Technology changes the world at a fast pace. On August 6th 1991 the internet became publicly available through the World Wide Web. A new technology which would fundamentally change the world as we then knew it. Today we see over 3.8 billion users or just over 50% of the world’s population; a number which is growing every day.

Societies and individuals can benefit in all manner of ways through access to knowledge, people and organizations on a local and global level. More than that, digital has become a must-have, for people, society and the economy. Indeed, digital technology fosters innovation. Online platforms, e commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, data analytics, robotics and the internet of things (IoT) are further expediting this process by hyper-connecting individuals, organizations, communities, societies and data, with tens of billions of objects and entities.

Unfortunately, the Internet is not immune to evil. Breaches of norms and values are also occurring in the online and cyber worlds, ranging from fraud, identity theft, bullying and other forms of personal harassment or exploitation through to malign social engineering, phishing and hacking attacks which can threaten key networks and even entire nations. Fairness, transparency and accountability dictate that any victim, – whether individual, organization, society, nation or even democracy itself – which suffers from these issues should be able to address those responsible and to secure meaningful, effective redress. However, we are in a position today, in this Digital Age, where ongoing technological developments have outstripped our policy-making capacity, standards-setting and legal frameworks.

The Institute for Accountability in the Digital Age

ABOUT

The Institute for Accountability in the Digital Age (I4ADA) was founded in 2017 with the mission to ensure that issues and concerns do not undermine the Internet’s potential for increasing access to knowledge, spreading global tolerance and understanding, and promoting sustainable prosperity.

In pursuit of its mission of helping the world derive maximum benefit from the internet, the Institute is dedicated to helping create a fair and balanced framework of best practice and, where necessary, regulation. Among other activities, these are the main activities of the Institute:

• Create awareness for Accountability in the Digital Age
• Reach out to and connect with a global multi-stakeholder community
• Provide a platform for knowledge sharing on Accountability in the Digital Age
• Promote the various (legal) instruments, frameworks and technical solutions being developed for Accountability

The Institute will pursue its objectives by building ongoing dialogue, both structured and informal, among participants in the internet environment. By building and maintaining a network at national and international level bringing together stakeholders and organizing activities, meetings and congresses to highlight, support and facilitate accountability nationally and internationally. These stakeholders represent participants from civil society, academia, the business technology community, lawyers and policy-makers.

The Institute does not ‘own’ the discussion on Accountability in the Digital Age. It merely wants to act as a catalyst for a global discussion.

The people behind I4ADA