Digital intermediation and connection: ethical issues

Abstract

In the context of the profound digitalisation of our society, communications between different entities are also becoming digital, in particular between human beings and machines. As the medium becomes digital and plays a fundamental role, we talk about digital mediation, and because this mediation has to be organised, we talk about digital intermediation. 

We are therefore looking at the impact of digital science, technology and usage on an essential component of the universe and in particular of all life: communication. We begin by detailing the constituents and capabilities of digital intermediation and explaining that digital intermediation is not simply the replacement of an analogue communication medium by a digital connection, but the introduction of a digital entity as sophisticated as can be wished or imagined between communicating entities.

This leads us to carry out an analysis of ethical issues involved in digital intermediation and digital intermediation platforms, following in particular the work recently developed by the French Comité national pilote d’éthique du numérique. We are also formulating recommendations for legislators, designers and the users that we all are in a personal or professional capacity.