As part of the Next Frontier Debate, researchers from the HU will discuss issues and perspectives of research on socially relevant topics with representatives from science, politics, civil society and economy. The event questions the impact of specific research on society: what are benefits and opportunities, what are risks and challenges? What are possible side effects of using these new ideas, knowledge, techniques and technologies? What do we learn from the research results?


Accoring to studies, humans will interact 4800 times a day and thus every 18 seconds with a networked device in 2015. Society enjoys the convenience of a digital world as it is increasingly influenced by algorithms. But who is actually in control here? This year's Next Frontier Debate Who controls whom? Digitization and Regulation at Algorithmic World will discuss issues of self-determination of society and the individual in the context of digitization. The panelists will look at our connection to algorithms in everyday life, including the aspects of freedom, security, transparency and education.



Panelists

Prof. Dr. Ingrid Schneider is Professor of Political Science (since 2014) and works in the Center for Ethics in Information Technology (EIT) at the Department of Informatics, University of Hamburg (since 2017). She advised the German Bundestag as a member of the Parliamentary Study Commission »Law and Ethics of Modern Medicine« (2000 – 2002) and in various hearings. As a scientific expert, she has also given testimony at a number of expert hearings in the European Parliament, the European Patent Office, the German Bundestag and the Swiss and Austrian Parliaments (since 1996).
 
Malte Spitz is a writer, civil rights activist, politician and a consultant on data protection. Since 2013 Spitz is member of the party council of BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN. He is founder and Secretary General of the Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte. In his 2014 book »Was macht ihr mit meinen Daten?« (»What are you doing with my data?«), he investigated the way public agencies and corporations mine private data. In 2017 he published his book »Daten – Das Öl des 21. Jahrhunderts? Nachhaltigkeit im digitalen Zeitalter« (»Data - The Oil of the 21st Century? Sustainability in the digital age«).


Prof. Dr. Niels Pinkwart heads the research group »Computer Science Education / Computer Science and Society«, the ProMINT Kolleg and the center of technology enhanced learning located in the Professional School of Education of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In addition to his activities at HU, Prof. Pinkwart acts as Principal Investigator at the Einstein Center Digital Future and at the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society (German Internet Institute). Within the German Computer Science Association, Prof. Pinkwart is currently co-chair of the working group on Learning Analytics and member of the steering committee of the section on educational technologies.


Prof. Dr. Axel Metzger, LL.M. (Harvard) is founding director of the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society in Berlin. In addition, he is Professor of Civil Law and Intellectual Property Law, in particular Business Law at the Law Faculty of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. He held a professorship at Leibniz University Hannover from 2008 – 2014 and was a visiting professor in Basel, Shanghai and at Bucerius Law School. He is the author of numerous articles on intellectual property law and has repeatedly participated as an expert in hearings of the German Bundestag, various ministries and EU institutions on reform projects in copyright and patent law.

Participation

Due to the limited number of seats participants are invited to register by 24 October 2018 via email to
berlinscienceweek@hu-berlin.de.