ECNL attended the second working meeting of Council of Europe Expert Committee on human rights dimensions of automated data processing and different forms of artificial intelligence (MSI-AUT) on 17-18 September in Strasbourg. The Committee addresses the impact of the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) on everyone’s rights and freedoms, including civil society organisations. By the end of 2019, the Committee will publish recommendations for standard-setting principles and potential regulatory implications on this field.
ECNL engages in this process to highlight the potential impact of AI on CSOs' activities and on civic space. We aim to make sure the proper criteria are in place to make AI an enhancer and enabler of civic space rather than an obstacle and standards are formulated accordingly. Accordingly, in our written comments submitted to the Committee we included a recommendation to the CoE Member States to promote a comprehensive study focusing on examples of how automated data processing and AI can be used a) to enhance the meaningful exercise of civic rights and freedoms and b) to counter the breaches to such rights and freedoms generated by automated data processing and AI themselves.
You can read more on the meeting in COE MSI-AUT's press release here.
ECNL also is member of the European AI Alliance.