by Oxford Information LabsMark McFaddenKate JonesEmily TaylorGeorgia Osborn
The draft EU AI Regulation is a far-reaching attempt to provide a regulatory foundation for the safe, fair, and innovative development of Artificial Intelligence in the European Union and is likely to have consequences across the globe. An important feature of the Regulation, which has so far provoked little academic debate, is its use of technical standards to help achieve its goals. However, standardisation is complicated and the nexus between standards and the European Commission’s goals is a challenging intersection of stakeholders, economic interests, and established standards development organizations. Building on extensive research and stakeholder consultation, the draft Regulation sets out a comprehensive framework for AI governance and standards. The large number of comments from stakeholders the draft Regulation has received reflect both the significance of such a proposed regulatory framework, and its anticipated global influence. It borrows mechanisms from the GDPR, but it also recognizes the unique role and challenges that AI presents. In addition, the EU itself is reconsidering its model for standardisation and is in the process of gathering input to a revised approach to European standardisation. This paper focuses on the role that the draft Regulation gives to standards for AI. Specifically, conformance with harmonised standards will create a presumption of conformity for high-risk AI applications and services – lending a level of confidence that they are in compliance with the onerous and complex requirements of the proposed Regulation and creating strong incentives for industry to comply with European standards.
by Emily TaylorFiona Pollock
Chinese representation through key leadership roles in technical standards risks creating imbalances, and at worst could result in the adoption of standards that turn the network into an instrument of surveillance
by Carolina CaeiroKate JonesEmily Taylor
This unedited draft chapter is in peer review and will appear in a forthcoming volume, Human Rights in a Changing World, to be published by Chatham House and Brookings Institution Press. The opinions expressed in this publication are the responsibility of the author(s).
by Mona ElswahMark RobertshawDr Samantha BradshawEmily Taylor
Social media platforms have come under increasing scrutiny for spreading mis-and-disinformation about COVID-19. Research has shown that citizens who are misinformed about COVID-19, or who consume highly partisan news about the virus, are less likely to adopt preventative measures, like wearing a mask, and are less likely to get vaccinated against the virus. To understand how Canadian audiences find and discuss COVID-19 news on social media, we examine the structure of Canadian news and information networks on YouTube, the most popular social media platform used by Canadians. We examine the differences across local, national, alternative and “junk” news channels on the platform to explore how audiences watching these channels discuss COVID-19, measuring the extent to which conspiracy and partisanship are a part of Canadian discourse about the Coronavirus on YouTube. We found that most citizens watching news on Canadian YouTube channels used neutral frames, discussing the virus without a conspiratorial or partisan tilt. However, the distribution of neutral comments was not even across the dataset, with 77% of comments on junk news channels representing partisan commentary about the virus. Despite early debunking efforts by health authorities and government officials, many conspiracies about the origin of the virus continued to permeate discussion about COVID-19 in local and national news comments on YouTube.
by Emily Taylor
Increasing global connectivity has brought with it a new range of security threats that were unfathomable just decades ago. Global reliance on the internet and on virtual networks has revealed a range of new cyber vulnerabilities and threats, including to critical infrastructure and the Internet of Things (IoT). Cyber technology has brought with it a new security focus on outer space, which has become key to the functioning of national and international infrastructure on the ground. Furthermore, technologies using the electromagnetic spectrum, which are increasingly integral to military operations, create new challenges and adversarial threats including the prospect of electronic warfare. These challenges have expanded geographically too, as countries explore new physical frontiers, like the Arctic, as regions of strategic interest. This conference report, comprising of four expert essays and a meeting summary, draws upon Chatham House’s December 2020 conference ‘Security at the Frontier’,1 to examine the latest developments in cyberspace, outer space, the Arctic and electronic warfare, and considers how best the UK and Japan might respond to these challenges.
by Emily Taylor
Emily's chapter on the UK track and trace app has been published today in Chatham House's 'The COVID-19 pandemic and trends in technology', edited by Joyce Hakmeh. The issues encountered during the development of track-and-trace apps as part of the fight against COVID-19 have highlighted significant differences in levels of accountability and transparency between the public and private sectors. This has underlined the areas of tension between corporate power and the authority of democratically elected governments, and the capacity of tech companies not just to deploy ‘soft’ power in the form of lobbying, but also to block access to essential technologies. The fragmented response to the COVID-19 pandemic has brought renewed focus on the lack of internationally agreed technical standards that are both privacy-respecting and secure by design. Such standards could potentially offer interoperability if individuals travel overseas, while at the same time guarding against overreach by some governments.
Infographic commissioned to represent data and findings for the International Foundation for online responsibility (IFFOR)'s report on online learning and parental controls
by Stacie HoffmannDominique LazanskiEmily Taylor
A paper published in the Journal of Cyber Policy discussing China's technical standards and how they may break apart the internet into a 'Splinternet'
by Stacie HoffmannMark McFadden
This paper explores the differing interpretations of digital sovereignty among states, enterprises and citizens, and explores the implication of these differences for the future of the global internet.
by Emily TaylorStacie Hoffmann
The ecosystem of junk news & disinformation around COVID-19 is enabled by search engines and advertising platforms that contribute to their visibility and financial revenue. Sites that consistently publish junk news, including harmful stories relating to COVID-19, show professional SEO strategies tasked with disseminating their content through search engines. They have high levels of domain authority, meaning that their content will rank high in search results for popular keywords.
by Emily TaylorStacie Hoffmann
This paper provides an inventory of the self-regulatory initiatives taken by six Internet platforms in response to computational propaganda between 1 November 2016 and 31 April 2018.
by Emily Taylor
As internet governance issues emerge in the wake of innovations such as the Internet of Things and advanced artificial intelligence, there is an urgent need for the EU and US to establish a common, positive multi-stakeholder vision for regulating and governing the internet.
by Emily TaylorStacie HoffmannDr Samantha Bradshaw
This report examines the impact of algorithmic changes made by social media platforms, designed to curb the spread of disinformation, through the lens of digital marketing. The report highlights some of the techniques used by campaigners to attract, retain and persuade online audiences. It also sets out recommendations for the UK Electoral Commission.
by Stacie HoffmannDr Samantha BradshawEmily Taylor
Geopolitical power struggles, protectionist policies and national security concerns are fuelling the race to 5G. At the same time, legitimate concerns are are lost in the rhetoric of trade wars, intellectual property, and sanctions violations. As a result, new alliances and national policies are emerging, which indicate a shift for the future of peace and diplomacy.
by Emily Taylor
A CENTR 20th Anniversary paper testing the hypothesis that ccTLDs support local languages.
One of a series of architecture and policy proposal documents, this paper provides an IoT security reference architecture for the healthcare industry. Based on well-known security principles and best practices, the paper develops four use cases and reference architectures to explore how to adopt security best practices in a healthcare ecosystem.
by Emily Taylor
A Q&A with LexisNexis' Alex Heshmaty on the national security and cybersecurity risks arising from 5G and Huawei
This study for the Internet Society assesses the state of security on consumer Internet of Things devices and the economic factors behind the weak security on many devices. It then draws upon these insights to offer policy recommendations for improving device security. Founded by the early pioneers of the Internet in 1992, the Internet Society is a global cause-driven organisation working for an open, globally-connected, secure, and trustworthy Internet for everyone. With members, chapters and offices around the world, the Internet Society engages in a wide spectrum of Internet issues – including policy, governance, technology and development – to address the challenges facing the Internet today and to shape its tomorrow. The authors are grateful for the research inputs contributed by the Internet Society, and for its input in reviewing the report.
The Hill
by Emily Taylor
Analysis of cybersecurity and geopolitical issues surrounding the 5G Huawei controversy
White paper exploring how existing regulations may be applied to the IoT and how they can be used to improve security in the IoT ecosystem.
One of a series of architecture and policy proposal documents, this paper provides a hub based approach to enterprise IoT security. Based on well-known security principles and best practices, the example architecture focuses on three areas of security: network management, connecting devices and lifecycle management.
One of a series of architecture and policy proposal documents, this paper provides a hub based approach to home IoT security. Based on well-known security principles and best practices, the example architecture focuses on three areas of security: network management, connecting devices and lifecycle management.
by Emily TaylorDr Samantha BradshawStacie Hoffmann
A NATO Stratcom paper provides an inventory of the self-regulatory initiatives taken by three Internet platforms between November 2016 and September 2018 in response to disinformation activities.
The Digital Freedom Fund convened a diverse set of collaborators to identify potential developments that may impact the future of digital rights.
EURid
Internationalised Domain Name World Report 2018, annual report sponsored by UNESCO, Verisign, and EURid
EURid
Internationalised Domain Name World Report 2017, annual report sponsored by UNESCO, Verisign, and EURid
by Emily Taylor
A paper commissioned by CIGI as a T20 policy brief on aspects of the digital divides in Infrastructure, Skills and Women's Empowerment.
EURid
Internationalised Domain Name World Report 2016, annual report sponsored by UNESCO, Verisign, and EURid
by Emily TaylorMark McFaddenStacie HoffmannLACTLD
A DNS Marketplace Report for ICANN, focusing on Latin America and the Caribbean. Co-authored with LACTLD and EURid
by Emily Taylor
The Privatisation of Human Rights is a paper commissioned by CIGI - The Global Commission on Internet Governance and Chatham House about how a small handful of private companies are playing an increasingly important role in mediating our human rights in the online environment.
by Emily TaylorEURidAbu-Ghazeleh Intellectual Property
A DNS Marketplace Report for ICANN, focusing on the Middle East and Adjoining Countries. Co-authored with Abu-Ghazeleh Intellectual Property and EURid
by Emily Taylor
A paper commissioned by Chatham house discussing the increasing internet access in the Middle Easter Gulf countries and the issues presented in cybercrime.
by Emily Taylor
ICANN: Bridging the Trust Gap is a paper commissioned by CIGI - The Global Commission on Internet Governance and Chatham House about the proposed transfer of IANA oversight away from the US government and the controversial relationship between the US Government and ICANN
by InterConnect CommunicationsEmily Taylor
MC/159 Report for Ofcom about the implications of carrier grade netwrok address translators, co-authored with InterConnect Communications
by InterConnect CommunicationsEmily Taylor
MC/111 Study for Ofcom about IPv6 Deployment and the risks involved, co-authored with InterConnect Communications
by InterConnect CommunicationsEmily Taylor
MC/080 Study for Ofcom about DNSSEC Deployment and security the infrastructure of the internet, co-authored with InterConnect Communications
by Emily Taylor
A UNESCO paper reflecting on the Internet's formation and UNESCO's role in internet governance
EURid
Until 2016, the IDN world reports were published in PDFs, from 2016 onwards the reports are hosted on the website. However the reports from 2011-2015 have been archived on the world report website.
Chatham House, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group (Ed. E Taylor)
Volume 4 No 1 of the Journal of Cyber Policy explores themes of geopolitics and international security as well as work on improving cyber-readiness and the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure.
