assistance research
- Intelligence oversight research
- Law enforcement research
- Mis and disinformation and deep fakes research
- News
- Open source investigations research
- Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation
- Upcoming Events
- Weekly News Circulars
Discussion Series: Live Facial Recognition
Read moreIn July 2019 researchers from the Human Rights Big Data and Technology Project published the first independently-funded academic report into…
Podcast of the Panel Discussion at the Book Launch for Digital Witness on 26 February 2020
in Events, Open source investigations research / / 0 commentsRead moreListen here to the Panel Discussion at the Book Launch of Digital Witness The panel discussion took place at the…
Panel Discussion – Getting to the truth – Using Open Source Data to Defend Human Rights
in Events, Open source investigations research / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 25 February 2020 the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project and the Foreign Policy Centre co-hosted an event…
Upcoming Event – Book Launch for Digital Witness – 26 February 2020
Read moreUsing Open Source Information for Human Rights Investigations 26 February 2020 6.30 – 8.00 pm Human Rights Action Centre Amnesty…
Assessing failures of universal health coverage in a regime where the state can be held accountable- the case of Colombia
Read moreThis blog originally appeared in Spanish on: Foco económico: un blog latinoamericano de economía y política Sonia Bhalotra (University of…
Professor Sonia Bhalotra gives keynote lecture at Swedish National Health Policy Conference
in Health research, News / / 0 commentsRead moreProfessor Sonia Bhalotra gave an invited keynote lecture at the annual Swedish National Health Policy conference on 2 October 2019. The…
BBC Radio Essex Interview – Fake News
in Mis and disinformation and deep fakes research, News / / 0 commentsRead moreDr Elena Abrusci was interviewed by BBC Radio Essex about misinformation and disinformation – commonly known as ‘fake news’. Dr…
Your Data: Why Should You Care?
in Consent research, Health research, Mis and disinformation and deep fakes research, News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 3 December 2019, Dr Elena Abrusci, Sabrina Rau (Senior Research Officers) and Amy Dickens (Doctoral Student) gave a presentation…
The Key to a Sustainable Digital Future; Human Rights Safeguards
Read moreIn a recent article published by the European Financial Review Sabrina Rau explored some of the risks to individuals in…
HRBDT Public Panel Discussion: “Facial Recognition and Human Rights” 10 September 2019
Read moreOn 10 September the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project hosted a panel discussion at The Royal Society on…
BBC Radio 4 Interview – Facial Recognition
in Facial recognition research, News / / 0 commentsRead moreDr Daragh Murray was recently interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s PM programme. Daragh highlighted the human rights and public interest considerations…
HRBDT Researchers Launch New Report on London Metropolitan Police’s Trial of Live Facial Recognition Technology
Read moreA new report by researchers from the Human Rights, Big Data & Technology Project, based at the University of Essex…
AI for Good but Good for All?
Read moreThe Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Houlin Zhao opened the third “AI for Good Summit” in Geneva…
BBC Radio Essex Interview – Surveillance Technology
Read moreProfessor Pete Fussey was recently interviewed on BBC Radio Essex talking about his role leading the new human rights, data…
HRBDT at panel on Protecting Privacy, Free Expression and Democracy
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 16 April 2019, Lorna McGregor moderated a multi-stakeholder discussion panel on “Protecting Privacy, Free Expression and Democracy”, at The…
Google’s pay audit and the meaning of ‘equality’
Read moreThis blog was originally published on the Human Rights Centre Blog. In March of this year, Google found that they were…
The need for clear governance frameworks on predictive algorithms in military settings
Read moreThis post originally appeared on the Humanitarian Law and Policy Blog. Editor’s note: In this post, as part of the AI blog…
HRBDT Public Panel Discussion: “Algorithmic Accountability and Human Rights” 26 March 2019
Read moreOn 26 March the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project hosted a panel discussion at The Royal Society on…
The HRBDT Project Meets with UNHCR and UNOSAT to Discuss Using Technology to Help Protect Displaced Persons
in Humanitarian assistance research, News / / 0 commentsRead moreThe HRBDT Project is delighted to welcome Rebeca Moreno Jimenez (UNHCR), Sofia Kyriazi (UNHCR) and Katarina Palmkron (UNOSAT) for a…
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70: Putting Human Rights at the Heart of the Design, Development and Deployment of Artificial Intelligence
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOur new HRBDT report on ‘The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70: Putting Human Rights at the Heart of…
Those pop-up ‘I agree’ boxes aren’t just annoying – they’re potentially dangerous
in Blog, Consent research, Corporate Responsibility Research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreHave you noticed the increasing number of pop-ups asking you to consent or “agree” when you visit a website? Do…
An End to PFI/PF2 – Implications for the Right to Health
Read moreOn 29thOctober 2018, Philip Hammond delivered a Conservative Budget declaring an end to austerity and outlining plans for a post-Brexit economy.…
HRBDT at 2018 Freedom Online Conference, Berlin
Read moreOn 29 November 2018, Lorna McGregor attended the 2018 Freedom Online Conference in Berlin, organised by the Freedom Online Coalition. …
International Expert Conference on Human Rights of Older Persons, Vienna
Read moreOn 12 November 2018, Lorna McGregor attended an International Expert Conference on Human Rights of Older Persons. The conference took…
UN austerity and human rights report highlights Big Data risks in the UK
Read moreBig Data and artificial intelligence are, perhaps surprisingly, a featured highlight in the UN expert’s report on extreme poverty in…
ALMA-ATA at 40: Its Values are Relevant to the Data Economy
Read moreIn 1978 when the Alma-Ata Declaration called on urgent action by all governments to protect and promote the health of…
HRBDT at The Alan Turing Institute Workshop on Data Trusts
Read moreOn 28 August 2018, Lorna McGregor spoke at the ‘Data Trusts Workshop’ held at The Alan Turing Institute, London. Lorna…
HRBDT provides evidence to The Law Society’s Public Policy Technology and Law Commission
Read moreOn 25 July 2018, Lorna McGregor gave evidence to The Law Society’s Public Policy Technology and Law Commission. The Law…
Free, Informed and Unambiguous Consent in the Digital Age: Fiction or Possibility?
in Blog, Consent research, Events, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 10 July, the Human Rights, Big Data, and Technology Project (HRBDT) co-hosted an event in London with the Law…
HRBDT at Policy Roundtable on Application of Responsible AI: Opportunities for Policing
Read moreOn 17 November 2017, Pete Fussey participated in a Reform policy roundtable discussion in London on ‘Application of Responsible AI: Opportunities…
Big Brother Watch and Others v. the United Kingdom – Some initial thoughts
in Blog, Intelligence oversight research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreOn Thursday, 13 September 2018, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) handed down their decision in Big Brother Watch and…
A Brief Review of the OHCHR Consultation on the Right to Privacy in the Digital Age
Read moreThe Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) conducted a consultation on the right to privacy…
How Does Content Moderation Affect Human Rights? Commentary on the Case of Infowars
in Blog, Corporate Responsibility Research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 6 August 2018, Apple, Facebook and Spotify removed content from Alex Jones’s Infowars pages and accounts on their platforms, which were…
Right to health impact assessments needed before using Big Data
Read moreBig Data is transforming health care in multiple ways, from patient management to diagnostic and treatment methods. These new technologies…
RightsCon 2018 – Mobilising the Might of Rights: A Human Rights Based Approach to AI
in Algorithmic accountability research, Blog, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreArtificial intelligence’s (AI) impact on society demands scrutiny of the ways in which it is designed and deployed. Debates have…
What Next After the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica Revelations?
in Algorithmic accountability research, Blog, Consent research, Corporate Responsibility Research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 2 July 2018, the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology (HRBDT) Project co-hosted a panel discussion with the International…
HRBDT Conference – Human Rights in a Digital Age
in Algorithmic accountability research, Blog, Corporate Responsibility Research, Events, Humanitarian assistance research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 24 May 2018, The Human Rights, Big Data and Technology (HRBDT) Project, based at the Human Rights Centre at…
Why We Need to Stop Talking About ‘Killer Robots’ and Address the AI Backlash
in Algorithmic accountability research, Blog, Companion robots research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreThis post originally appeared on EJIL: Talk! In the field of artificial intelligence, the spectacle of the ‘killer robot’ looms…
What Next After the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica Revelations?
Read moreOn 2 July 2018, the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology (HRBDT) Project co-hosted a panel discussion with the International…
Quick Comment on UK Draft Data Retention and Acquisition Regulations 2018 and the Definition of ‘Serious Crime’ for Bulk Surveillance Powers
Read moreThe UK Government has published the Draft Data Retention and Acquisition Regulations 2018, which propose changes to the Investigatory Powers…
The Call for Radical Transparency, Meaningful Accountability and Commitment to Remedy – David Kaye’s Report on Content Regulation
in Blog, Corporate Responsibility Research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 6 April 2018, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and…
Finding Trump with Neural Networks
Read moreThis post originally appeared on Medium When the President tweets, how do we know who is really behind the keyboard? With a trained…
Google’s new principles on AI need to be better at protecting human rights
in Blog, Corporate Responsibility Research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreOriginally published by The Conversation on 15 June 2018. There are growing concerns about the potential risks of AI –…
HRBDT at the 2018 Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum
in Events, Humanitarian assistance research, Mis and disinformation and deep fakes research, News / / 0 commentsRead moreFrom 11 – 13 June 2018, the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum took place in Bonn. Attended by over 2,000…
HRBDT at 4th International Human Rights Symposium in Seoul
Read moreOn 5 June 2018, the 4th International Human Rights Symposium took place in Seoul, convened by the Ministry of Justice…
Cambridge Analytica is more than a data breach – it’s a human rights problem
in Blog, Consent research, Corporate Responsibility Research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreOriginally published in The Conversation on 4 June 2018. The closure of Cambridge Analytica following the revelations about its use…
HRBDT at the Data Justice Conference 2018
Read moreLorna McGregor and Vivian Ng participated in the Data Justice Conference 2018 hosted by the Data Justice Lab at Cardiff…
Locating Human Rights in the Critical Analysis of Algorithmic Decision-Making: A Brief Commentary on the Science and Technology Committee Report on Algorithms in Decision-Making
Read moreThe House of Commons Science and Technology Committee recently released the Fourth Report of Session 2017-2019 on ‘Algorithms in decision-making’. The release…
Four ways your Google searches and social media affect your opportunities in life
in Algorithmic accountability research, Blog, Law enforcement research, News, Open source investigations research / / 0 commentsRead moreBy Lorna McGregor, Daragh Murray and Vivian Ng Originally published in The Conversation on 21 May 2018. Whether or not you realise…
HRBDT at RightsCon 2018 – Mobilising the Might of Rights: A Human Rights Based Approach to AI
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 17 May 2018, the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project hosted a session at RightsCon on a human…
HRBDT at the 2018 Global Scholars Symposium
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 11 – 13 May 2018, the Global Scholars Symposium took place at the University of Oxford. The Symposium, for…
Beyond privacy: the right to health implications of data sharing partnerships in healthcare
Read moreIn November 2015, the Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust transferred over 1.6 million identifiable patient records to DeepMind, an artificial intelligence…
Police are using big data to profile young people, putting them at risk of discrimination
Read moreOriginally published in The Conversation on 16 May 2018. Amnesty International has raised a series of human rights issues in…
HRBDT at the 6th Annual Unintended Consequences Conference
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 7 – 8 May 2018, the 6th annual Unintended Consequences (UC) Conference on ‘The Power of Failure: New Perspectives…
Big Data Can Strengthen UPR Monitoring and Promote Improved Policies
Read moreThe UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) operates a five-year cycle for all countries to demonstrate compliance with…
HRBDT at RUSI Workshop on ‘Artificial Intelligence, Prediction and Criminal Justice Decision-Making’
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 2 May 2018, a RUSI workshop on ‘Artificial Intelligence, Prediction and Criminal Justice Decision-Making’ took place, co-organised with the…
HRBDT at the 2018 BILETA Conference
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 10 – 11 April 2018, the British and Irish Law Education and Technology Association (BILETA) 2018 Annual Conference took…
HRBDT Lecture at the University of Wrocław
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 19 April 2018, Dr Krzysztof Garstka gave a lecture at the University of Wrocław on ‘From Cyberpunk to Regulation:…
Businesses as Gatekeepers to Online Content: A Human Rights Approach
Read moreOn 11 April 2018, a seminar titled, “Businesses as Gatekeepers to Online Content: a Human Rights Approach ” took place…
Cybersecurity and Human Rights: Some Reflections
Read moreThe Bury St Edmunds Amnesty International Group and West Suffolk College co-organised a conference on Cybersecurity and Human Rights on 11 January…
HRBDT at 2018 FIDH International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 17 March, Lorna McGregor spoke on the panel ‘Artificial Intelligence: Opportunity or threat for human rights?’ at the International…
HRBDT at Workshop on Economics of Health Behaviours and Information
in Health research, News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 15 – 16 March 2018, Sonia Bhalotra chaired a panel session on ‘What works in health messaging? New international research’…
HRBDT at the Post-Truth Phenomenon Conference
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 15 – 17 March 2018, the Post-Truth Conference was held at the University of Cambridge. The conference aimed at…
HRBDT at EU FRA Expert Meeting on Big Data and Fundamental Rights
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 28 February 2018, Daragh Murray participated in a roundtable workshop on ‘Mapping the impact of big data on fundamental…
HRBDT at the 10th Enquire Conference
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 24 February 2018, the 10th Enquire conference took place on ‘Identity, Belonging and Activism in the 21st Century’, organised by…
HRBDT at CRISP ‘The Future of Surveillance Cameras in the UK’
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 21 February 2018, Peter Fussey chaired a Question Time-themed event on ‘The Future of Surveillance Cameras in the UK’,…
HRBDT at the 2018 OHCHR Expert Workshop on the Right to Privacy in the Digital Age
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 19 – 20 February 2018, the OHCHR Expert Workshop on the Right to Privacy in the Digital Age took…
HRBDT at UNRISD Workshop on New Technology and Human Rights
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 16 February 2018, Catherine Kent, Sheldon Leader and Sabrina Rau participated in a workshop convened by the United Nations Research…
Members of HRBDT Project Submit Evidence on Proposed Amendments to Investigatory Powers Act
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 30 November 2017 the Home Office issued an open consultation regarding proposed amendments to the UK Investigatory Powers Act…
HRBDT at the 2017 Internet Governance Forum
Read moreFrom 17 – 21 December 2017, the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which aims to facilitate the discussion of…
HRBDT at Policy Roundtable on Application of Responsible AI: Opportunities for Policing
Read moreOn 17 November 2017, Pete Fussey participated in a Reform policy roundtable discussion in London on ‘Application of Responsible AI:…
UN Forum on Business and Human Rights 2017 – Addressing Access to Remedy in the Digital Age: Corporate Misconduct in Sharing and Processing Personal Data
in Algorithmic accountability research, Blog, Consent research, Corporate Responsibility Research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead more2017 United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights Addressing Access To Remedy In The Digital Age: Corporate Misconduct In…
HRBDT at the 2017 UN Business and Human Rights Forum
Read moreOn 27 November 2017, the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project, together with the Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic…
HRBDT Presentation to the European Youth Forum
Read moreOn 23 October 2017, the European Youth Forum, a network of youth organisations in Europe that aims at empowering young…
Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and the Rule of Law
Read moreOn 9 October 2017, Lorna McGregor participated in a debate on ‘Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and the Rule of Law’,…
Algorithmic Decision Making and its Human Rights Implications
Read moreOn 12 – 13 October 2017, Lorna McGregor participated in a workshop within the Global Network of Internet and Society…
HRBDT at the 2017 GDPR:SUMMIT
Read moreOn 9 October 2017, Krisztina Huszti-Orban presented on ‘The challenges brought by data-driven technologies to securing free and informed consent:…
HRBDT at the 2017 INTRALaw Workshop on Business and Human Rights
in Corporate Responsibility Research, News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 2 – 3 October 2017, INTRALaw (International and Transnational Tendencies in Law) of the University of Aarhus, Denmark, organised…
Submission to the Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence
in Algorithmic accountability research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreIn September 2017, the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project made a submission to the House of Lords Select Committee…
HRBDT at the 2017 Tommy Flowers Institute Autumn Conference
Read moreOn 26 – 27 September 2017, Lorna McGregor participated in the 2017 Tommy Flowers Institute Autumn Conference on ‘Security and…
HRBDT at the 36th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 20 September 2017, Lorna McGregor participated in a side event on ‘Artificial Intelligence, Justice and Human Rights’ at the 36th session…
‘Doxing’ and White Nationalists’ Right to Privacy
Read moreIntroduction The recent clash in Charlottesville, Virginia between rival protestors over a statue memorialising a general in the Confederate Army…
HRBDT at the 2017 MyData Conference
Read moreOn 30 August 2017, Krisztina Huszti-Orban presented on ‘The Role of Consent in the Collection, Retention, Processing and Sharing of…
HRBDT at the 2017 European Forum Alpbach
Read moreIn August 2017, the European Forum Alpbach took place, co-organised by the Austrian Ministry of Science and the Austrian Science…
Big Data and Monitoring Sustainable Development Goal 3: Not Counting Those Left Behind?
Read moreThe latest global initiative to address the vast inequalities in the world, including health inequalities, is the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable…
Vicarious Trauma of the Private Counter-Terror Workforce: Extending the Duty of Care
in Blog, Corporate Responsibility Research, Intelligence oversight research, Law enforcement research, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead moreCommunities used to gather on street corners, sidewalks, parks and public squares. Today, social media platforms are increasingly the forum…
Regulating Surveillance in the UK
Read moreOriginally published by the HUJI Cyber Security Research Center’s Cyber Law Program The surveillance practices of intelligence agencies, and in particular…
Amnesty International’s Tanya O’Carroll on privacy & the ‘nothing to hide, nothing to fear’ argument
in Algorithmic accountability research, Blog, Intelligence oversight research, Law enforcement research, News / / 0 commentsRead moreI recently interviewed Tanya O’Carroll, a Technology and Human Rights advisor at Amnesty International, to discuss government surveillance and its…
“People just don’t get it” – An interview with Kade Crockford of the ACLU of Massachusetts about why surveillance issues aren’t getting the attention they deserve
Read moreThe precarious state of privacy often fails to stir public attention. For example, the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), a piece…
HRBDT at the 2017 Privacy Laws & Business Annual Conference
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 4 July 2017, David Erdos spoke on ‘Data protection law liability and user generated content: Ways forward under the GDPR’…
HRBDT at the 2017 International Meeting on Law and Society
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 20 – 23 June 2017, the International Meeting on Law and Society, ‘Walls, Borders, and Bridges: Law and Society in…
HRBDT at Digital Impact London
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 16 June 2017, Vivian Ng participated in a conversation with Andrew Means on ‘Considering Bias’ at Digital Impact London,…
Bridging the Gender Digital Divide from a Human Rights Perspective
Read moreThis week, the United Nations Human Rights Council will discuss a report prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner…
HRBDT at ITU AI for Global Good
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreFrom 7 – 9 June 2017, the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project participated in the ITU AI for…
HRBDT at the 2017 Canadian Sociological Association Annual Conference
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 30 May 2017, Ajay Sandhu presented a paper on ‘The Police’s Data Visibility: How Data Technologies Are Used to…
Human Rights Practice in the Digital Age Workshop
in News, Open source investigations research / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 27 March 2017, the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project co-hosted a one-day workshop with the Centre of…
Submission to the Science and Technology Committee on Algorithms in Decision-Making
in Algorithmic accountability research, News / / 0 commentsRead moreIn April 2017, the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project made a submission to the Science and Technology Committee’s…
HRBDT at Kerala Urban Observatory Workshop
in News / / 0 commentsRead moreOn 25 – 26 April 2017, Peter Fussey gave a presentation on ‘Digital Data, Ethics and Rights’ to urban planners in…
Algorithmic Decision-Making and Human Rights
in Algorithmic accountability research, Blog, News, Technology, Big Data and Human Rights: Scope, Methods and Regulation / / 0 commentsRead more‘Man Vs. Machine’. ‘How algorithms rule the world’. ‘How algorithms rule our working lives’. ‘How Machines Learn to be Racist.’…
The Police’s Data Visibility – Part 2: The Limitations of Data Visibility for Predicting Police Misconduct
Read moreEditor’s note: This is the second of a two-part blog post examining the potential impact of data visibility on law enforcement. In…
Our Partners
