Automated Decision-Making Systems in the Public Sector – An Impact Assessment Tool for Public Authorities

How can we ensure a trustworthy use of automated decision-making systems (ADMS) in the public administration? AlgorithmWatch and AlgorithmWatch Switzerland developed a concrete and practicable impact assessment tool for ADMS in the public sector. This publication provides a framework ready to be implemented for the evaluation of specific ADMS by public authorities at different levels.

Open letter calling for a global ban on biometric recognition technologies that enable mass and discriminatory surveillance

AlgorithmWatch and AlgorithmWatch Switzerland are joining 177 civil society organizations, activists, technologists, and other experts around the world to call for an outright ban on uses of facial recognition and remote biometric recognition technologies that enable mass surveillance and discriminatory targeted surveillance.

Swiss COVID-19 certificate system subjected to public security test and gradually implemented

Switzerland launched its own COVID-19 certificate system on June 7, both in paper and digital formats. Rollout will be gradual, and the system is expect to be fully functioning by the end of June.

Reclaim Your Face – A Civil Society Initiative to ban biometric mass surveillance

A large coalition of civil society organizations, among them AlgorithmWatch and AlgorithmWatch Switzerland, have come together in a European movement that demands a ban on biometric recognition systems that enable mass surveillance. Earlier this year, it launched a European Citizens Initiative, calling on the EU to ban biometric mass surveillance - such as automated face recognition in public spaces.

Centralized check-in apps reignite debate around digital contact tracing in Switzerland

During the pandemic, the public as well as the private sector have worked on digital tools for contact tracing. Private companies developed a variety of check-in apps for venues such as restaurants, bars, and clubs. In contrast to the SwissCovid app, those check-in apps collected data through a centralized architecture. This form of data collection in combination with insufficient checks on the private companies' use of the data raises questions regarding citizens' privacy and data security.

Twitter apparently fixed their picture cropping