Addressing the equality and human rights impact of digital services and artificial intelligence
An increasing focus on digital services can risk discriminating against and excluding people who cannot access them. Systems based on machine learning and algorithms are changing how organisations recruit staff, make decisions and provide services. These technologies have the potential to bring benefits, but also pose risks to equality and human rights.
Our work
Artificial Intelligence in Public Services
In 2022, we launched guidance that gives an overview of what artificial intelligence is and provides advice on how the Public Sector Equality Duty applies when a public body uses artificial intelligence. The principles from this can also be applied more widely by private and voluntary sector organisations.
Business plan 2023/24
This business plan describes what we will do under the Digital Services and Artificial Intelligence priority from April 2023 to March 2024.
Tackle online harms, including bullying, discrimination, and abuse experienced by people with protected characteristics, while safeguarding the right to freedom of expression
Our long-term goal:
Ensuring that the right to freedom of expression online is protected while also ensuring harassment and discrimination of protected characteristic groups is tackled.
How we will do it:
We will influence standard setting by:
- providing advice during the passage of the Online Safety Bill through Parliament, and by working with regulators and others to advise governments on regulating social media and search engines
We will enforce the law by:
- taking legal action to promote and protect the rights of those experiencing online harms
Ensure that digital service providers maximise inclusion and tackle discrimination resulting from digital exclusion so essential services are available to all
Our long-term goal:
Engaging with providers to ensure that essential services are available to all, particularly older and disabled people, as digital provision is increased.
How we will do it:
We will evidence the issues by:
- improving evidence about the impact of activity to enforce public sector compliance with Web Accessibility Regulations
We will influence standard setting by:
- advising the UK and Scottish governments and service providers to protect and promote the rights of older and disabled people in a ‘digital by default’ environment
We will ensure compliance with standards by:
- developing resources for small and medium-sized businesses to improve their understanding of the duty to make reasonable adjustments in hybrid work settings, and by increasing employee awareness of those rights
- working with the Central Digital and Data Office to enforce public sector compliance with Website Accessibility Regulations
- supporting the implementation of, and compliance with, the Wales Digital Public Service Standards
Take legal action so that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment and other employment practices does not bias decision-making or breach human rights
Our long-term goal:
Ensuring that employees and prospective employees do not experience discrimination or breaches of their human rights because of application of AI in the workplace.
How we will do it:
We will evidence the issues by:
- researching the use of AI in recruitment practices to shape options for further activity
We will enforce the law by:
- taking legal action, where appropriate, to protect the rights of those who are subject to the unfair use of AI in recruitment and other employment practices
Influence regulatory frameworks to ensure equality and human rights are embedded in the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology
Our long-term goal:
Ensuring that service providers and other regulators ensure that innovations in AI do not lead to people experiencing discrimination or breaches of their human rights. This is because of strong regulations and service providers and duty bearers being aware of the risks.
How we will do it:
We will evidence the issues by:
- analysing the risks of the police use of facial recognition technology
- working with the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation to develop a tool to test for algorithmic bias
We will influence standard setting by:
- working with governments, other regulators and stakeholders to ensure the regulation of AI has equality and human rights at its core, including by influencing the White Paper on the Regulation of AI and the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill
We will ensure compliance with standards by:
- establishing joint standards and memorandums of understanding with regulators and partners to reduce the risk of discrimination due to the use of AI, identify joint working opportunities and better define our regulatory role.
- following up our PSED work on how local authorities are using AI to promote our findings, consider enforcement work and identify opportunities to develop resources to inform councils and others
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