Ethics in IT : Department of Informatics : University of Hamburg

Photo: Bru-nO from Pixabay, cropped

Welcome!

This is the homepage of the research group Ethics in Information Technology at Universität Hamburg. Our team researches the ethical, legal, social and political implications of contemporary information technologies and big data practices.

Here you can learn more about our research group and interdisciplinary team, the research, and teaching we do within and beyond the department of informatics and find latest news about activities from members of the research group.

Photo: Alina Constantin / Better Images of AI / Handmade A.I / CC-BY 4.0

EIT Public Lecture Series: TAMING THE MACHINES

... will kick off on 29 April 2026 with the lecture "Artificial Intelligence and Progress? A Pragmatist, Justice-Oriented Critique" by Prof. Dr. Jan-Christopher Heilinger. Join us this summer semester for six engaging talks - in Hamburg or online.

Please also browse our past programs and stream previous talks. The lectures by José van Dijck, Sven Ove Hansson, Darian Meacham and Jocelyn Maclure from winter semester 2025/26 are now available for streaming.

News

Photo: Adobe Stock/422738189, cropped

25 April 2026|Event

taz lab 2026: Macht KI unsere Leben zum Alptraum?

Prof. Dr. Judith Simon ist zu Gast im taz lab am 25. April 2026. Künstliche Intelligenz wird unsere Leben verändern – viele meinen: zu Alpträumen machen – und zwar in allen Hinsichten. Was aber macht KI genau? Wem nützt sie? Zu was ist sie vielleicht auch gut? Wo kommt sie schon zum Einsatz – bei Schularbeiten, in der...

Group of young children holding smartphones and hiding faces, gen Alpha

Photo: Adobe Stock/605624128, cropped

16 April 2026|Administration

European Commission: Special Panel on child safety online

The Special panel advises the EU Commission President on child safety online and potential age limits for social media and other online services in Europe. Prof. Dr. Judith Simon was invited to participate in the second meeting. The agenda focused on existing measures to protect minors in the EU and around the world, and...

Photo: Adobe Stock/422738189, cropped

15 April 2026|Event

Dis/Trusting Generative AI? Assessing Four Types of Deception Through Generative AI

On April 15, 2026, Prof. Dr. Judith Simon is guest speaker at the "Digital Complexity: Beyond Human Understanding" lecture series organized by the Käte Hamburger Kolleg: Cultures of Research at RWTH Aachen. In her talk Prof. Dr. Judith Simon proposes the notion of quadruple deception to capture a distinctive feature of...

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26 March 2026|Publication

Preprint: Assessing Age Assurance Technologies: Effectiveness, Side-Effects, and Acceptance

In this preprint, Wouter Lueks, Stephan Dreyer, Hannes Federrath, and Judith Simon provide an overview and evaluation of different types of age assurance technologies (AAT). The preprint is available on arXiv.

the image is a critique of genAI and its toolmen, forcing genAI into our lives, families and homes. It frames genAI as a power(ful) tool to control and influence behaviour.

Photo: Bart Fish & Power Tools of AI / https://betterimagesofai.org / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, cropped

22 January 2026|Event

Einstein Forum: Gegen KI – Zur Notwendigkeit der Auseinandersetzung für Wissen, Beziehungen und Demokratie

Die starke Nutzung insbesondere Generativer KI, bspw. von Chatbots oder Bildgeneratoren, hat innerhalb kürzester Zeit dazu geführt, dass etablierte gesellschaftliche Praktiken einer Neubewertung unterzogen wurden und werden. Das Einstein Forum hat Prof. Dr. Judith Simon eingeladen, um darüber zu sprechen.

Photo: Aric

22 January 2026|Event

ARIC Brown Bag Session: Hype, Hope und Statistik: GenAI aus ethischer Perspektive

GenAI ist in aller Munde: Als Zukunftstechnologie, als Next Big Thing, in Gestalt enttäuschter Erwartungen, oder als Gesellschaftsdystopie. Dr. Jan-Philipp Kruse wird diese Wahrnehmungen sortieren und aufzeigen, wo der Einsatz Generativer KI erhebliche ethische Herausforderungen mit sich bringt (und wo vermutlich eher...

Photo: Alina Constantin / Better Images of AI / Handmade A.I / CC-BY 4.0

14 January 2026|Event

Public Lecture: Implicit Knowledge in Human-Machine Relationships. A Philosophical Investigation

In her lecture on Januar 14, 2026, Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gramelsberger (RWTH Aachen) examines the naturalization of digital technology as envisioned by Mark Weiser, focusing on how miniaturization and intuitive access bring the digital closer to emotions and everyday life. From a philosophical perspective, it analyses the...

Photo: Jocelyn Maclure, cropped

7 January 2026|Event

Public Lecture: AI, Explainability and Epistemic Dependence

In his lecture on Januar 7, 2026, Prof. Dr. Jocelyn Maclure (McGill University, Canada) explores the debate about whether people deserve to know how AI systems make decisions that affect their lives. He addresses new challenges to the “right to explanation” and shows why transparency and accountability remain essential.

Gäste der Talkshow sitzen in einer Runde und diskutieren

Photo: ZDF/Hertrich

16 December 2025|Event

Talkshow "Markus Lanz" zu Künstlicher Intelligenz

In seiner Sendung am 16.12.2025 spricht Markus Lanz mit seinen Talkshow-Gästen über Künstliche Intelligenz. Eingeladen sind Judith Simon, Katharina Zweig, Sascha Lobo und Leon Windscheid. Die Sendung kann über die ZDF-Mediathek abgerufen werden.

Archive of current news