More than 300 experts represented from 65 countries of the world are meeting in Moroccan city of Tangier, dwelling on the side effects of technologies including its role in affecting human focus and using as platform for terrorists to recruit and finance terrorism.
The technology, innovative and society conference discusses how can tech giants address growing trust deficit against technologies and role of stakeholders including African governments to find solutions to prevent the dissemination of violent contents including hate speeches via social media platforms.
“Technology surely has done a lot more good than harm- the communication, socialization, research, education etc. couldn’t have been any better. However, we can’t afford to disregard the side effects that accompany these benefits, the panelists said while dealing with a topic on “Trust in tech”.
The CyFy conference also ponders on the need for African countries to formulate and implement digital industrialization policies in order for them to be able to obtain economic benefits from data that their citizens generate without limiting the free flow of data.
The increased penetration of e-commerce in Africa has had a positive impact on the economy of countries across the continent.
The internet proved to be a catalyst for economic growth – with several studies on the correlation between a country/region’s internet penetration and increase in the GDP per capita, according to panelists of the conference.
The conference also stressed how digital ownership can be established as contest over ownership of digital technologies continues to emerge in different parts of the world.
The panelists further elaborated how advancement in biotechnologies are altering the natural course of evolution and social relations in a complex and uncertain ways and what ethical considerations should be applied in the development and deployment of bio-tech products.
Concerns in relation to fake news and hate speeches via social media outlets as well as issues of cyberattacks were also raised at the participants.
The Saturday events particularly focused on various panels such as trust in tech, countering violent extremism, e-commerce with a flag, biotechnology and ethics, creative artificial intelligence: identity in the age of virtual flux, the geopolitics of 5G, etc.
The CYFY conference held under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI will proceed until Sunday with active participation researchers, academia, scientists and government officials.
MG/DNG/APA