Was ist digitale Verantwortung und warum ist sie wichtig?
Fostering Responsible Digital Innovation
How can we benefit from digital technology – harnessing the promise of data-driven innovation, while avoiding pitfalls like privacy breaches, biased algorithms, or unsustainable outcomes? The Digital Responsibility Lab (DRL) at Bern University of Applied Sciences addresses this challenge with a clear guiding principle: digital innovation must be designed for people, society, and the planet.
This philosophy is now being put into practice in various activities, including the EU-funded project DIREKT – Digital Responsibility in Education and Training to help mainstream responsible technology practices.
We understand Digitale Verantwortung as the capacity to maximize innovation’s upside while proactively identifying, discussing, and minimizing unintended harm throughout the technology life-cycle. In other words, digital systems should be conceived, designed, and governed to maximize social benefit, minimize harm, and remain accountable to the stakeholders they affect.
Digital Snack: Digital Responsibility & Risk
On 23 May 2025, DRL researcher Prof. Dr. Marie Pešková hosted an online webinar (Digital Snack) titled Digital Responsibility & Risk. This short, interactive talk provided leading insights into digital responsibility and offered a platform for open discussion. More than thirty practitioners from business, academia, and civil society participated, debating real-world dilemmas ranging from AI-supported credit scoring to biometric surveillance. The lively discussion reinforced DIREKT’s premise: while awareness of digital risks is growing, many organizations still lack clear guidance and effective training resources to address these challenges.
Turning Insights into Action
Over the coming months, DIREKT will roll out several key initiatives to put these ideas into practice. Follow our updates at directproject.eu and join us in shaping a digital future that is not only innovative but also demonstrably responsible.
