On Sunday, May 17, we celebrate World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. To mark the occasion, Human Rights Ombudsman Dr. Simona Drenik met yesterday with representatives of NGOs working in the field of the information society. The purpose of the meeting was to identify key challenges and explore opportunities for joint action and achieving positive change, while raising awareness of the importance of an inclusive information society.
In this era of accelerated digitalization and the development of the information society, numerous opportunities are emerging, but so are significant challenges in the field of human rights protection. Non-governmental organizations also play an important role in the field of information technology, contributing through their programs to greater digital inclusion, awareness, and education among various population groups. At the meeting with the Ombudsman, these challenges were discussed, including in light of the development of artificial intelligence, which introduces new dimensions and requires consistent respect for individual dignity and fundamental rights and freedoms.
Ombudsman Dr. Drenik Bavdek presented the Ombudsman’s activities in this area to those present and highlighted issues of privacy protection, equal access, discrimination, and freedom of expression, which are becoming increasingly relevant. She highlighted several key issues related to the digitalization of society, among which the following are particularly important:
Equitable access to technology; it must be ensured that digitalization does not create new inequalities, and special attention must be paid to vulnerable groups who lack access to infrastructure or services.
Digital literacy; it is crucial for meeting life’s needs and is thus becoming a basic life skill. Communication with institutions is increasingly taking place electronically (e.g., e-government, online banking, etc.), so the authorities must ensure measures to improve the digital literacy of all residents.
A safe internet; it forms the foundation of trust in digital transformation. It is crucial to empower users (vulnerable groups, consumers, and others) regarding the sharing of personal data, the use of antivirus protection, and caution when using free networks or applications.
Warnings about vulnerability; in the process of digitization, authorities and institutions must not forget about people who are not proficient in using digital tools; it is essential to provide them with alternative forms of access to services in order to prevent discrimination against vulnerable groups in a rapidly digitizing society.
Digital violence; digital tools are increasingly being used for stalking, harassment, intimidation, and attacks on personal integrity; women (public figures), children, and adolescents are particularly at risk. In this regard, it is essential to strengthen education and preventive measures.
During the discussion, NGO representatives addressed numerous challenges and issues in the areas they cover. They emphasized that artificial intelligence must serve people, not the other way around. They also drew attention to the impact of digitalization on culture, unequal access to digital services, discrimination, privacy violations, inaccessibility for people with various disabilities, and issues with calls for proposals that, among other things, are inaccessible to these individuals. In their view, data collection is becoming an increasingly significant problem, as data is increasingly stored in so-called “clouds” managed by large corporations. Meanwhile, hardware in this field is becoming increasingly expensive and systematically discourages individuals from opting for their own data storage solutions. They also see problems with numerous applications that are widely available to citizens but are complex, even inaccessible, since institutions that could have provided relevant input and expertise were not involved in the development of these applications.
In this regard, they highlighted the need for education, more effective inspection oversight, and the strengthening of good governance principles. They also want NGOs to be more involved in public debates and in the legislative processes in this area. They also proposed establishing a single point of contact at the national level—a coordinator—who would be available to assist individuals facing difficulties in finding the appropriate application, accessing these programs, identifying relevant content, dealing with software issues, technical problems, and so on.
NGO representatives also alerted the Ombudsman to systemic issues, highlighting, among other things, the Health Care Digitalization Act, which permits the collection of personal data; privacy protection is also being put to the test. The Ombudsman announced the possibility of filing a request for a constitutional review of this regulation.
In her work, the Ombudsman emphasizes that access to information is one of the fundamental rights of every individual, and that access to information and communication technology forms the foundation for the exercise of other rights; persons with disabilities are particularly vulnerable in this regard. Public sector websites must be accessible to all persons, as stipulated by Directive (EU) 2016/2102 on the accessibility of public sector websites and mobile applications, which was transposed into Slovenian law by the Act on the Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 30/2018), and its implementation is supervised by the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
In this regard, the Ombudsman emphasizes the importance of exchanging knowledge and experience between different generations. Younger generations can help older people use digital tools and services; older people, in turn, can contribute to a more balanced understanding of digital society through their experiences. Such intergenerational connectivity reduces the digital divide and strengthens a solidarity-based information society.
At the conclusion, those present agreed to collaborate on certain events and projects and to continue holding such meetings once a year. The meeting with the Ombudsman was attended by representatives of the Network of Non-Governmental Organizations for an Inclusive Information Society, the Institute for Electronic Participation, the Kersnikova Institute, the Lugos Association, the IZRIIS Institute, the Association, the Federation of Pensioners’ Associations, the A11y.si Institute for Digital Accessibility, the NEFIKS Institute, and the Spirit of the Times Association.
Georgia
