Beth Simone Noveck is a member of the Digitalrat of the Federal government. In the DW-exclusive interview she talks about her work for the panel and how the Chancellor is ticking.
DW: Ms. Noveck, such as working for the Federal government came to be? Who called whom?
Noveck: The chief of staff to the Chancellor called me and spoke with me about my work and my main areas of activity, which subjects you could take in attack, and should be, if a digital Advisory group should be established. And then the Chancellor himself called me and asked me if I want to be there.
What attracted you to the role?
It is a great honor to be leaders of the world politics demand, especially from someone with as much influence and such a meaning, such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The decisive factor was, however, that the Digitalrat focuses on concrete steps. It is not just a Commission, Task Force or Advisory body, submitted a work paper. They told me that our recommendations should be implemented to the extent that they are suitable directly. I can also improve my English!
How’s it going until now? How open the Federal government, your ideas compared to how lively the exchanges?
It is a remarkably open and dedicated cooperation. I was part of many Advisory bodies and, very often, is not written at the end of a report, the moves but not so much when it comes to the daily Governance and policy-making. My Feeling is that it is also because we are such a small group – a large Dose of enthusiasm, commitment and exchange. And our opinions are welcome.
Can you give me an example of how you work together successfully?
In the early days of the Digitalrats, the Federal government worked on its strategy for artificial intelligence. We have proposed a design in German and English and to ask for Feedback. We have replaced then with hundreds of experts worldwide, who have informed us of your opinion. This accumulated expertise has finally found its way into the final draft, which was then published. The was approach is quite different, as we are otherwise accustomed to: namely that, behind closed doors is advised, taking into account the recommendations of one or, if at all, two experts.
They were already in place for the former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, and for the White house under Barack Obama. How is the Work for the Digitalrat?
I think what is different, is the determination of the German government. There was already before the creation of the digital Council with a high level of enthusiasm and interest for the subject. I do not believe that the Federal government would have done, if she hadn’t been willing to make some of the offered advice. But the time is also ripe for the application of technology in the government, as it was during my time in the White house.
Chancellor Merkel with the members of the Digitalrats of the Federal government
When you think of Germany, it’s not always the digitisation and Innovation in this area. Where is Germany?
Because you’re right, you remember that Germany is at the forefront of Innovation. One thinks of Germany as the country that invented bureaucracy. But there were efforts before the Digitalrat was launched. By Germany, has designed a strategy for artificial intelligence, ahead of the country what is happening in the US, far. And the government is seeking, five-hundred citizens services online.
Nevertheless, it is generally assumed that Germany, in comparison to the US hesitant and cautious about cyber-security and data protection. This makes your work more difficult?
Europe and Germany are more than the United States, in terms of the Thinking and legislation on privacy in the digital area. I don’t want to talk about the importance of the protection of private data small. But it is also important to raise awareness that there is a huge amount of, not sufficient data used to be collected by the government and which could be used for the Benefit of society.
The US government, for example, has created a secure digital infrastructure to anonymised data, from cancer research to exchange and to qualified researchers as well as Doctors and hospitals. Instead, a physician only has access to its own research data, it can draw on a much broader base of scientific data that has the potential to find faster ways to cure cancer.
You have met many leading politicians personally. What’s it like to work for people such as Angela Merkel and Barack Obama? And how is it working with them?
I have experienced that both are open to change, if it’s about how a country is governed. At the same time both down-to-earth. This is what makes it for me, personally, very charming to work with you. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is really interested and interesting questions. When we have these Meetings, they engaged incredibly. And she feels a in a way on the Tooth, that you realize: There’s a sincere intellectual curiosity, and commitment behind it.
Beth Simone Noveck directs the Governance Lab (GovLab) in Brooklyn. She is also Professor of technology, culture and society at New York University. She served the White house as a Deputy technology officer and consulted as the Director of “White House Open Government Initiative” of President Barack Obama. In the UK, it was during the tenure of Prime Minister David Cameron, a senior adviser to the British government.
The Interview was conducted by Sophie Schimansky.