ERMeCC Lunch Seminar

Quantum Networks and Communications Scholars in the Age of Quantum Digitalization

Sarah Young (ESHCC)

Researchers across disciplines and geographies have been collaborating for years to develop workable quantum networks, but more recently, scholars point to a kind of ‘quantum internet timeline’ suggesting people will have quantum networking in full capability by the year 2030 (Clark, et al, 2021; Vermaas, et al., 2019). QNs, as opposed to classical networks, rely on the principles of quantum mechanics to change the way information is sent and received. These networks will likely impact our world in many unpredictable ways, just as stories of new developments in ICTs have for the past few centuries (see Mosco, 2004). But how might a quantum internet impact the landscape of media and communication, and what role can communications scholars play in this developing technology? To answer this question, Sarah’s presentation will provide a brief background of quantum networks, will describe potential applications of quantum networks in the near(er) future, and will sketch out potential pathways forward for scholars in fields of communication. The audience will walk away with a basic understanding of the past, present, and future of information in an age of quantum and digitalization.

ELM - An Erasmian Language Model for education and research

João Gonçalves (ESHCC)

Large language models (LLMs) such as the popular ChatGPT have been increasily used in education and research, including in classroom settings (Zhai, 2023). For instance, in the Unboxing the Algorithms course, we have been using Google's BERT language model to experiment with generating academic texts for the past two years. However, these language models have significant privacy (Li et al, 2023) and societal implications in the ways that they are trained, deployed and their governance structure. ChatGPT collects user data in ways that are not necessarily compliant with GDPR, and both GPT and BERT reproduce systemic biases due to their training process (Palacios Barea, 2022). Finally, usage of these models provides additional training data to companies (OpenAI, Google) that already concentrate much of the power in technological development. The solution to the problem above would be to train and make available a language model developed under Erasmian values, an Erasmian Language Model (ELM). A language model developed by the Erasmus community of educators, students and support staff to empower this very same community. To successfully address the privacy, impact and governance issues described above the ELM draws insights from participatory science and education practices and computer science methodology. The development of ELM will be guided by a participatory approach (Zoellick et al., 2012), emulating scientist-teacher-student partnerships for higher education, which produce desirable outcomes both for educators and researchers. It will also follow an AGILE development methodology, to iteratively produce results that can be deployed and improved on in a classroom setting.

Family Surveillance: Understanding Parental Monitoring, Reciprocal Practices, and Digital Resilience

Anouk Mols (ESHCC)

The embeddedness of digital technologies in everyday family life creates endless communication and entertainment opportunities and allows parents to monitor the educational progress, media use, and whereabouts of their children. Many parents and care-takers struggle with finding a balance between control, care, freedom, and digital wellbeing. Anouk’s research explores how nine families in the Netherlands engage in everyday surveillance practices. Parents share how they negotiate the use of screen time restrictions, location tracking, social media monitoring, and student tracking systems while their children reflect on how they respond to such monitoring practices. This study proposes family surveillance as a way to understand lateral processes of keeping track of the digital and non-digital activities and associations of family members. Family surveillance is embedded in broader constellations of media and communication practices and sometimes occurs in reciprocal ways. Open conversations about technology are advised to foster surveillance awareness, and privacy and cybersecurity resilience.