Prof. Dr. Natali Helberger has been elected as member of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Human Rights Dimensions of Automated Data Processing and Different Forms of Artificial Intelligence (MSI-AUT).

Drawing upon the existing Council of Europe standards and the relevant jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, the task of the Committee is it to prepare standard-setting instruments (in form of Committee of Ministers recommendations or declarations) on the basis of a study on the human rights dimensions of automated data processing techniques (in particular algorithms and possible regulatory implications). MSI-AUT will also study the development and use of new digital technologies and services, including different forms of artificial intelligence, as they may impact peoples’ enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms in the digital age – with a view to give guidance for future standard-setting in this field. Furthermore, MSI-AUT will study the impact of civil and administrative defamation laws and their relation to the criminal provisions on defamation, as well as jurisdictional challenges in the application of those laws in the international digital environment.

More specifically, the group will be tasked to:

(i)            Prepare follow up with a view to the preparation of a possible standard setting instrument on the basis of the study on the human rights dimensions of automated data processing techniques (in particular algorithms and possible regulatory implications);
(ii)           Carry out a study on the development and use of new digital technologies and services, including different forms of artificial intelligence, as they may impact peoples’ enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms in the digital age – with a view to give guidance for future standard-setting in this field; and
(iii)          Carry out a study on a possible standard-setting instrument on forms of liability and jurisdictional issues in the application of civil and administrative defamation laws in Council of Europe member states.

The group has been established under the Committee of Ministers Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) for the biennium 2018-2019. The Committee is composed of 13 experts, comprising seven government or member States’ representatives, designated by the CDMSI, and six independent experts, appointed by the Secretary General with recognized expertise in the fields of freedom of expression and independence of the media online and off-line.