Long before I started at JLA, I studied Law. I wrote my dissertation on online regulation, with a focus on the balance between freedom of information and speech and digital safety. Digital culture has moved on a long way since then – online fraud was less sophisticated, and AI was not as readily accessible as it is now. But this is still a balance that society struggles to achieve – particularly as the technology we deal with advances in tandem with ongoing cultural issues, like racism and misogyny.
Working at JLA, I am lucky enough to meet with and hear from fantastic conference speakers who have incredible insights into how tech intersects with society. These issues are wide-ranging, and we work with so many experts who can tackle these topics that I cannot list them all – but here are a few of my favourites.
Henry Ajder
Henry is a generative AI and deepfake expert. In his BBC radio series The Future Will Be Synthesised, he looked at how generative AI can be used in image-based sexual abuse, using deepfake technology – and how the same technology can be used to threaten democracy through spreading misinformation. Equally aware of the potential benefits of generative AI, he also established Synthetic Futures, the first cross-industry organisation dedicated to ethical generative AI.
View Henry Ajder’s full speaker profile.
Laura Bates
Laura is the founder of the Everyday Sexism project, a database of over 200,000 testimonies from women who have faced gender inequality and discrimination. In her book, Men Who Hate Women, Laura went undercover in online incel communities, exposing the misogyny there as being rooted in extremist ideology.
View Laura Bates’ full speaker profile.
Cecilie Fjellhøy
Cecilie shared her story on The Tinder Swindler, the Netflix documentary about online romance fraud. Having lost thousands of pounds in the app-based romance scam, Cecilie has gone on to share her story to destigmatise this kind of digital scam. Alongside Anna Rowe, she has founded LoveSaid Organisation which aims to support victims of fraud through providing practical and mental health support, as well as providing education and training on the latest trends and strategies used by fraudsters.
View Cecilie Fjellhøy’s full speaker profile.
Anne-Marie Imafidon
Anne-Marie is one of the youngest-ever graduates of the University of Oxford and went on to found Stemettes, an organisation championing women and non-binary people in STEM. As well as speaking on the vital importance of diversity in the tech sector, she covers how bias exists within algorithms – and the impact this can have on the users of a particular technology.
View Anne-Marie Imafidon’s full speaker profile.
To explore the wealth of knowledge these technology and society speakers bring or to get advice tailored to your specific event needs, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!