Value alignment aims to ensure that AI systems behave in ways that respect human values. Most LLMs, such as those developed by OpenAI, undergo value alignment before release through reinforcement learning from human feedback. However, in current practice, users are treated as little more than anonymous annotators—replaceable and disposable. We believe users can and should play a more meaningful role in aligning LLMs.

This workshop brings together researchers from LLMs, human-computer interaction, ethics, and healthcare to discuss user roles in LLM alignment. We choose AI research assistant as a case study and participants will engage in a conversation sharing their experiences and discussing human roles in aligning LLMs with their needs and values.”

Anne Arzberger (TU Delft), Martha Lewis (UvA), Noor Bruijn (Erasmus MC), and Giorgia Pozzi (TU Delft)

Policymakers, health care professionals, researchers, and all kinds of other experts look to technology to solve the major challenges that health care is facing. However, opinions on what digital health care entails differ greatly between civilians, experts, and policy documents. This fosters the difficulties to implement digital tools in a way that not only benefits the privilaged few, but also vulnerable groups. How do we navigate these problems and come to a wholesome adoption of digital tools that really makes a difference? You are welcome to join us in a lively session, where this will be the central question.

Pieter Rohrbach (OU), Saar Hommes (TiU), Judith Tommel (UMCG), Jolien van de Sande (TiU)

“The European Commission defines digital inclusion as ‘ways to ensure that everybody can contribute to and benefit from the digital economy and society’. Digital inclusion policies tend to be targeted at connectivity (access to the internet), usage capability (e.g. fostering digital competences) and quality of use (design of digital services to meet all user needs). The focus on migrants in relation to digital inclusion is relevant given the many challenges of interconnecting social and digital exclusion that individuals with migration background are facing. In this regard, measures to promote migrant digital inclusion, e.g. digital skills or migrant access efficacy of relevant online resources could facilitate migrant social inclusion. At the same time, lacking migrant digital inclusion can deteriorate the already vulnerable socio-economic position of many migrants in society. In this round table, we bring together scholars who study digital inclusion of migrant communities from different perspectives, including social inclusion, multilingualism, and media education. By discussing key arguments and questions related to migrant communities and inequalities in the digital society, we aim to offer a nuanced and broad understanding of the field.”

Academics from the Research Centre for Media and Journalism Studies (UG) and from Radboud University Network on Migrant Inclusion (RUNOMI)

“The past five years, five NWO-funded projects on the Digital Society have been working towards scientific and societal impact in collaboration with partners from outside research. In this panel, the projects share their experiences in collaborating with societal partners, detailing how these collaborations have enabled scientific and societal impact and how challenges in working with societal partners can be met. These projects collectively explore how digital technologies can empower individuals and communities to maintain control over their own data and digital lives, thereby advancing the goal of digital autonomy. The five projects are: 1. Better-MODS on moderating online discussions about the news. In collaboration with NU.nl, 2. Informed Citizenship for All on digital literacy as a prerequisite for an inclusive society. In collaboration with Koninklijke Bibliotheek, SKSG, Ministerie van BZK, Alfa College, Biblionet Groningen. 3. Technological Citizenship on the role of citizens in strengthening cyber resilience in the healthcare domain. In collaboration with Catharina Ziekenhuis. 4. Measuring pedestrian dynamics on methods for counting pedestrians while protecting their privacy. In collaboration with Arriva. 5. The Power of Words on the role of mediator’s language in increasing intergenerational empathy in online discussions. In collaboration with EMMA.”

Emiel Krahmer, Alex Smit, Anne Marte Gardenier, Frank Osterman, Charlotte Vaassen

Traditional citizenship is about  (legally) belonging to a state, granting individuals both rights and duties. Next to obeying to laws and being protected by them, it demands active participation in democratic activities such as voting, forming opinions, and being attuned to political discussions in the public sphere. But what does democratic citizenship mean in today’s digital age where much of our public sphere operates under the logics of the attention economy and surveillance capitalism? In this panel, we will share insights from our different academic disciplines (Law, Economics, Psychology, Sociology) and work with your input to rethink the challenges around Digital Citizenship.

With increasing attention to digitalization for health and wellbeing, there are broad concerns about a widening digital divide. How can we make sure that everybody benefits equally from digital innovations that stimulate health and wellbeing? Do one-size-fits-all solutions work at all, or do we need to engage in personalized digital interventions and dedicated efforts to include populations at risk of being left behind digitally? Which bottlenecks do people with lower digital health skills experience themselves, and how can these be tackled? During this session we will discuss these questions, with the purpose of working towards a new research agenda.

Pascal Beckers (RU), Lily Frank (TU/e), Jeanine Guidry-Drost (TiU), Saar Hommes (TiU), Emiel Krahmer (TiU), Philip Nickel (TU/e), Kim Tenfelde (TiU)

“In this talk Sonja Bekker and René Mahieu will discuss how digital rights can be used to protect workers labour rights in the face of changing labour relations in a time that work is increasingly mediated through powerful digital platforms. René will introduce the case of Uber drivers, who have used their right of access to personal data, a cornerstone of the GDRP, to successfully contest unfair labour practices and protect labour rights. Sonja will give examples on how at EU level and at sector level new labour rights may be codified, in the Platform Work Directive and in collective labour agreements. This introduction will be followed by a conversation between the speakers and the public moderated by Reijer Passchier. In this conversation we will reflect on the conditions that are necessary for workers to effectively use their digital rights to protect their labour interest. The examples suggest in particular an important role of various forms of collectivization (for example with labour unions and NGOs) to make rights that are classically conceived of as individual rights effective in practice. René Mahieu (OU) is currently finishing a book on the right of access to personal data (OUP 2026) which conceptualizes the right as general right intended to force those who have power and authority to be accountable to those that are subject to their power and authority. Sonja Bekker (UU) and her team organize an online seminar series on sustainable platform work. To receive invitations for these seminars, please send an email to sectorplanddt@uu.nl. Reijer Passchier (OU/UL) is the author of De vloek van Big Tech (‘The curse of Big Tech’).”

René Mahieu (OU), Sonja Bekker (UU), Reijer Passchier (OU/UL)