Technical Standards in Service to Humanity

There Are No Standards Police

No one requires tech companies or open source projects to use most Internet standards, and no one requires people to use them either. This post explains why the voluntary nature of its standards are critical to the Internet's health.

Future-proofing integrity in the age of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology: prioritizing human rights, dignity, and equity

This article I argue for the prioritisation of human rights when developing and implementing misconduct policies. Existing approaches may be perpetuate inequities, particularly for individuals from marginalised groups. A human-rights-by-design approach, which centres human rights in policy development, revision, and implementation, ensuring that every individual is treated with dignity and respect. Recommendations for implementing a human-rights approach to misconduct investigations and case management are offered, covering areas such as procedural fairness, privacy, equity, and the right to education. Additional topics covered are the need to limit surveillance technologies, and the need to recognize that not all use of artificial intelligence tools automatically constitutes misconduct. I disentangle the differences between equity and equality and explain how both are important when considering ethics and integrity. A central argument of this paper is that a human-rights-by-design approach to integrity does not diminish standards but rather strengthens educational systems by cultivating ethical awareness and respect for personhood. I conclude with a call to action with a seven-point plan for institutions to adopt a human-rights-based approach to ethics and integrity. In the age of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology, insisting on human rights and dignity when we investigate and address misconduct allegations is an ethical imperative that has never been more important.

AI Standards Lab

AI safety standards worldwide must keep up with the rapid development and deployment of AI technology. Our mission is to help accelerate the writing of AI safety standards.

Technology is Not Values Neutral: Ending the Reign of Nihilistic Design

We fail to take tech seriously when we do not grasp its full impact on humans

The Signal Code: A Human Rights Approach to Information During Crisis | Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

The Signal Code is the result of a six month study by the Signal Program on Human Security and Technology at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to identify what human rights people have to information during disasters. The Signal Code identifies five rights from multiple sources of international human rights and humanitarian law and standards that already exist and apply to humanitarian information activities (HIAs).

Anthropomorphism Is Breaking Our Ability to Judge AI

Tech Policy Press fellow James Ball asks, how should we interact with a technology designed to ‘speak’ with us on what appear to be human terms?

'Technology Freedom Cooperative' To Build Infrastructure for Human Rights and Justice Groups

A conversation with Maheen Khan, director of technology at the Invisible Institute, and Patrick Ball, director of research at HRDAG.

The United States’ human rights practices are taking a nosedive

New data from a global rights-tracking project shows the country had large declines in 2025 on 8 of the 9 civil and political rights it measures.

The United States’ human rights practices are taking a nosedive

New data from a global rights-tracking project shows the country had large declines in 2025 on 8 of the 9 civil and political rights it measures.

standards.group

standards.group — a forge for specs. Write, version, and publish specifications from your own AT Protocol account.

Declaration of Digital Autonomy

We demand a world in which technology is created to protect and empower those who are impacted by it. Our technology must respect the rights and freedoms of those users. We need to take control for the purpose of collectively building a better world in which technology works in service to the good of human kind, protecting our rights and digital autonomy as individuals.

AI and the Dangerous Fiction of ‘All Lawful Use’

Dunstan Allison-Hope and Iain Levine argue that human rights commitments are essential for all companies selling their products to governments worldwide.

Human Rights Principles - Amazon Sustainability

Explore how we’re demonstrating support for fundamental human rights and the dignity of workers

About Human Rights at Google - Google

Learn more about Human Rights at Google