Tackling AI’s Environmental Impact and Strengthening Global Privacy Protections

Introduction:

Welcome to Fair Monday! We know Mondays can be a bit rough, so we created Fair Monday to bring you weekly insights and resources on dark patterns and digital fairness. Each Monday, we share updates on the latest developments, helping you stay informed and empowered to create a fairer, more transparent digital space.

This Week's Highlights:

1. 🌍 AI and Climate Change: The Environmental Footprint
AI’s growing influence comes with a significant environmental cost. Training AI models like GPT-3 consumes electricity comparable to the annual usage of 130 US homes. Key stats include:

• 20% of energy used for training models and 80% for requests.
• Infrastructure demands could triple current capacity, disproportionately impacting low-income communities.
• Potentially doubling utility bills for taxpayers.
  Balancing AI advancements with sustainability is critical to mitigate its environmental impact.
  ➡️ Read more here

2. 🇭🇰 Hong Kong Issues Guidelines to Counter Deceptive Design Patterns
The Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) released actionable recommendations to tackle online dark patterns:

• Default settings must prioritize privacy protection.
• Avoid biased language and ensure clear, fair privacy choices.
• Ensure privacy information and account management are easy to access.
• Provide timely, transparent consent options for users.
  ➡️ Learn more here

3. 🇧🇲 Bermuda’s New Privacy Act: PIPA to Go Live in 2025
The Personal Information Privacy Act (PIPA) will take full effect on January 1, 2025, introducing 12 principles for personal data protection:

• Mandatory clear and accessible consent mechanisms.
• Transparent privacy notices.
• Special focus on children’s personal information online.
  ➡️ Details here

4. 🇧🇲 Bermuda’s Privacy Commission Highlights Lack of Transparency in Local Websites
A survey of 196 websites and apps revealed critical gaps in digital transparency:

• 76% used complicated privacy language.
• Only 40% featured a privacy notice at all.
  This underscores the urgent need for improved transparency and consumer trust online.
  ➡️ Explore the findings here

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Conclusion:

This week’s highlights emphasize the importance of addressing AI’s environmental impact and advancing global privacy standards. From Hong Kong’s actionable guidelines to Bermuda’s enhanced privacy regulations, the focus remains on ensuring transparency and accountability. Together, let’s continue advocating for a fairer digital world! Have a great week!