October 2016 - nexa - server-nexa.polito.it

Facebook-backed school software shows promise — and raises privacy concerns

by Alberto Cammozzo

<https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/facebook-backed-school-softw…> Caroline Pollock Bilicki felt uneasy about the new education program introduced this year at her children’s Chicago school. Summit Basecamp, built with the help of Facebook engineers, was billed as a powerful tool that could reshape how students learn. Dozens of schools nationwide have signed up to use the program, which tailors lessons to individual students using software that tracks their progress. But it also captures a stream of data, and Bilicki had to sign a consent form <https://plp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/206157927/Parental_Con…> for her children to participate, allowing their personal data to be shared with companies such as Facebook and Google. That data, the form said, could include names, email addresses, schoolwork, grades and Internet activity. Summit Basecamp promised to limit its use of the information — barring it from being used, for example, to deliver targeted ads — but Bilicki agonized over whether to sign the form. “I’m not comfortable with having my kids’ personally identifiable information going to I don’t even know where, to be used for I’m not sure what,” she said. A joint project of Facebook and the high-performing charter-school network Summit Public Schools, Basecamp is an example of an increasingly popular education trend — data-driven “personalized learning.” Its most fervent backers have framed it as the next big thing in education, re-imagining how classrooms work and allowing teachers to reach students across a wide spectrum. But as the Summit program and others like it have expanded, concerns such as Bilicki’s have emerged, highlighting the tension between the promise and the potential perils of new classroom technologies. Some parents, researchers and privacy advocates worry about what information is being collected and how it is being used. Education experts warn that while using computers to personalize teaching might prove transformative, its effectiveness remains largely unproven. []

Oct. 14, 2016

There is a blind spot in AI research

by Alberto Cammozzo

There is a blind spot in AI research -- Kate Crawford & Ryan Calo Fears about the future impacts of artificial intelligence are distracting researchers from the real risks of deployed systems <http://www.nature.com/news/there-is-a-blind-spot-in-ai-research-1.20805> [] Autonomous systems are already deployed in our most crucial social institutions, from hospitals to courtrooms. Yet there are no agreed methods to assess the sustained effects of such applications on human populations. Recent years have brought extraordinary advances in the technical domains of AI <http://www.nature.com/news/computer-science-the-learning-machines-1.14481>. Alongside such efforts, designers and researchers from a range of disciplines need to conduct what we call social-systems analyses of AI. They need to assess the impact of technologies on their social, cultural and political settings. A social-systems approach could investigate, for instance, how the app AiCure — which tracks patients’ adherence to taking prescribed medication and transmits records to physicians — is changing the doctor–patient relationship. Such an approach could also explore whether the use of historical data to predict where crimes will happen is driving overpolicing of marginalized communities. Or it could investigate why high-rolling investors are given the right to understand the financial decisions made on their behalf by humans and algorithms, whereas low-income loan seekers are often left to wonder why their requests have been rejected. [] Alberto

Oct. 14, 2016

PI: "USA, tecnocontrollo poliziesco"

by J.C. DE MARTIN

*USA, tecnocontrollo poliziesco** * /Le forze dell'ordine statunitensi hanno sfruttato il sistema di monitoraggio della startup Geofeedia per reperire dati su manifestanti, seguirne gli spostamenti ed entrare prontamente in azione. È ora che Facebook, Twitter, Instagram vietino queste intrusioni. Il monito è dell'ACLU// / Mirko Zago 13 ottobre 2016 Roma - L'ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) del Nord Carolina ha reso noto di aver ottenuto dei documenti che testimoniano come Twitter, Facebook e Instagram abbiano fornito accesso ai dati degli utenti a una società di social media monitoring. Si tratta di Geofeedia, proprietaria di una piattaforma che sarebbe stata impiegata in accordo con le autorità per identificare e seguire gli spostamenti di chi ha partecipato a manifestazioni di protesta in molto luoghi del Paese. […] Continua qui: http://punto-informatico.it/4347380/PI/News/usa-tecnocontrollo-poliziesco.a…

Oct. 14, 2016

Invito a partecipare all'Internet Governance Forum Italia 2016 di Venezia

by Stefano Trumpy

Vi trasmetto a nome del Comitato di programma l’invito a partecipare a IGF Italia 2016, spero di vedervi numerosi, cordiali saluti Stefano Trumpy. ================================================================================ Invito a partecipare all'Internet Governance Forum Italia 2016 di Venezia Abbiamo il piacere di invitarvi a partecipare all'Internet Governance Forum Italia 2016 <http://2016.igfitalia.it/> che si terrà a Venezia, il 14 e 15 novembre, organizzato dall’Università Ca’ Foscari con il patrocinio di VENIS ed in collaborazione con Internet SOCiety Italia. I risultati dei lavori saranno presentati al prossimo IGF globale delle Nazioni Unite di Guadalajara, nel Dicembre 2016, ospitato dal governo messicano. L'IGF è dal 2006 un Forum multistakeholder aperto a tutti, che facilita il dialogo sulle questioni di politica pubblica relative allo sviluppo dell’ecosistema Internet. Il 2016 segna il primo IGF a seguito del rinnovo del mandato da parte dell’Assemblea Generale delle Nazioni Unite per i prossimi 10 anni. Le due giornate di incontro a Venezia saranno caratterizzate dal dialogo interattivo e affronteranno una vasta gamma di temi e questioni, tra cui, ma non solo: Net neutrality, Cybersecurity, Industry 4.0, Internet of things, Digital divide, Diritti in rete e Governance di Internet. Le precedenti edizioni di IGF Italia hanno dimostrato il valore dell'approccio multistakeholder e l'importanza di mettere a confronto i diversi attori sociali - governo, istituzioni e pubbliche amministrazioni, settore privato, ricerca e società civile - che portano punti di vista, necessità ed esperienze altrettanto differenti tra loro. L’IGF 2016 di Venezia intende rinnovare e proseguire l'esperienza positiva degli anni precedenti nel dare vita ad un'importante momento di incontro e approfondimento sul futuro di Internet e sulle opportunità offerte dalla rete. Stefano Rodotà, Presidente del Comitato dei promotori di IGF Italia Michele Bugliesi, Rettore Università Ca’ Foscari Luca Battistella, Consigliere Delegato all’Innovazione del Comune di Venezia Alessandra Poggiani, Direttore Generale VENIS Venezia Informatica e Sistemi S.p.A. Stefano Trumpy, Presidente Internet Society Italia =============================================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------ Ing. Stefano Trumpy Presidente Internet Society Italy Via del Poggio 25, Livorno, Italia phone: + 39 0587579212 mobile: +39 3488218618 e-mail: stefano(a)trumpy.eu <mailto:stefano@trumpy.eu> skype: stetru

Oct. 13, 2016

Obama in Conversation With MIT’s Joi Ito

by Alberto Cammozzo

<https://www.wired.com/2016/10/president-obama-mit-joi-ito-interview> [] Joi Ito: This may upset some of my students at MIT, but one of my concerns is that it’s been a predominately male gang of kids, mostly white, who are building the core computer science around AI, and they’re more comfortable talking to computers than to human beings. A lot of them feel that if they could just make that science-fiction, generalized AI, we wouldn’t have to worry about all the messy stuff like politics and society. They think machines will just figure it all out for us.[] Alberto

Oct. 13, 2016

Obama and Joi Ito on AI

by J.C. DE MARTIN

https://www.wired.com/2016/10/president-obama-mit-joi-ito-interview IT’S HARD TO think of a single technology that will shape our world more in the next 50 years than artificial intelligence. As machine learning enables our computers to teach themselves, a wealth of breakthroughs emerge, ranging from medical diagnostics to cars that drive themselves. A whole lot of worry emerges as well. Who controls this technology? Will it take over our jobs? Is it dangerous? President Obama was eager to address these concerns. The person he wanted to talk to most about them? Entrepreneur and MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito. So I sat down with them in the White House to sort through the hope, the hype, and the fear around AI. That and maybe just one quick question about /Star Trek/. —Scott Dadich <https://www.wired.com/author/scott-dadich/>

Oct. 13, 2016

"Vivi internet, al sicuro" (Google, Garante privacy ...)

by Giorgio Mancosu

Segnalo il seguente evento di interesse (dettagli nel *comunicato stampa allegato*): *Mese della sicurezza informatica: Al via la nuova edizione di ‘Vivi internet, al sicuro’ * *Nelle piazze e nelle università di cinque città, Google insieme a Polizia Postale e delle Comunicazioni, Altroconsumo e Accademia italiana del codice di internet per sensibilizzare i cittadini sugli strumenti di tutela della privacy e della sicurezza e formare i professionisti di domani* *Il Minuto della prevenzione digitale: un tour nelle piazze di 5 città italiane* Prende il via *sabato 15 ottobre* a Milano nell’ex campo di Grano di Porta Nuova nelle vicinanze di piazza Gae Aulenti, il tour dedicato a *“il Minuto della prevenzione digitale”*. Un bus Google attraverserà le piazze di cinque città italiane (*Milano, Cagliari, Napoli, Bologna e Roma*), con l’obiettivo di sensibilizzare gli italiani sulla necessità di prestare maggiore attenzione a come vengono gestiti i propri dati online e, attraverso la presenza di esperti formati da Google, rappresentanti della Polizia Postale e delle Comunicazioni e di Altroconsumo, offrire suggerimenti su come proteggere i dati online e navigare sicuri. *Formazione nelle università* Per favorire il dibattito sui temi della privacy e della sicurezza online, insieme all’Accademia italiana del codice di internet, prenderà il via nelle università delle stesse città un’attività di approfondimento e formazione dedicata alla disamina di specifiche tematiche di privacy e di sicurezza. I diversi appuntamenti vedranno la partecipazione di rappresentanti dell’*Autorità garante per la protezione dei dati personali*. In apertura di ciascuna tappa, un convegno che vedrà la partecipazione di relatori istituzionali e accademici avrà lo scopo di esplorare le questioni più rilevanti concernenti ciascun tema trattato. Nella seconda giornata del martedì avranno invece luogo due workshop rivolti a studenti, laureati e giovani ricercatori, praticanti avvocati, ma anche a docenti, rappresentanti del mondo delle istituzioni, delle imprese, e *startupper*. Cordialità Giorgio Mancosu Giorgio Mancosu <http://people.unica.it/giorgiomancosu/> PhD in Public Law Università di Cagliari (IT) Université Panthéon-Assas Paris 2 (FR)

Oct. 12, 2016

WhiteHouse: "Preparing for the Future of Artificial Intelligence"

by J.C. DE MARTIN

The Administration’s Report on the Future of Artificial Intelligence October 12, 2016 at 6:02 AM ET by Ed Felton and Terah Lyons https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/10/12/administrations-report-future-ar… Summary: A new report from the Administration focuses on the opportunities, considerations, and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Under President Obama’s leadership, America continues to be the world’s most innovative country, with the greatest potential to develop the industries of the future and harness science and technology to help address important challenges. Over the past 8 years, President Obama has relentlessly focused on building U.S. capacity in science and technology. This Thursday, President Obama will host the White House Frontiers Conference <http://www.frontiersconference.org> in Pittsburgh to imagine the Nation and the world in 50 years and beyond, and to explore America’s potential to advance towards the frontiers that will make the world healthier, more prosperous, more equitable, and more secure.// Today, to ready the United States for a future in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a growing role, the White House is releasing a report on future directions and considerations for AI called Preparing for the Future of Artificial Intelligence <https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/whitehouse_files/microsites/…>. This report surveys the current state of AI, its existing and potential applications, and the questions that progress in AI raise for society and public policy. The report also makes recommendations for specific further actions. A companion National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan <https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/whitehouse_files/microsites/…> is also being released, laying out a strategic plan for Federally-funded research and development in AI. Preparing for the Future of Artificial Intelligence details several policy opportunities raised by AI, including how the technology can be used to advance social good and improve government operations; how to adapt regulations that affect AI technologies, such as automated vehicles, in a way that encourages innovation while protecting the public; how to ensure that AI applications are fair, safe, and governable; and how to develop a skilled and diverse AI workforce. The publication of this report follows a series of public-outreach activities spearheaded by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in 2016, which included five co-hosted public workshops <https://medium.com/@USCTO/458b82059fc3> held across the country, as well as a Request for Information (RFI) <https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/06/27/2016-15082/request-for…> in June 2016 that received 161 responses <https://medium.com/@USCTO/458b82059fc3>. These activities helped inform the focus areas and recommendations included in the report. Advances in AI technology hold incredible potential to help America stay on the cutting edge of innovation. Already, AI technologies have opened up new markets and new opportunities for progress in critical areas such as health, education, energy, and the environment. In recent years, machines have surpassed humans in the performance of certain specific tasks, such as some aspects of image recognition. Although it is very unlikely that machines will exhibit broadly-applicable intelligence comparable to or exceeding that of humans in the next 20 years, experts forecast that rapid progress in the field of specialized AI will continue, with machines reaching and exceeding human performance on an increasing number of tasks. One of the most important issues raised by AI is its impact on jobs and the economy. The report recommends that the White House convene a study on automation and the economy, resulting in a follow-on public report that will be released by the end of this year. In the coming years, AI will continue contributing to economic growth and will be a valuable tool for improving the world in fields as diverse as health care, transportation, the environment, criminal justice, and economic inclusion. The Administration believes that it is critical that industry, civil society, and government work together to develop the positive aspects of the technology, manage its risks and challenges, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to help in building an AI-enhanced society and to participate in its benefits. To read the Future of AI report, click here <https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/whitehouse_files/microsites/…>. And tune-in for the White House Frontiers Conference on October 13 for more on the #FutureofAI, including discussions with leading experts on harnessing the potential of AI, including data science, machine learning, automation, and robotics to engage and benefit all Americans. Watch the conference live and learn more at: http://www.frontiersconference.org <http://www.frontiersconference.org/>. /Ed Felten is a Deputy U.S Chief Technology Officer in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy./ /Terah Lyons is a Policy Advisor to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer in White House Office of Science and Technology Policy./

Oct. 12, 2016

"AI needs a watchdog and UK gov’t must do better on robotics, MPs warn"

by J.C. DE MARTIN

*AI needs a watchdog and UK gov’t must do better on robotics, MPs warn** * /Ethical, legal, and societal ramifications of AI systems must be probed, says committee.// / KELLY FIVEASH - 12/10/2016, 12:04 An artificial intelligence commission that probes the ethical, social, and legal implications of developments in AI should be established by the UK government, the science and technology committee has said. MPs—after taking evidence from a range of folk in the AI space and going on a field trip to Google's DeepMind machine learning lab in London—concluded in a report released on Wednesday morning that the government had been too slow to respond to both good and bad aspects of the tech, despite British universities and start-ups apparently making "significant progress in this field." […] Continua qui: http://arstechnica.co.uk/tech-policy/2016/10/artificial-intelligence-commis…

Oct. 12, 2016

International Panel on Social Progress

by J.C. DE MARTIN

Carissimi, qui a Parigi dove mi trovo per circa un mese, il direttore del Collège d'études mondiales ha presentato da poco non solo l'International Panel on Social Progress, ma anche e soprattutto il loro rapporto, che ora è liberamente accessibile e commentabile online [1]: https://www.ipsp.org/ La versione definitiva verrà pubblicata in tre volumi da Cambridge University Press nel 2017. Molti capitoli si intersecano con temi digitali, ma quello più vicino ai temi di questa lista è forse il Capitolo 13, "Media and Communications", https://comment.ipsp.org/chapter/chapter-13-media-and-communications. Diffondete il messaggio, se vi va, mi sembra una iniziativa meritoria. un caro saluto, juan carlos [1] quasi tutto, mancano ancora 4 capitoli.

Oct. 12, 2016