Show Notes: Helene and UN Digital Cooperation

01Oct 2024 by The Mighty Humanzee No Comments
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We are told that systems will save us, that we need to sign treaties and use UN and WHO protocols. Yet we can’t even get resources to North Carolina. For a while it looked like the feds forgot they had helicopters.

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Helene

The tragic details unfold as over 100 dead have resulted from Hurricane Helene.  While there are over 600 presumed missing, efforts continue to locate the victims.  We will have GrammyPam64GILL who lives in North Carolina and has contributed to recovery efforts provide an update.

Chimney Rock Has Been Decimated

Rail Service Is In Worse Shape Than Roads

Asheville

 

UN Digital Cooperation to Achieve Agenda 2030

“In 2015, we resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty, hunger and want and to secure and heal our planet. We promised that we would leave no one behind. We have made some progress, but the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals is in peril.”

Technology Is the Key Component to achieve governance and sustainability.  Governance means being able to measure, mitigate risks and control processes to ensure outcomes.

What is Agenda 2030

In 2015 the UN established a framework for achieving a more equitable and stable for all mankind.  Our future is in peril due to climate change, environmental destruction, and the tyranny of poverty.  Because of our current destructive use of technology to acquire energy, grow food, and due to our unconstrained use of technology to acquire wealth while leaving other societies behind, a management process of all economic and agricultural activity must be put in place.  This requires technology to monitor our progress producing goods and services in manners considered sustainable and that do not harm the planet.

As computing technology has developed so rapidly, it is important to recognize the ability of digital technology to improve lives as well as it’s destructive nature when misused.  Therefore governance on a global scale must be adopted to ensure the equitable and safe use of technologies like AI, and that technologies like AI remain aligned with the sustainable goals of Agenda 2030.

2030 is the year in which all of these developments will be in place.  This will transform economics, social interactions including ethics, mores, and will govern how we use the environment.

Key Ingredients to Agenda 2030

  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): At the heart of Agenda 2030 lie the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a set of interconnected goals and targets aimed at addressing global challenges like poverty, hunger, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation.

  • Universality: The Agenda applies to all countries, recognizing that sustainable development is a shared responsibility requiring global cooperation. 

  • Interconnectedness: The Agenda emphasizes that the SDGs are interconnected, meaning progress in one area can positively impact others. Conversely, setbacks in one area can hinder progress across the board.

Key Threats

Climate Change and Environmental Degradation
  • Climate change is identified as “one of the greatest challenges of our time,” with disproportionate adverse impacts on developing countries. The “Pact for the Future” emphasizes the urgent need to accelerate efforts to meet obligations under the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
  • The sources also highlight the broader issue of environmental degradation, including biodiversity loss, pollution, water scarcity, and deforestation, as serious threats to both the planet and development prospects.  Addressing these interconnected environmental challenges requires a fundamental shift in approach and a renewed commitment to living in harmony with nature.

Technological Risks and Digital Divides
  • While acknowledging the potential of digital technologies to drive progress towards the SDGs, the sources recognize the risks associated with their rapid evolution. These include the potential for technologies to deepen existing inequalities, exacerbate discrimination, and erode human rights if not governed responsibly.

  • The sources specifically call for closing “digital divides” within and between countries. This involves ensuring equitable access to technology, digital literacy, and skills development, as well as addressing issues of affordability, infrastructure, and capacity-building, particularly in developing countries. 

Digital Rights Will Erode Your Actual Rights

  • Intertwined with Sustainable Development: 
  • Universal Connectivity: The Roadmap emphasizes the importance of safe and affordable internet access for all by 2030. It acknowledges that lack of connectivity disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, hindering their ability to exercise their digital rights.
  • Rooted in International Law and Human Rights: International law, particularly human rights law, forms the bedrock of digital cooperation. This means that existing human rights, as enshrined in international treaties and declarations, apply online as they do offline.

    So will Banning Online Then Extend to the Real World?  Is this Social Credit?

  • Multi-Stakeholder Approach: A core principle consistently highlighted is the need for multi-stakeholder engagement. The sources recognize that addressing the complex challenges of the digital age requires collaboration between governments, the private sector, civil society, international organizations, and individuals. This collaborative approach is deemed essential for developing effective solutions, setting standards, and ensuring that the benefits of digital technologies are shared equitably.
  • Addressing Digital Divides: The sources repeatedly highlight the problem of digital divides, recognizing that unequal access to technology exacerbates existing inequalities. This emphasis on inclusivity is evident in the commitment to connecting all people to the internet, promoting digital literacy, and ensuring affordable access to digital technologies.
  • Safeguarding Human Agency in a Tech-Driven World: Data protection and privacy, informed consent in data usage, and safeguards against unchecked surveillance. Similarly, the sources emphasize the need for human oversight in the development and deployment of artificial intelligence, particularly in critical areas involving life-and-death decisions. This focus on human agency reflects a concern that technology should serve humanity, not the other way around.

  • Online Harassment and Content Governance: The report highlights the disproportionate impact of online harassment and violence on women and girls, along with other vulnerable groups. It calls for transparent and accountable content governance frameworks that protect freedom of expression while effectively addressing harmful content.

Why Do You Need to “Govern” Content?  MISINFORMATION

The documents continue to emphasize the need to establish trust and security in the digital infrastructure.  While this implies network security that will identify people and grant or restrict their access to digital information assets, there is also a concept of security of “well being” with the misuse of information.  Security implies that detrimental acts can be prevent. 

Is that detrimental act the creation of misinformation?  Wouldn’t prevention of misinformation  become the ultimate protection?

What Could Happen, What’s At Risk?

Sustainable Peace and Security: The “Pact for the Future” explicitly identifies misinformation as a risk to sustaining peace, linking it to disinformation, hate speech, and harmful content that can incite violence and instability [1]. It underscores the need to address these risks while upholding freedom of expression and access to information in line with international law.

  • Digital Trust and Security: The sources, particularly the “Roadmap for Digital Cooperation,” emphasize promoting trust and security in the digital environment as crucial for achieving the SDGs.

    The spread of misinformation erodes digital trust, making it harder to leverage digital technologies for sustainable development.

  • Effective Crisis Response: The sources highlight the importance of accurate data and information in addressing crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Misinformation can hinder effective responses by:

    • Spreading fear and confusion
    • Undermining public health measures
    • Eroding trust in authorities and institutions.

How Will Digit Rights Be Insured?  Digital Identity

We have covered Digital Identity in Severed Conscience.

To better utilize AI they will need to control ALL AI, and ensure there is constraints globally.  The UN fears that AI in wrong hands will aid in the construction of counter narratives of misinformation.

  • Lack of Representation and Inclusiveness: According to the sources, developing countries are often under-represented or entirely absent from major AI forums and discussions. This lack of inclusion prevents a diverse range of perspectives from shaping the development and governance of AI, potentially exacerbating existing inequalities and limiting the potential benefits of AI for developing nations. The sources emphasize the importance of ensuring that all countries, particularly those with pressing development needs, have a voice in shaping the future of AI. They specifically point to the work of UNESCO on the ethics of AI as a model for inclusive global engagement.
  • Lack of Coordination: A significant challenge highlighted in the sources is the fragmented nature of AI governance. While numerous initiatives focus on AI ethics and governance, they often operate in silos, lacking a common platform or framework for coordination. This fragmentation can lead to conflicting principles, duplication of efforts, and a lack of clarity regarding best practices, ultimately hindering the development of a cohesive and effective global approach to AI governance. The sources call for a more centralized and accessible platform to bring together these disparate initiatives and foster greater coherence in global AI governance .
  • Limited Public Sector Capacity: The sources point to a critical gap in the public sector’s capacity to engage effectively with AI and provide adequate oversight and governance. Many governments lack the expertise and resources to understand the complexities of AI, assess its potential impact, and develop informed policies and regulations. This capacity gap hinders the ability of public institutions to harness the benefits of AI for public good and to mitigate potential risks and unintended consequences. The sources highlight the need for enhanced capacity-building initiatives to equip public sector actors with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to engage effectively with AI and ensure its responsible development and use. The sources cite the “Artificial Intelligence for Good Global Summit,” convened by the ITU in partnership with other UN entities, as an example of an initiative working to address this capacity gap by promoting the use of AI for sustainable development.

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