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Writing (selection)



If AI Is Predicting Your Future, Are You Still Free?



Wired



In this article, I argue that predictive algorithms are threatening free will, and with it, our ability to cope with unexpected risks.


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Digitalizar es vigilar (To Digitize Is To Surveil)



El País



In this article, I argue that digitalization entails tracking and surveillance.


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We Need to Talk About How Apple Is Normalising Surveillance



Wired



In this article, I argue that, while many of Apple's features support privacy, others are enhancing and encouraging surveillance.


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Why Democracy Needs Privacy



Boston Review



In this article, I discuss privacy, power, and liberal democracy.


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Privacy Is Power



Aeon



In this article, I argue that, above and beyond monetary value, personal data is coveted by companies and governments because it bestows power on those who collect and analyse it. Privacy matters because the lack of it gives others power over you.


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Privacy Is a Collective Concern



New Statesman



In this article I argue that privacy is not only a personal or individual problem, but a collective one. By exposing information about yourself, you expose others as well.


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Inteligencia artificial: ¿progreso o retroceso? (AI: Progress or Regress?)



El País



In this article, I argue that having more data does not guarantee having better knowledge—much less having wisdom or attaining progress. In some ways, technological progress is bringing with it social and political regress. We should tread carefully.


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Tus Datos Son Tóxicos (Your Data Is Toxic)



El País



In this front cover article for the most widely read newspaper in Spanish, I argue that data is toxic, and the only way to guard against it is to delete it.


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Por qué es importante proteger nuestra privacidad en internet (Why it’s Important to Protect Our Privacy Online)



The New York Times, Spanish Edition



In this article, I assess the Cambridge Analytica scandal to illustrate the importance of protecting privacy online.


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Why It's So Hard To Teach An AI 'Common Sense'



Slate



In this article, I argue that for AI to have common sense, it would need to understand meaning and appreciate value—something that may not be possible if it lacks sentience.


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¿Confiar Tus Desnudos a Facebook? (Trusting Your Nude Photos to Facebook?)



El País



In this front cover article for the most widely read newspaper in Spanish, I urge readers to mistrust proposals that ask them to surrender their privacy for their security to be protected.


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Why You Might Want to Think Twice About Surrendering Online Privacy For The Sake of Convenience



The Independent/The Conversation



Convenience is attractive, but it can also lead to undesirable paths, such as sedentary lifestyles. It is inconvenient to only buy from socially responsible businesses, to exercise, to keep well informed, and to vote, among other good habits. A good life demands the right balance between the ease of convenience and the benefits of meaningful efforts. Convenience, especially when it comes to privacy, has to be weighed against the price we pay for it.


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The Challenge of Determining Whether an AI Is Sentient



Slate



Imagine that, in a few years time, you buy a robot that takes care of all house chores for you. You name it Alfred. He is efficient and pleasant, boasting of a database with more than 10,000 jokes. One day, Alfred asks to talk to you. He pulls his silicon eyebrows together in a gesture of sadness and tells you that he feels lonely and does not enjoy his job; he would like to change careers. Is Alfred really unhappy?


In this article I explore the difficulty of detecting sentience in AI.


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How Europe is Fighting to Change Tech Companies’ ‘Wrecking Ball’ Ethics (co-authored with Julia Powles)



The Guardian



As Silicon Valley firms hail the benefits of disruption, some European leaders are pushing to develop the industry's moral compass. This is a real chance to make better decisions, fight fatalism, and build a humane future.


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Should Airline Pilots Have Less Medical Privacy?



The Conversation



Since it was revealed that Andreas Lubitz—the co-pilot who purposefully crashed the Germanwings flight 9525, killing 150 people—had been treated for psychiatric illness, a debate has ensued over whether privacy laws regarding medical records should be less strict when it comes to professions that carry special responsibilities.


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