Analysis of touch gestures for online child protection

AbstractThe growth of Internet and the pervasiveness of ICT have led to a radical change in social relationships. One of the drawbacks of this change is the exposure of individuals to threats during online activities. In this context, thetechno-regulationparadigm is inspiring new ways to safeguard legally interests by means of tools allowing to hamper breaches of law. In this paper, we focus on the exposure of individuals to specific online threats when interacting with smartphones. We propose a novel techno-regulatory approach exploiting machine learning techniques to provide safeguards against threats online. Specifically, we study a set of touch-based gestures to distinguish between underages or adults who is accessing a smartphone, and so to guarantee protection. To evaluate the proposed approach's effectiveness, we developed an Android app to build a dataset consisting of more than 9000 touch-gestures from 147 participants. We experimented bothsingle-viewandmulti-viewlearning techniques to find the best combination of touch-gestures able of distinguishing between adults and underages. Results show that the multi-view learning combining scrolls, swipes, and pinch-to-zoom gestures, achieves the best ROC AUC (0.92) and accuracy (88%) scores

Undoing Networks

How do we think beyond the dominant images and imaginaries of connectivity? Undoing Networks enables a different connectivity: "digital detox" is a luxury for stressed urbanites wishing to lead a mindful life. Self-help books advocate "digital minimalism" to recover authentic experiences of the offline. Artists envision a world without the internet. Activists mobilize against the expansion of the 5G network. If connectivity brought us virtual communities, information superhighways, and participatory culture, disconnection comes with privacy tools, Faraday shields, and figures of the shy. This book explores non-usage and the "right to disconnect" from work and from the excessive demands of digital capitalism

The Datafied Customer Relationship in Behavioural Life Insurance

Tarkastelen tässä artikkeliväitöskirjassa asiakkaiden käyttäytymisdataa sekä erilaisia digitaalisia hyvinvointipalveluita hyödyntäviä interaktiivisia henkivakuutuksia. Näiden uusien vakuutustuotteiden tavoitteena on tarkentaa riskien ennustettavuutta ja vakuutuksen hinnoittelua, luoda uusia riskienhallinnan muotoja sekä tehdä vakuutuksesta personoidumpi ja kiinnostavampi kulutushyödyke. Interaktiivisia vakuutuksia on käytetty esimerkkinä datafikaation disruptoivista vaikutuksista: niitä on sekä juhlittu että kritisoitu niiden potentiaalista mullistaa vakuutusalan vallitsevat käytännöt. Tässä polarisoituneessa keskustelussa on kuitenkin kiinnitetty vain vähän huomiota siihen, miten dataohjautuvan personoinnin lupaukset toteutuvat oikeissa vakuutuskäytännöissä. Väitöskirjassani tarkastelen sekä interaktiivisten henkivakuutustuotteiden kehittämistä että vakuutusasiakkaiden näkemyksiä ja kokemuksia uusista palveluista. Tutkimus sijoittuu kolmen eri käytäntöorientoituneen ja tieteen- ja teknologiantutkimuksesta ammentavan lähestymistavan rajapinnoille: se nojaa vakuutussosiologian ja markkinoiden sosiologian näkökulmiin sekä tutkimuksiin, jotka tarkastelevat ihmisten jokapäiväisiä kokemuksia algoritmisista teknologioista. Tutkimuksessa tarkastelen 1. minkälaiset ideat ja tavoitteet ohjaavat uusien vakuutustuotteiden kehittämistä ja miten vakuuttajat hyödyntävät digitaalisia teknologioita ja käyttäytymisdataa kokeellisissa käytännöissään, 2. miten asiakkaat sovittavat interaktiiviset vakuutukset arkielämäänsä ja miten he kokevat tuotteisiin liittyvät hyvinvointipalvelut ja interventiot, 4. millaisia suhteita uudet vakuutuskäytännöt luovat sekä 4. miten interaktiiviset henkivakuutukset, niiden markkinat ja dataohjautuva asiakassuhde tuottavat toisiaan uudenlaisissa vakuutuskäytännöissä. Väitöskirja perustuu empiiriseen kenttätyöhön, jonka toteutin kahdessa suomalaisessa henkivakuutusyhtiössä vuosina 2017–2019. Tutkimuksen aineisto koostuu 16 vakuutusammattilaisten asiantuntijahaastattelusta, vakuuttajien käytäntöjen osallistuvasta havainnoinnista sekä 11 vakuutusasiakkaiden kanssa toteutetusta fokusryhmäkeskustelusta. Tämän lisäksi hyödynnän dokumenttiaineistoa sekä omia reflektointejani vakuutuksiin kuuluvien palveluiden käyttämisestä. Toteutin tutkimuksen analyysin rinnastamalla näitä erilaisia empiirisiä materiaaleja ja analysoimalla niitä temaattisesti. Tutkimus osoittaa, että tässä tuotekehitysvaiheessa suomalaiset vakuuttajat pyrkivät käyttämään interaktiivisia vakuutuksia ensisijaisesti riskienhallinnan ja asiakassuhteiden lähentämisen välineinä. Vakuutusyhtiöiden tavoitteiden ja asiakkaiden halujen yhteensovittaminen on kuitenkin haastavaa. Vakuutuksissa käytettävät dataohjautuvat teknologiat eivät aina pysty huomioimaan asiakkaiden muuttuvia tarpeita ja erilaisia elämäntilanteita. Interventiot, jotka asiakkaat kokevat yhdessä hetkessä hyödyllisiksi voivat tuntua toisessa hetkessä tungettelevilta ja ärsyttäviltä. Näin uudet vakuutuspalvelut tekevät algoritmisen hallinnoimisen häiritsevät puolet näkyviksi ja voivat herättää epäluottamusta. Tutkimus osoittaa puutteita niin teknoutopistisissa kuin -dystopisissa näkökulmissa, jotka nojaavat ajatukseen suoraviivaisesta digitaalisesta disruptiosta. Interaktiiviset vakuutukset eivät automaattisesti voimaannuta asiakasta hallinnoimaan hyvinvointiaan paremmin eivätkä ne myöskään ole yksisuuntaisen kontrollin välineitä. Sen sijaan tutkimus osoittaa, että uuden teknologian syntyminen vaatii paljon käytännön työtä, jossa erilaisia ajatus- ja toimintamalleja sovitetaan yhteen. Tämän lisäksi teknologian ja markkinan menestys nojaa niiden kykyyn luoda suhteita kuluttajiin. Interaktiivisen henkivakuutuksen tapauksessa nämä uudet (data)suhteet näyttäisivät katkeavan helposti, koska ne eivät onnistu huomioimaan asiakkaiden tunteita ja arvoja tyydyttävillä tavoilla.This article-based dissertation examines ‘behavioural life insurance’, a novel insurance technology that implements self-tracked data and digital health services to improve risk prediction, pricing and management. As a widely circulated example of the possible effects of datafication, behavioural insurance policies have been both celebrated and criticized for their potential to disrupt the insurance industry. However, in this polarized debate, little attention has been paid to how the promises of personalization materialize in situated practices of developing the products and in policyholders’ experiences. This research scrutinizes these aspects of novel insurance technologies by examining two Finnish behavioural life insurance products. Following the practice-oriented literature streams of sociology of insurance, sociology of markets and research focusing on people’s everyday engagements with algorithmic technologies, this study analyses Finnish insurers’ experimentation with behavioural life insurance products and the aims and ideas behind the development work. Furthermore, it examines the ways in which policyholders weave new insurance products into their everyday lives and experience the health interventions that they perform. By combining these perspectives, this dissertation analyses how behavioural life insurance (market) is co-constituted with the new (data) relations between insurers and policyholders. The study is based on fieldwork that was conducted in 2017−2019 in two Finnish insurance companies. The data consist of 16 interviews with insurance professionals, 11 focus group discussions with real and potential policyholders and participant observations in the insurance professionals’ meetings. Furthermore, these data were supplemented with publicly available document data and reflections on testing the services. The analysis was conducted by juxtaposing and thematically analysing these varied empirical materials. The study shows that instead of risk and premium personalization, Finnish insurers focus more on the promises of datafication to enable effective risk management and more intimate customer relationships. Seamless alignment between company and policyholder goals is, however, difficult to achieve. The data-driven technologies do not readily encompass customers’ lives; interventions experienced as helpful in one situation might feel intrusive and annoying in another. Thus, these technologies can fail to enhance customers’ autonomy and enact trustworthy data relations, rendering the disturbing sides of algorithmic control visible. The study shows that instead of a straightforward story of digital disruption, the emergence and success of a new insurance technology depends on human labour and the connections that are created in the process. However, these new data relations are prone to breakages and do not stabilize if behavioural policies fail to consider customers’ feelings and values in a satisfying way

Análisis bibliométrico de la producción científica sobre Economía Experimental

La Economía Experimental (EE) es un método de trabajo de la Economía del comportamiento que desarrolla modelos teóricos de comportamiento humano en ámbitos económicos. Los experimentos económicos tienen ya una larga tradición, y han proporcionado resultados espectaculares y conclusiones ampliamente admitidas sobre la dinámica de mercados y el efecto de las instituciones económicas. Las nuevas tecnologías facilitan la realización y el análisis de estos experimentos. El objetivo principal de este estudio es la revisión sistemática de la producción científica sobre Economía Experimental, desde el año 1990 hasta finales de 2021, en las bases de datos de Web of Science Core Collection y Scopus. El análisis descriptivo de datos se realizó con el software Rstudio, mientras que el análisis de redes se hizo con el software Vosviewer. El estudio muestra, entre otras cosas, que la producción bibliográfica en este campo se ha intensificado exponencialmente; así como, que el país con más investigaciones es Estados Unidos y el autor más citado es Urs Fischbacher.Experimental Economics (EE) is a working method of behavioral economics that develops theoretical models of human behavior in economic settings. Economic experiments have a long tradition, and have provided spectacular results and widely accepted conclusions about market dynamics and the effect of economic institutions. New technologies facilitate the conduct and analysis of these experiments. The main objective of this study is the systematic review of the scientific production on Experimental Economics, from 1990 to the end of 2021, in the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases. Descriptive data analysis was performed with Rstudio software, while network analysis was performed with Vosviewer software. The study shows, among other things, that the bibliographic production in this field has intensified exponentially; as well as, that the country with the most research is 2 the United States and the most cited author is Urs Fischbacher.Universidad de Sevilla. Doble Grado en Matemáticas y Estadístic

Designing a Pattern, Darkly

There is growing academic, regulatory, and legislative interest in “dark patterns”—digital design practices that influence user behavior in ways that may not align with users’ interests. For instance, websites may present information in ways that influence user decisions, or use design elements that make it easier for users to engage in one behavior (e.g., purchasing the items in a shopping cart) than another (e.g., reviewing the items in that shopping cart). The general thrust of this interest is that dark patterns are problematic and require regulatory or legislative action. While acknowledging that many concerns about dark patterns are legitimate, this Article discusses the more nuanced reality about “patterns,” that design is, simply, hard. All design influences user behavior, sometimes in positive ways, sometimes in negative, sometimes deliberately, sometimes not. This Article argues for a more cautionary approach to addressing the concerns of dark patterns. The most problematic uses of dark patterns almost certainly run afoul of existing consumer protection law. That authority––not new, broader rules—should be the first recourse to addressing these concerns. Beyond that, this is an area where the marketplace––including the design professionals working to improve User Interface and User Experience design practices––should be allowed to continue to develop, but with the understanding that Congress and regulators have a keen interest in ensuring that consumer interests are reflected in those practices

DigiTranScope: some key findings

Digitranscope originated from the JRC Strategy 20301. The strategy identified ten strategic topics on which the JRC should concentrate to anticipate future policy requests. One of these topics was ‘Data and Digital Transformation’, to which the JRC set up two initiatives: the first being a transversal project on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation’, the second being a CAS research project on digital transformation, which was to be more exploratory in nature. The CAS project originally proposed to address two key issues: i) how the information glut triggered by digital transformation reverses the cognitive balance between humans and machines, and ii) the impact of digital information technology on the rules and institutions that guide modern societies. This proposal therefore led to the establishment of two projects in 2017: ‘Human behaviour and machine intelligence’ (HUMAINT)2 and our project, ‘Digital transformation and the governance of human society’ (Digitranscope)

DigiTranScope: some key findings

Digitranscope originated from the JRC Strategy 20301. The strategy identified ten strategic topics on which the JRC should concentrate to anticipate future policy requests. One of these topics was ‘Data and Digital Transformation’, to which the JRC set up two initiatives: the first being a transversal project on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation’, the second being a CAS research project on digital transformation, which was to be more exploratory in nature. The CAS project originally proposed to address two key issues: i) how the information glut triggered by digital transformation reverses the cognitive balance between humans and machines, and ii) the impact of digital information technology on the rules and institutions that guide modern societies. This proposal therefore led to the establishment of two projects in 2017: ‘Human behaviour and machine intelligence’ (HUMAINT)2 and our project, ‘Digital transformation and the governance of human society’ (Digitranscope)

Autonomous Business Reality

Society tends to expect technology to do more than it can actually achieve, at a faster pace than it can actually move. The resulting hype cycle infects all forms of discourse around technology. Unfortunately, the discourse on law and technology is no exception to this rule. The resulting discussion is often characterized by two or more positions at opposite ends of the spectrum, such that participants in the discussion speak past each other, rather than to each other. The rich context that sits in the middle ground goes disregarded altogether. This dynamic most recently surfaced in the legal literature regarding autonomous businesses. This Article seeks to fill the gap in the current discussion by creating a taxonomy of autonomous businesses and using that taxonomy to demonstrate that automation, standing alone, is not what makes autonomous businesses exceptional. Rather, the capacity of autonomous businesses to make radical governance changes more prevalent in the market pushes the boundaries of current choice of entity and governance paradigms while also illuminating low-technology functional equivalents that may offer more traditional businesses a path to governance reform. To make these claims, this Article begins in Part I by briefly introducing the two emerging technologies that enable business automation. Part II reviews the existing literature and argues that by focusing on only one specific segment of the current autonomous business landscape, the literature misses key opportunities to evolve business law. Part III builds a map of existing autonomous businesses, demonstrating the differences among them and explaining them as a function of design trade-offs. Part III then uses that map to build a taxonomy of autonomous businesses and offers a framework for considering the broader impacts of autonomous businesses on law. Part IV examines ways that autonomous business reality may incentivize reforms in traditional corporations while simultaneously emphasizing the need for continued research and innovation in choice of business entity, organizational governance, and regulatory compliance