The design, development and use of new and emerging technologies can present transformative opportunities for the enjoyment of human rights. However, it also poses potentially profound, and sometimes unknown, risks and challenges.  Human rights experts and the technology industry increasingly need to understand each other’s fields in order to shape both risk-based and rights-based approaches to technology development. Bridging the gap between these communities can help fully realise the potential of technology, and improve the integration of human rights principles, terminology, and toolkits into technology development processes.

This panel discussion at London Tech Week will consider creative approaches to strengthening communication and engagement across the multidisciplinary human rights and technology community. The panel will discuss the role of capacity building, best practice and present innovative examples of human rights experts and technologists working together. The session aims to identify practical opportunities for future collaboration, as well as ideas for tools/resources on human rights and technology for stakeholders to take advantage of going forward.

Speakers

Craig Melson, TechUK (Chair)

Craig Melson is associate director for climate, environment and sustainability at UK tech trade body, techUK, where he heads up the organisation's work on climate change, environmental, social and governance disclosures and due diligence, through to circular economy, business and human rights, conflict minerals and post-Brexit regulation. Prior to joining techUK he worked in public affairs and policy, and has an avid interest in new and emerging technologies.

Ian Barber, Global Partners Digital

Ian Andrew Barber is an international human rights lawyer at Global Partners Digital, a London-based digital rights organisation. He directly engages in legal processes at the United Nations, the Council of Europe and on the national level, as well as leading capacity building efforts on the application of international human rights law. He works on a wide range of issues, including online platform regulation, cybersecurity, AI governance, and new and emerging technologies.

Linda Griffin, Mozilla

Linda’s most recent role was as Vice President for Public Policy and Communications at Kry – Europe’s largest health tech start-up. In that role she consolidated Kry’s public policy functions across markets. Previously she established and led public policy at the leading mobile games developer King. After King’s acquisition by the Activision Blizzard Group Linda became Vice President for Public Policy across the entire group. Linda is Co-founder of the European Tech Alliance (EUTA) and was its Chair and later Advisory Board member. She was Vice President of the Board of DOT Europe, and a Board Member of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in the UK. Earlier in her career, Linda led Facebook’s EMEA policy communications and early work in government transparency reporting, security, and privacy. She began her career in public policy consulting as an advisor to Kofi Annan’s Africa Progress Panel, governments including UAE and Singapore, and other clients. At Mozilla, Linda is responsible for developing and rolling out our work on public policy across all of our organizations, spanning topics from platform accountability to artificial intelligence.

Myrna Macgregor, Ocado

As Principal Data Strategist and Lead for Responsible AI & Robotics at Ocado Technology, Myrna explores how data and AI can keep Ocado at cutting edge of eCommerce, logistics, and robotics. As the Lead for Responsible AI and Robotics, she is dedicated to ensuring these technologies are developed in a fair, transparent, and trustworthy manner. Myrna is also an Expert Advisor to the Responsible AI Institute and an Ethical AI mentor with All Tech is Human. Previously Myrna led responsible ML at the BBC, where she designed the first comprehensive standard for responsible ML in media, the BBC’s Machine Learning Engine Principles. Myrna is a former British diplomat. She has worked on international economic and climate negotiations and served in Belgium, Kosovo, Germany and Israel.

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