1. Background
TheGerman federal government established the Data Ethics Committee (Datenethikkommission) on July 18, 2018, which is jointly led by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection. The committee submitted its final report in October 2019, which includes recommendations for ethical guidance on algorithmic systems and data governance, and builds an ethical framework for data and AI applications.
2. Core content
- Ethical principles and value orientation: emphasize "people-oriented", "protection of individual rights and interests" and "social well-being" as the background of technological development.
- Risk classification supervision suggestions: Put forward strong regulatory indicators such as transparency, fairness, and explainability for high-risk algorithm systems, and recommend restricting or disabling extremely high-risk applications.
- Policy and industry recommendations: 75 specific policy and governance recommendations are proposed, including strengthening data governance, algorithm review, privacy protection, and digital sovereignty.
3. Social impact
Althoughthe report is not legally enforceable, it has profoundly influenced the AI and data governance policies of Germany and the entire EU, laying a moral foundation for subsequent legislation and ethical review mechanisms.
4. Latest Progress
Upto now, the report is still the latest AI social ethics policy document officially recognized by Germany, and although there have been subsequent discussions and consultation activities, no new guidance text has been formed.
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