(L-R) UTS vice-chancellor and president Professor Andrew Parfitt, Victor Dominello and UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs. Photo credit: Maja Baska
UNSW and UTS have landed former NSW digital government minister Victor Dominello to lead a new trustworthy digital society hub set up by the two universities.
The universities said they had created the hub “in close collaboration” with Dominello, and that he would spearhead it for at least three years.
“We founded the trustworthy digital society hub to help create a world where individuals and communities can fully benefit from the opportunities of the digital age without sacrificing their privacy, security or fundamental rights,” Dominello said in a statement.
“The hub will be a centre of innovation, bringing together researchers, technologists and policymakers to develop new digital technologies and practices that prioritise privacy, security and ethical considerations.
“It will serve as a trusted resource providing education, training and tools to help people understand the risks and benefits of digital technologies, and to make informed decisions about how to use them safely and responsibly.”
Dominello said that while consumers had embraced online service delivery models, they remained “sceptical about how and by whom their data is used.”
Trust needed to be established by governments and businesses in delivering digital services, he said.
Dominello hoped the hub would “develop effective models” for trustworthy digital services, and offer “education, training and tools to help people understand the risks and benefits of digital technologies”.