Ethical Digital Society Course | AI Ethics & Data Justice | IIIT Bangalore
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 264 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Elective |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 4 weeks |
| Categories | Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty Domain - Advanced, Faculty Domain - Fundamental |
| Credit Points | 1 |
| Level | Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 16 Feb 2026 |
| End Date | 13 Mar 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 16 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 27 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 18 Apr 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
Towards an Ethical Digital Society: From Theory to Practice
In an era defined by rapid digital transformation, the ethical implications of technology are no longer an afterthought—they are a fundamental design requirement. The postgraduate course 'Towards an Ethical Digital Society: From Theory to Practice', offered by the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB), provides a critical toolkit for navigating this complex landscape. Guided by Prof. Amit Prakash, this 4-week program bridges the gap between ethical theory and real-world technological practice.
Course Instructor: Prof. Amit Prakash
Prof. Amit Prakash brings a wealth of academic and practical expertise to this course. An Associate Professor at IIIT Bangalore, he convenes the Centre for IT and Public Policy (CITAPP) and is a core member of the E-Health Research Centre (EHRC). His research focuses on ICT for Development, e-Governance, and Public Policy. With a doctoral degree from IIM Bangalore and an engineering background from IIT Roorkee, Prof. Prakash offers a unique interdisciplinary perspective essential for tackling ethical dilemmas in technology.
Who Should Take This Course?
This course is designed for a broad audience committed to responsible innovation.
- Postgraduate Students across disciplines interested in the societal impact of technology.
- Professionals & Practitioners in tech companies, NGOs, and government agencies involved in designing or deploying digital solutions.
- Product Managers, Developers, & Designers seeking to embed ethical considerations into their workflows.
- Policy Makers & Analysts working on technology governance and regulation.
Prerequisite: A Bachelor's degree in any discipline. A curiosity about the intersection of society, ethics, and technology is the primary requirement.
Course Overview: A Multidimensional Ethical Lens
Moving beyond simplistic checklists, this course examines technology as complex sociotechnical assemblages—interwoven systems of technology, people, institutions, and practices. It applies a multidimensional ethical framework to three critical domains:
- Artificial Intelligence: Scrutinizing algorithmic bias, transparency, accountability, and fairness.
- Digital Data: Exploring questions of privacy, ownership, consent, and data justice.
- Digital Infrastructures: Assessing issues of access, equity, inclusion, and the public good in systems like smart cities.
Detailed Course Layout
The 4-week curriculum is structured to build a comprehensive understanding from foundational concepts to specific applications.
Week 1: Foundations of Technology Ethics
- What is ethics? Why do we need to talk about ethics? Establishing the philosophical and practical basis for ethical inquiry in tech.
- Technology and Ethics: A Multidimensional Approach: Introducing the sociotechnical systems perspective for ethical analysis.
Week 2: Ethics in Digital Systems and Infrastructures
- Digital Identity and Inclusion: How digital ID systems can enable or exclude, and ethical frameworks for inclusive design.
- Smart City and Equity: Critically examining the promises of smart cities through lenses of social justice, access, and equitable service delivery.
Week 3: The Ethics of Data
- Data Justice: Moving beyond data privacy to questions of power, structural inequality, and fairness in data collection and use.
Week 4: The Ethics of Automated Decision-Making
- Algorithmic Fairness: Understanding different definitions of fairness, identifying bias in algorithms, and mitigation strategies.
- Ethical AI: Synthesizing concepts into principles and practices for the responsible development and deployment of AI systems.
Learning Outcomes and Industry Relevance
Participants will complete the course with a practical framework to ask the right ethical questions throughout the technology lifecycle. You will be able to:
- Identify ethical pitfalls in digital product design and policy.
- Apply ethical lenses to technologies like AI, data systems, and large-scale digital infrastructure.
- Advocate for and contribute to more just and inclusive technological futures.
Industries That Will Benefit:
- Tech companies and startups designing digital products for diverse user groups.
- Organizations in finance, healthcare, and retail leveraging AI and data analytics.
- Government and public sector agencies implementing digital governance and infrastructure projects.
- NGOs and international organizations using technology for development (ICT4D).
Why This Course Matters Now
As technologies like generative AI become ubiquitous, their potential for both benefit and harm grows exponentially. This course empowers you to be part of the solution—equipping you not just to understand ethical theories, but to implement ethical practices. It is an essential step for anyone aiming to lead, build, or regulate the technologies that will shape our collective future.
Enroll in 'Towards an Ethical Digital Society: From Theory to Practice' to move from passive concern to active capability in building a digital world that is fair, accountable, and just for all.
Enroll Now →