Network+
Funding opportunities to explore social justice in the digital economy.
Not-Equal
Not-Equal, a three-year, £1.2m EPSRC funded project, has created Network+. It will look for ways in which we can better design and implement technology to support social justice and fairness for everyone.
Network+ brings together academics, industry, and private, public and third sector organisations, including voluntary and community groups. It explores current issues around:
- the ethics of technology
- algorithm bias
- creating fairer working conditions in the platform economy
Newcastle University's Open Lab leads the project in collaboration with Royal Holloway University of London, University of Sussex and Swansea University.
Dr Clara Crivellaro of the School of Computing is the Project Director. She said:
“We live in times of exceptional digital innovation that can really enhance our problem-solving capacities. But technology can either reinforce inequality or help mitigate it. With this Network+, we want to create the conditions for technology to support social justice.
“We are very excited to bring together researchers and organisations from a range of sectors to collaborate and co-create innovative responses that can make our digital society work for everyone.”
Partners in Network+
Network+ already has more than 30 partners, including:
- BBC
- UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing
Our other partners include the Trade Unions Congress and organisations such as Citizens Advice and Voluntary Organisations’ Network North East (VONNE).
We aim to build sustainable networks across academic communities, such as social scientists collaborating with tech designers. Partners from industry and civil society will build on areas of interest and foster new collaborations. These collaborations will develop practical ideas to address issues of social justice and fairness affected by technological developments related to big data, artificial intelligence, and the design of services based on algorithms.
Peter Hopkins, Dean of Social Justice at Newcastle University, is a supporter of the project and spoke at the Not-Equal event held in Newcastle on 29 November.
He explained: “We are proud to support the work of Network+. The world is changing rapidly. Understanding the role of social justice in relation to technology is vital if we are going to make changes to create a fairer society. Not-Equal’s challenges echo many of the issues we face around fairness and inclusion, and the role of power and responsibility organisations have in relation people’s lives.”
Funding for projects
An open commissioning process and activities support funding allocations. Network+ met with partners and communities to help define the network agenda. We held two launch events:
- Digital Catapult, London: 29 January 2019
- The Core, Newcastle Helix: 31 January 2019
Network+ funds projects which address the critical challenges so far identified. The challenges mirror public conversations about:
- the gig economy
- issues around algorithms bias
- digital security
Algorithmic bias and the implications of using algorithms to make decisions has been making the news recently. Yet, when used correctly, algorithms can have positive effects. They can save time and money, and spot problems that humans would not.
How can computers and their underlying algorithms help make decisions that affect us all fairer?
Not-Equal has already delivered a number of events looking at how we can navigate the potential risks and opportunities when it comes to algorithm service delivery.
Computers and applications should safeguard and protect the interests of everyone. More and more of our private data is uploaded online, from our shopping habits to healthcare data. Questions are being asked about whether this data is being used in an ethical way.
There are fears around data breaches, including the recent Cambridge Analytica breach. These have brought issues around the use of data in the political sphere to the forefront of many discussions.
What digital security models can ensure the safeguarding of everyone in this digital society?
Technology has irreversibly changed the way people work. The rise of the gig economy is raising issues around workers rights, sick pay and working hours.
How can we ensure fair opportunities and working conditions for everyone in our digital society?
Contact us
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