Technology and Human Rights

Learning Competencies

• Contemporary human experience needs evaluation, in order to strengthen the human person functioning in society.
• Important to discuss human rights in the face of changing social conditions and technological development
• Laws and policies should be identified to protect people's well-being amidst technological advancement and ethical concerns

Introduction

• Technology affects everyone in society, some way or another, whether they like it or not
• People heavily rely on various readily available technological advancements on a daily basis
• Technology is already an inevitable part of society

Question

• Is technology nowadays a necessity or a want?

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• It is a milestone document in the history of human rights
• Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions
• The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Declaration in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A)
• Represents a common standard of achievement for all peoples and nations
• It sets out fundamental human rights to be universally protected and translated into over 500 languages
• UDHR has inspired and paved the way for over seventy human rights treaties, which are applied today on a permanent basis at global and regional levels

Humans vs Robots

• Progress in science and technology accompanied by rise of machines may render humans useless
• Machinery is gradually replacing manual labor
• Computers are becoming more sophisticated
• Robots are usually designed like human beings
• Robots are created to perform complex, repetitive, or dangerous tasks
• With the development of artificial intelligence (AI), robots may also eventually act and decide like humans
• Important to reflect on ethical problems where machines adopt the nature of humans

Impact of Technology on the BPO Industry

• Technology empowers the growth of BPO industry, at the same time potentially eliminates it
• Investors and business people consider business analytics by artificial intelligence a good investment
• AI-driven decisions now arise from sophisticated statistical analyses made with massive data
• An estimated million Filipino BPO workers may be affected, losing their jobs due to artificial intelligence as of August 2017
• Unemployment is only one of the many ethical considerations in the widespread use of AI
• It raises questions about human value in relation to machines with AI and guarding against mistakes committed by machines with technology
• Technology may become a threat to human dignity and security
• People may also have to consider the ethical treatment for AI, machines/robots become more human-like
• As machines and robots approach having a human-like nature, humans may also have the tendency to become machine-like

Human Dependence on Technology

• Humans begin to function more like automatons with the swipe of the fingertips for things people need, conveniences to information
• The Internet has become an instant go-to tool for answers to questions
• People accept what the search engine, like Google, spews out in byte sizes and forget how to process, read, think further, or put things in context
• There is a danger of becoming less intelligent as the internet becomes more intelligent
• Relying on computers to mediate understanding of the world flattens own intelligence into artificial intelligence
• Society evolution along with science and technology gives rise to more and more complex issues
• Vital to protect and exercise human rights for everyone in the pursuit of a good life
• Important that amid these developments, humans become freer, more rational, and more loving in the practice of science and technology

Technology And Humanity Cross

• Building a just and progressive society entails the constant practice of the good with examining contemporary issues in science and technology information, genetically modified organisms, nanotechnology, and climate change
• It may be exhibited in exceptional scientific methodologies, personal virtue, social responsibility, and global concern

Future of Robots Replacing Humans

• Massive job losses could be a result if robots would replace humans
• Adapting ways to remunerate people would be necessary
• Basic decent salary for people who cannot find a job (older employees for example) should be guaranteed

World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology of UNESCO (COMEST)

• Proposed a technology-based ethical framework on robotics ethics based on the distinction between deterministic and cognitive robots
• Identified ethical values and principles that set regulations at every level to Engineers, Scientists, etc
• Human dignity
• Value of autonomy
• Value of privacy
• “Do not harm" principle
• Principle of responsibility
• Value of beneficence
• Value of justice

Recommendations

• There is no way robots will replace Humans with these COMEST specific recommendations concerning the application of robotic technologies
• Teaching codes of ethics to roboticists need attention, retraining and retooling the work force, as well advising against developing and using autonomous weapons
• This ethical perspective justifies statement

Roles Played By Robotics

• Robots play different roles in the lives of the people and society as a whole
• They were invented to make life more efficient and less stressful
• Robots have a set of rules, characteristics define a good robot

Robotics Laws

• A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
• A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law
• A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws
• A robot may not injure humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm

Three Laws of Robotics

• Shortened to The Three Laws or known as Asimov's Laws
• A set of rules devised by science fiction author Isaac Asimov
• The rules were introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround" (included in the 1950 collection I, Robot)
• Anticipated in some earlier stories
• The Three Laws, quoted from the "Handbook of Robotics, 56th Edition, 2058 A.D."

1st Law

• A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm

2nd Law

• A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law

3rd Law

• A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law

Local Government Policies

• Local government policies that protects the well-being of the person in face of new technologies
• Republic Act No. 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012
• 1987 Constitution
• Philippine Agenda 21
• Inter-Agency Committee on Climate Change
• Republic Act 8749 (Clean Air Act of 1999)
• Republic Act No. 8435 (Agriculture, Forestry Modernization Act of 1997)
• Republic Act No. 9003 (Solid Waste Management Act of 2000
• Republic Act No. 9275 (Philippine Clear Water Act of 2004)
• Administrative Order 171, 2007
• Republic Act No. 9729 (Climate Change Act of 2009)
• Philippine Climate Change Commission
• Natural Framework Strategy on Climate Change 2010-2022

Activity

• Should society be worried about robots replacing workers? Provide support for your answer
• What are the process-driven jobs that are in serious threats with robots and Al's? Provide comprehensive discussion