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Although the EU is investing heavily in research in artificial intelligence (AI), the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which will go into effect in May, includes numerous provisions that will impede the development and use of AI in Europe. For example, the GDPR establishes a right to have a human review and explain algorithmic decisions, a requirement that will make it more difficult for companies to automate certain processes using AI. Similarly, the GDPR creates a right for consumers to demand that companies erase all copies of their personal data, a requirement that may undermine the integrity of algorithmic models. Furthermore, the huge fines associated with failing to comply with the GDPR, along with uncertainty about how to comply, poses risks even for companies doing their best to comply.

Join the Center for Data Innovation for an overview of a new report outlining how the GDPR will impact the development and use of AI, and a panel discussion about what Europe should do to support increased AI development and adoption.

Follow the conversation on Twitter using #datainnovation.

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Gold: $20k

Silver: $10k

Bronze: $6k

Champion: $1k

There are many benefits to making health data
available for secondary purposes, such as academic
research and drug development. One legal basis for
doing so is to obtain patient consent, however, this
has a number of practical challenges. The main
alternative legal basis is to de-identify the data. This
presentation will describe risk-based de-identification
techniques that have been in use for more than a
decade globally to de-identify health data. The basic
principle is to balance the risk of identity disclosure
with data utility that would facilitate beneficial uses of
the data. Methodological as well as practical
considerations will be discussed.

Event:
Please join us at a poster session celebrating the final projects of the IPSI course “Seminar in Identity, Privacy and Security”.  This year’s final projects cover a wide range of topics on current practices and emerging applications, which include privacy and security issues related to the smart home, unmanned aerial vehicles, blockchain technology, and multimedia forensics. Students will provide an in-depth discussion on potential solutions for the issues, such as policy changes and technical implementations.  All are welcome and we hope to see you there!

About the Event

As facial recognition technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, and the presence of such devices proves ubiquitous in both public and private spheres, it is critical for researchers to examine the potential effects on both individuals and society as a whole. To this end, the Division of Emerging Media Studies of Boston University’s College of Communication is holding an international symposium to bring together diverse perspectives from social scientists, philosophers, policy-makers, and computer scientists to explore the social, behavioral, and psychological dimensions of this new technological terrain. This unique collection of voices intends to illuminate the various and often competing dimensions of a challenging, complex area of research. Ultimately, it hopes to trace out the implications for society, and the choices that we must collectively and individually make.

Call for Papers

The Division of Emerging Media Studies at Boston University invites research-based perspectives on facial recognition technology. Limited travel support for presenters is available on an as-needed basis. Send abstracts to [email protected].

Symposium Format

The symposium will be composed of brief research-based papers, in-depth scholarly panel discussions, and lively audience participation. Ongoing discourse via Twitter is anticipated. As a clear understanding from an informed viewpoint is our goal, advocacy for particular partisan perspectives is discouraged.

Overview

Efforts to understand facial expressions and determine identity through technological means has existed since at least the 1960s (Gates, 2011). Decades of technological advancement have amplified the capacity for machines to discern individual identities, and today, facial recognition technology offers promising opportunities in sundry domains; algorithmically- informed predictability can offer substantial benefits in policing and security (Ricanek & Boehnen, 2012), medicine (Tan, Gilani, Mayberry, Mian, Hunt, Walters, & Whitehouse, 2017), and commercial endeavors (Deng, Navarathna, Carr, Mandt, Yue, Matthews, & Mori, 2017). However, these opportunities are simultaneously met with several challenges, such as the lack of regulation (Garvie, Bedoya, & Frankle, 2016), potential for flawed data through algorithmic bias (Introna, 2005; Introna & Wood, 2004), and infringements on personal privacy, particularly with the influx of photo sharing via social media platforms and resultant access to big data (Gasser, 2016; Mohapatra, 2016; Nakar & Greenbaum, 2017; Shaw, 2012).

To more fully understand the complexities of facial recognition technology and its consequences, the Division of Emerging Media Studies at Boston University presents an international symposium, where scholars from a variety of fields will discuss the promises and perils. An interdisciplinary, cross-cutting approach will help to facilitate an in-depth examination of the topic through paper presentations, panel discussions, and a poster session. The symposium will encourage the audience, both in-person and via virtual livestream, to participate actively with questions and debate. The goal of the event is for participants to not only develop a deep understanding of the competing issues at play but also identify actionable next steps within their fields of study.

Practitioners, researchers, and noted scholars of facial recognition technology will be invited to present their work. The Division of Emerging Media Studies invites additional perspectives through the peer-reviewed call for papers. Talks will be organized into panels, where each presenter will each briefly share their work, followed by an extended discussion among panelists.

Agenda (Subject to Change)

• April 17th: Welcome Reception for Speakers and Panelists, location TBD
• April 18th: Hillel Center, 213 Bay State Rd., Boston, MA, USA

International Scientific Advisory Board

• Appel, Lora – OpenLab, University Health Network, Toronto
• Betke, Margrit – Boston University
• Brito, Eliane P. Z. – Fundação Getulio Vargas, São Paulo
• Caronia, Letizia – Università degli Studi di Bologna
• Chen, Yi-Fan – Miami University
• Cushman, Ellen – Northeastern University
• Floyd, Juliet – Boston University
• Laugier, Sandra – Sorbonne University
• Lim, Sun Sun – Singapore University of Technology & Design
• Neff, Gina – Oxford University
• Poiger, Uta – Northeastern University
• Soysal, Zeynep – Boston University
• Takahashi, Toshie – Waseda University