Happy Friday readers!

Last week England narrowly lost out on winning the Euros against Italy (sorry for bringing it up). While the loss was devastating for fans and players alike, more devastating was the racially targeted abuse the players received, particularly Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho. 

In response to the slew of comments, trolls and online hate, there have been calls to make providing a verified form of ID a legal requirement to open a new social media account. As well as questions into the robustness of social network’s policies on hate speech compared to users’ experience. 

Proponents say this will prevent anonymised harmful activity and will increase accountability for attacks. However, others are worried about the number of people this would exclude. For example, many non-binary people don’t hold a Government issued ID because they are not recognised on it. Refugees and those without citizen status may also not hold one.

There are also arguments for anonymity being crucial online for domestic survivors or those in marginalised groups to organise protests and advocate against injustice. As well as claims that abolishing online anonymity won’t tackle the structural and interlinked problems of racist abuse. 

Digital identification is a HUGE topic, and one I’m keen not to oversimplify. With this in mind, for today’s highlights, I’m sharing the trends shaping the future of digital identification, possible use cases and some opinions on how, when, and if it should be used. 

Hope you enjoy and as always, have a great weekend.

Liv 
Tech for Good Global Team

#Digital Identification 🤳

🌍  Research ICT Africa is evaluating the rollout of digital ID systems across African countries. In this piece, Pollicy executive director Neema Iyer writes about how digital IDs exclude marginalised groups in Uganda. 

👥 The UNHCR has been accused of improperly collecting Rohingya’s biometric information without their consent. This piece offers insights into how top-down policies means that biometric IDs become something happening to people instead of for them. 

🤔 Check out The Engine Room research exploring the lived effects of digital ID systems among mostly marginalised communities in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Thailand.

📲 Emphasising privacy has become a popular marketing technique for big tech companies. However, there is a whole industry which exists to explicitly shatter anonymity and link data to real people. 

🔮 According to techUK, digital identity technologies can further inclusion and tackle fraud. Throughout 2021 they are hosting an event series hoping to illustrate the role digital ID can play in the future of the digital economy. Watch them discuss digital identity and financial inclusion at CogX 2021.

📑 This piece from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change sets out the case for digital IDs, the current state of play, and makes five core recommendations for policymakers seeking to introduce inclusive and effective digital identification systems. 

🎙 This podcast from the Guardian looks into whether it is possible to make the internet safe for children. One avenue they discuss is facial recognition. There is a more detailed piece on this in the Observer. 

💫  This is a more optimistic piece, which recognises the risks of digital IDs but focuses on the technology as a key to inclusive growth.

Technologies of Hope - This project looks at 100 technologies that emerged in the last year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The research goes past surveillance and privacy considerations and into the rationale behind these companies, and the “new normal” they are working towards.

News in tech for good:

💿 Data affects the way we shop, work, travel and are governed. This piece from ‘Pollicy’ provides an overview of how data has been moulded into our everyday lives.

👀 Surveillance technologies are often subject to controversies because of their propensity to be used in human rights abuses and law enforcement monitoring. This week an Israeli company that sells spyware to governments was linked to fake Black Lives Matter and Amnesty International websites.  

🇵🇭 Philippine Senators are looking for more information into whether the state is funding “troll farms”.

🌱 EKA Ventures closes a $95M fund to invest in startups operating in sustainable consumption, consumer healthcare and the “inclusive economy”. 

🧠 Facebook announced that it is moving away from plans to create a mind-reading device. Although the research to date has seen remarkable results, the product Facebook had in mind is still very far away. 

⚖️  There is also a debate as to whether tech companies should be able to access private brain information. Restofworld explores this blurred line between public and private information, and shows how Chile’s new “mental privacy” laws could lead the way in protecting neuro-rights.

🧑‍⚖️ 36 U.S States are suing Google over its Play Store in a huge antitrust lawsuit. This is just one of a series of antitrust legislation that takes aim at tech giants buying out competition and hoarding data.

🗑  Amazon is destroying millions of unused items every year. Maddyness goes into more detail and asks what we are going to do about electronic waste, in the second part of The Repairability Report. If you’re interested in this, you might like our previous highlights exploring the Right to Repair and the Circular Economy. 

📲 A TFGH reader got in touch to share their company Readup. They’re an article-based social reading network, prioritising transparent networks, encouraging civil discourse and removing any ads.

The Tech for Good Newsboard 📍

• Check out this four-step guide on how to create a data policy for organisers from Tactical Tech. 

• New toolkit from the ‘Open Working Lineup’, to give charities and funders the best resources for learning why and how to work in the open and reuse work from others.  

• The “You and AI: The AI survival guide” from Mozilla provides resources to help broaden your understanding of the AI systems we are increasingly reliant on. 

• Learn how to be an Ethical Marketer with this guide from JB Media, a B Corp certified digital marketing agency. 

• Rolling invitation for anyone interested in joining our Slack community. Connect with more than 300+ peers passionate about tech for good. 

#Opportunities and Funding

If you have a funding challenge, grant opening, speaking gig or another opportunity that you want to share - let us know!

• The Global Innovation Collaborative (GIC) announced the launch of its Creative Cities Challenge to speed economic recovery in the cultural and creative sectors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out more and apply by 20th July here.

• Nominations for the Diversity in Tech Awards are open until 23rd July. Nominate organisations creating a more diverse workplace while striving to narrow the gender gap in the technology sector here.

• The eAwards are an initiative from the everis Foundation. They are looking for tech projects based on high impact, innovative, scalable, and sustainable technologies that help improve the quality of life or/and help solve environmental issues. The best project in the UK will receive a £10,000 prize and the winner of the international final will win an additional €60,000 prize for their project. Apply by 5th September.

• The Ministry of Justice Specialist Fund is inviting proposals from organisations supporting survivors or victims of domestic abuse, who are led: ‘by, with and for’ communities facing racial inequality, disabled people or LGBTQ+ communities. There are up to 25 investments, ranging from £5,000 to £70,000 available. Find out more and apply here by 20th July.

• Blue Bio Value is a startup accelerator dedicated to bringing ocean-based and sustainable solutions to a blue bioeconomy. Apply by 26th July here. 

• Life+ has launched the Life+ Breakthrough Grant to support founders who want to build innovative consumer companies. Grants are worth up to £20,000 and come with three months of support to help you build your company. Apply by 21st July. 

• Subak is the world’s first non-profit accelerator that scales climate impact through data, policy and behaviour change. Applications for their September cohort are open now until July.

• She Loves Tech is a global competition for women and technology. The winner gets $50,000. Apply by 31st July.

• Techstars Sustainability Challenge is open for applications. Their focus is on startups focused on working towards the goal of net zero. Find out more and apply by 2nd August, 

What’s going on? 📅

• JUST AI network Fellows recently spoke during a week-long series of events on Prototyping AI ethics futures. The fellows shared resources they value and you can watch it here.

• This month’s Catalyst Network Meetup is exploring the power of no-code. Sign up here to join on 28th July.

• Join the Venture Studio from Crisis at office hours, every other Thursday, to find out more about how you can apply to their programme. 

• Benefit from Responsible Tech mentorship at this session from All Tech Is Human and Savannah Badalich on 4th August.

• Adaslist is hosting a series of roundtable discussions. The next session is on the 20th July with Lauren Paton and the topic is "Is it really impostor syndrome, or is it a diversity and inclusion problem?". Sign up here.

• Join Alana Karen, author of “Adventures of Women in Tech: How We Got Here and Why We Stay” as she sits down with Mai Ton, Chief People Officer at Kickstarter, to talk about how we can change tech workplaces for the better. The event will be hosted by Women 2.0 on 28th July.

Working in tech for good 💼

We’ve trimmed the job section to new arrivals and featured ads only. For the full list head to our website.

• Instrumentl is looking for a Senior Full-Stack Engineer to help build and improve their products. Apply by 31st August.

• YouthTruth is looking for a Manager of Data and Technology to manage a small team, putting student perception data into the hands of those making instructional and leadership decisions. Apply by 31st August here.

• OurPledge Ltd is looking for an App Developer to collaborate on an app idea focused on promoting the use of zero waste refills. Apply as soon as possible here.

• Overleaf is hiring a Product Manager (Technical). Find out more and apply as soon as possible here. 

• Work for Good Ltd is looking for a Chief Technology Officer to support their team over the next 6-12 months in an advisory capacity. Find out more and apply by 5th August here.

• The Finance Innovation Lab is looking for a freelance consultant to manage the online delivery of their Fellowship programme for bankers who are trying to accelerate climate action inside large financial institutions. Apply by 19th July.

• Impact Box is hiring a Solutions Officer to work alongside Project Leads and the wider Impact Box team on project delivery. Apply by 27th July.

• FutureLearn is hiring an Engineering Manager to join their team. Apply by 7th August.

• Ryalto are looking for a Dev/Tech Ops to oversee their back-end infrastructure and look after the development schedule. Apply by 31st July.

• accuRx is looking for a Senior Fullstack Engineer to help shape the future of their product. Apply by 31st December. 

If you have an opening or know of a job opportunity to do with tech for good, please head to our website and we can look into adding it to the jobs board.

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