While the first generations of tech-for-good work took a solutionist approach to addressing existing problems with new technology, scholars and activists are driving growing awareness of the problems with technology itself. By exposing the negative consequences, intended or otherwise, of tech, these communities draw attention to issues with tech-centric approaches. Not all of the projects here adopt an ethics lens in their work, but we use it here for simplicity's sake.
Suggested reading:
Project Liberty is advancing responsible development of the internet, designed and governed for the common good.
Supports research, implementation and education projects involving multi-sector teams that focus on the responsible design, development or deployment of technologies.
Anthropic is an AI safety and research company that's working to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.
The Decentralized Social Networking Protocol establishes a shared social graph that is no longer dependent on a specific application or a centralized platform.
Fatima's mission is for every person in the world to have their voice heard, while ensuring a safe, secure, and ethical research experience.
Open Terms Archive publicly records every version of the terms of digital services to enable democratic oversight.
14 renowned European research and computing centers have joined forces to develop an open European infrastructure for web search. The initiative will be contributing to Europe’s digital sovereignty as well as promoting an open human-centered search engine market.
Research & Data Investigation Lab - Where indie data punk, meets media theory pop to investigate digital rights blues
We exist to protect democracy and human rights from digital threats.
The Next Generation Internet (NGI) is a European Commission (EC) initiative that aims to shape the development and evolution of the Internet into an Internet of Trust.
Self-assessment and other resources to help entrepreneurs incorporate AI ethical principles into their technological solutions of entrepreneurs from seed stages to those who export their technologies to other markets.
Its goal is to promote research and disseminate best practice in the ethical application of artificial intelligence in cities.
A directory of more than 90 UK-based companies which provide technology or solutions which facilitate safer online experiences, and protect users from harmful content, contact or conduct.
FreedomBox is a private server system that empowers regular people to host their own internet services, like a VPN, a personal website, file sharing, encrypted messengers, a VoIP server, a metasearch engine, and much more.
$30 million initial investment will bridge gaps between industry, civil society, and policymakers, broadening generative AI infrastructure in service of society
"The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) is a California state government agency created by the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CPRA). As the first dedicated privacy regulator in the United States, the agency implements and enforces the CPRA and the California Consumer Privacy Act." - Wikipedia
EPIC is a public interest research center in Washington, DC seeking to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the information age.
The Cultural Safety Audit Tool for Individuals is designed to assess an individual’s level of development in understanding critical elements of cultural safety and working to create culturally safe experiences with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals. The Cultural Safety Audit Tool for Organisations is designed to assess an organisation’s commitment to a level of development in embedding cultural safety.
Greenhost provides hosting for NGOs and businesses that take ethical issues and sustainability seriously.
The Freedom Online Coalition is a partnership of 38 governments, working to advance Internet freedom.
"[V]ictims of violence or bullying can quietly voice activate to record an incident as it is happening and, if necessary, command the app to call the cops." - GovTech Magazine
Bringing African voices, values and experiences to global debates on AI.
A MariaLab é uma associação sem fins lucrativos, sem vínculo político-partidário e com empresas do setor privado, que atua na intersecção entre política, gênero e suas tecnologias.
A publicação visa colaborar na construção de estratégias de proteção, fomentando oficinas coletivas com defensoras e defensores de direitos humanos (DDHs), movimentos sociais e organizações da sociedade civil.
Ceno (short for censorship.no!) is the world’s first mobile browser that side-steps current Internet censorship methods. Its peer-to-peer backbone allows people to access and share web information in and across regions where connectivity has been interrupted or compromised.
In the project “reframe[Tech] – Algorithms for the Common Good”, we are committed to ensuring that efforts to develop and use algorithms and artificial intelligence are more closely aligned with the common good.
A taxonomy of deceptive design patterns, laws, cases, reading list, hall of shame, and Deceptive Patterns book
A commitment to make digital technologies work for, not against, democracy and human rights. It underlines the joint responsibility of governments, multilateral organizations, civil society, and technology companies to develop and use digital technologies to the benefit of democracy and human rights.
Help us identify and recognize the next 25 game-changers shaping the future of the internet to be more ethical, responsible and inclusive.
A secure communications platform built around you.
The Global Coalition for Tech Justice is a newly formed global movement to ensure Big Tech plays its role in protecting elections and citizens’ rights and freedoms across the world, particularly in the global majority where companies – Meta/Facebook, Google/YouTube, Twitter, TikTok et al – have been negligent in dealing with the impacts of their social media and messaging products.
AI Forensics is a European non-profit that investigates influential and opaque algorithms. We hold major technology platforms accountable by conducting independent and high-profile technical investigations to uncover and expose the harms caused by their algorithms.
This [Canadian] report includes the following: Importance of ethics in AI and government, Understanding the impacts of AI on society, Balancing AI-driven efficiency with privacy and security concerns, and Cyber-security and digital trust.
We now bring this decade’s worth of insights and our intellectual capital to scale with our automated audits, and proprietary demographic and geographic database used to ensure the validity (and compliance) of the outputs.
The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) Training Program provides an in-depth understanding of today’s most pressing privacy and data protection topics.
The Center for Information Technology Policy is a nexus of expertise in technology, engineering, public policy, and the social sciences.
Digital Futures Lab is a multidisciplinary research network that examines the complex interactions between technology and society in the global south.
Student Privacy Compass (formerly known as FERPA|Sherpa) is the student privacy resource center website. This site is your tool for finding information, news, and opinions on maintaining student data privacy. Student Privacy Compass is an initiative of the Future of Privacy Forum.
FPF brings together industry, academics, civil society, policymakers, and other stakeholders to explore the challenges posed by emerging technologies and develop privacy protections, ethical norms, and workable best practices in these areas and more.
Black communities need an affirmative vision of technology that protects our civil rights and advances our needs. A campaign nominated for a 2023 Webby Award.