Value Sensitive Design and power in socio-technical ecosystems

Recent European policy papers call for the consideration of human values in the design of information technology. Value Sensitive Design (VSD) provides a framework for systematically accounting for values in the design of technical artefacts. This paper examines how the distribution of power within...

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Main Authors: Mattis Jacobs, Christian Kurtz, Judith Simon, Tilo Böhmann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society 2021-09-01
Series:Internet Policy Review
Subjects:
Online Access:https://policyreview.info/node/1580
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author Mattis Jacobs
Christian Kurtz
Judith Simon
Tilo Böhmann
author_facet Mattis Jacobs
Christian Kurtz
Judith Simon
Tilo Böhmann
author_sort Mattis Jacobs
collection DOAJ
description Recent European policy papers call for the consideration of human values in the design of information technology. Value Sensitive Design (VSD) provides a framework for systematically accounting for values in the design of technical artefacts. This paper examines how the distribution of power within socio-technical ecosystems poses a challenge for the application of VSD. It identifies four crucial factors determining the effect of the distribution of power on VSD: the level of decentralisation of the ecosystem; if VSD is applied at the core or periphery; when power can be exercised (temporality); and the phase of VSD (conceptual, empirical, and technical) that power can be exercised in. Based on these factors, it outlines how the challenge of accounting for power can be addressed.
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language English
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publisher Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society
record_format Article
series Internet Policy Review
spelling doaj-art-b48e138668ec4b4e9b081ed7fd3a295f2025-08-20T02:46:43ZengAlexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and SocietyInternet Policy Review2197-67752021-09-0110310.14763/2021.3.1580Value Sensitive Design and power in socio-technical ecosystemsMattis Jacobs0Christian Kurtz1Judith Simon2Tilo Böhmann3Universität HamburgUniversität HamburgUniversität HamburgUniversität HamburgRecent European policy papers call for the consideration of human values in the design of information technology. Value Sensitive Design (VSD) provides a framework for systematically accounting for values in the design of technical artefacts. This paper examines how the distribution of power within socio-technical ecosystems poses a challenge for the application of VSD. It identifies four crucial factors determining the effect of the distribution of power on VSD: the level of decentralisation of the ecosystem; if VSD is applied at the core or periphery; when power can be exercised (temporality); and the phase of VSD (conceptual, empirical, and technical) that power can be exercised in. Based on these factors, it outlines how the challenge of accounting for power can be addressed.https://policyreview.info/node/1580Value sensitive designPowerSociotechnical ecosystemsPlatformsBlockchain
spellingShingle Mattis Jacobs
Christian Kurtz
Judith Simon
Tilo Böhmann
Value Sensitive Design and power in socio-technical ecosystems
Internet Policy Review
Value sensitive design
Power
Sociotechnical ecosystems
Platforms
Blockchain
title Value Sensitive Design and power in socio-technical ecosystems
title_full Value Sensitive Design and power in socio-technical ecosystems
title_fullStr Value Sensitive Design and power in socio-technical ecosystems
title_full_unstemmed Value Sensitive Design and power in socio-technical ecosystems
title_short Value Sensitive Design and power in socio-technical ecosystems
title_sort value sensitive design and power in socio technical ecosystems
topic Value sensitive design
Power
Sociotechnical ecosystems
Platforms
Blockchain
url https://policyreview.info/node/1580
work_keys_str_mv AT mattisjacobs valuesensitivedesignandpowerinsociotechnicalecosystems
AT christiankurtz valuesensitivedesignandpowerinsociotechnicalecosystems
AT judithsimon valuesensitivedesignandpowerinsociotechnicalecosystems
AT tilobohmann valuesensitivedesignandpowerinsociotechnicalecosystems