Ethics and Social Philosophy of the Digital Society
I am leading the Ethics and critical theories of artificial intelligence research group at the Institute of Cognitive Science at the University of Osnabrück. My team works on contemporary critical philosophy of the digital world. Our projects cover the ethics of AI, data protection and Big Data, digital technology and power, digital enlightenment, empowerment and participation.
Research interests Research team
Join our discussion!
Our weekly research colloquium and most of our teaching is in English and hybrid – you can participate remotely if you’re not based in Osnabrück.
Colloquium Data Ethics Outreach Lab Teaching program
Current research
Predictive Privacy: A new approach in data protection that reacts to the risks of predictive analytics, which is the use of AI models to predict behaviour and personal information.
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Mühlhoff, Rainer. 2023. „Predictive Privacy: Collective Data Protection in the Context of AI and Big Data“. Big Data & Society, 1–14. doi:10.1177/20539517231166886.×@article{Mü2023:BDS, author = {Mühlhoff, Rainer}, title = {Predictive Privacy: Collective Data Protection in the Context of AI and Big Data}, journal = {Big Data & Society}, year = {2023}, doi = {10.1177/20539517231166886}, pages = {1–14}, web_group = {aktuell}, web_thumbnail = {/assets/images/publications/Mü2023:BDS.jpg}, web_fulltext = {/media/publications/mühlhoff_2023_predictive_privacy.pdf} }
Human-Aided AI: Machine Learning systemes are based on human labour and must be analysed as networked socio-technical systems.
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Mühlhoff, Rainer. 2020. „Human-Aided Artificial Intelligence: Or, How to Run Large Computations in Human Brains?“ New Media & Society 22 (10): 1868–84. doi:10.1177/1461444819885334.×@article{Mü2020:NMS, author = {Mühlhoff, Rainer}, title = {Human-Aided Artificial Intelligence: Or, How to Run Large Computations in Human Brains?}, subtitle = {Towards a Media Sociology of Machine Learning}, journal = {New Media \& Society}, year = {2020}, volume = {22}, number = {10}, pages = {1868–1884}, doi = {10.1177/1461444819885334}, web_group = {papers}, web_academia = {https://www.academia.edu/40263575/Human-Aided_Artificial_Intelligence_Towards_a_Media_Sociology_of_Machine_Learning._Or_How_to_Run_Large_Computations_in_Human_Brains}, web_fulltext = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1461444819885334} }
Ethics of AI as critical social philosophy: An effective ethical debate of AI needs to analyse the power of AI systems.
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Mühlhoff, Rainer. 2020. „Automatisierte Ungleichheit: Ethik der Künstlichen Intelligenz in der biopolitische Wende des Digitalen Kapitalismus“. Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie 68 (6): 867–90. doi:10.1515/dzph-2020-0059.Full text Full text pre-print academia.edu bibtex
×@article{Mü2020:DZPhil, author = {Mühlhoff, Rainer}, title = {Automatisierte Ungleichheit: Ethik der Künstlichen Intelligenz in der biopolitische Wende des Digitalen Kapitalismus}, journal = {Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie}, year = {2020}, volume = {68}, issue = {6}, pages = {867–890}, doi = {10.1515/dzph-2020-0059}, web_group = {papers}, web_academia = {https://www.academia.edu/43614887/Automatisierte_Ungleichheit_Ethik_der_K%C3%BCnstlichen_Intelligenz_in_der_biopolitischen_Wende_des_Digitalen_Kapitalismus}, web_preprint = {https://ssrn.com/abstract=3666727}, web_fulltext_pay = {https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/dzph/68/6/article-p867.xml}, web_fulltext = {/media/publications/mühlhoff_2020_automatisierte-ungleichheit_DZPhil2.pdf} }
News | Dates
Associate Researcher at the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society
I look forward to working with Andrea Hamm, Rainer Rehak, and André Ullrich: As an Associate Researcher, I am now affiliated with the “Digitization, Sustaina...
New book: “The Power of Data” (in German)
I’m delighted to announce that my new book “The Power of Data: Why Artificial Intelligence is a Question of Ethics” (in German) has been published today. The...
New article in Big Data & Society (open access): “Predictive Privacy: Collective Data Protection in the Context of AI and Big Data”
I am excited to announce the release of my latest article on predictive privacy. In this paper, I tackle the challenge posed by big data and artificial intel...
Now out: “Social Media Advertising for Clinical Studies: Ethical and Data Protection Implications of Online Targeting” (with Theresa Willem)
In this article, we discuss the data ethics and privacy implications of online advertising on social media. Using the example of online advertising for clini...
Predictive Privacy at CAIS Bochum
It was a great pleasure presenting my research on ethical implications of predictive analytics at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies in Bochum.
Now available: “Prädiktive Privatheit: Kollektiver Datenschutz im Kontext von Big Data und KI”
The conference proceedings of Forum Privatheit 2021 are out now! Many thanks to the editors Michael Friedewald, Alexander Roßnagel, Jessica Heesen, Nicole Kr...
Deutschlandfunk Nova – Sendung Hörsaal
Am 8. September 2022 wird mein re:publica-Vortrag sowie ein anschließendes Interview bei Deutschlandfunk Nova in der Sendung Hörsaal gebracht.
Live bei WDR5 – Das Philosophische Radio
Am 29. August 2022 bin ich zu Gast bei WDR5 im Philosophischen Radio. Mit Moderator Jürgen Wiebicke rede ich über Ethik der künstlichen Intelligenz, Datensch...
Lecture at University of Osnabrück awarded with Prize for Good Teaching
For my lecture Introduction to the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence I was awarded this year’s Hans Mühlenhoff Prize for Good Teaching.
re:publica 2022: Talk on Predictive Privacy
On 10 June 2022 I will speak on Predictive Privacy at re:publica 22 in Berlin (in German).
Osnabrück University Speech 2022: The Power of Data
On 19 May I will give this year’s University Speech (in German).
New pre-print article: “Social Media Advertising for Clinical Studies: Ethical and Data Protection Implications of Online Targeting”
Targeted advertisement on Facebook helps the platform to predict medical information about any other platform user. In our joint preprint, Theresa Willem (TU...
Predictive Privacy: Why we need to improve data protection to fight social inequality and discrimination
I presented the collectivist privacy concept of “predictive privacy” at the Weizenbaum Forum on February 8, 2022 and had a great penal with Aline Blankertz, ...
How machine learning methods that claim to protect privacy fuel discrimination and social sorting
In my lecture this week on the Ethics of AI, I argued that current trends in privacy-friendly machine learning present a new data protection challenge.
Watch my Introduction to the Ethics of AI online!
I am teaching the Introduction to the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in a hybrid on-site/online format.
Article on Predictive Privacy appeared in Ethics and Information Technology (open access)
Data analytics and data-driven approaches in Machine Learning are now among the most hailed computing technologies in many industrial domains. One major appl...
Professor of Ethics of AI at Osnabrück University
I will be joining the Institute of Cognitive Science at the University of Osnabrück as a professor of Ethics of Artificial Intelligence as of August 2021.
New paper on automated inequality in the context of Big Data and AI in Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie
In this recent article, I describe my approach to an ethics of AI that is in close contact with social philosophy and critical theories in order to address i...
Predictive Privacy project nominated for „Forum Junge Spitzenforscher*innen“ award
This year, the FJS, funded by Stiftung Industrieforschung, awarded prizes to the “most innovative ideas on Artificial Intelligence”. My project on Predictiv...
Guest at the podium on „AI in Medical Imaging“ with Prof. Dr. Bert Heinrichs and Prof. Dr. Daniel Rückert, Fernuniversität Hagen
5 November 2020, 18.00-19.30: AI in Medical Imaging. Speakers: Prof. Dr. Bert Heinrichs (RFWU Bonn), Dr. Rainer Mühlhoff (TU Berlin), Prof. Dr. Daniel Rüc...
“Predictive Privacy: Towards an Applied Ethics of Data Analytics” – Preprint now online at SSRN
Data analytics and data-driven approaches in Machine Learning are now among the most hailed computing technologies in many industrial domains. One major appl...
Article on “Human-Aided Artificial Intelligence” (New Media & Society) now available Open Access
My article “Human-Aided Artificial Intelligence: Or, How to Run Large Computations in Human Brains? Toward a media sociology of machine learning” is now publ...
Text in den Blättern: „Die Illusion der Anonymität: Big Data im Gesundheitssystem“
Anonymisierte Massendaten, wie sie zum Beispiel im Gesundheitssystem gesammelt werden, bergen erhebliche Datenschutzrisiken. In vielen Fällen ist eine Re-Id...
New Project on Ethics of Location-Data Funded by German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
On July 1, 2020, the project “SIMPORT” - Sovereign and Intuitive Management of Location Information - will start. In this exciting network of computer scien...
Data Protection Impact Assessment of Corona Tracing App available in English
I am part of the team of FIfF e.V. releasing a Data Protection Impact Assessment for Corona Tracing App Systems.
Interview on Turbo Digitalization after Covid-19 and Data Protection of the Corona App in the Greek Newspaper Epohi
Οδηγούμαστε σε μια τούρμπο-ψηφιοποίηση
We released a Data Protection Impact Assessment for Corina Tracing App systems (PEPP-PT, DP-3T)
I am part of the team of FIfF e.V. releasing a Data Protection Impact Assessment for Corona Tracing App Systems.
We Need to Think Data Protection Beyond Privacy
With Covid tracking apps on the horizon, everyone is debating privacy now. But data protection is more than privacy! Turbo-Digitization after Covid-19 will ...
Commentary on “Digital Fundamental Rights After Covid-19: Why We Need A New Debate On Data Protection”
[Commentary on Netzpolitik.org] (in German):
Key Note: „Resonance, Affect and Power: Affect theory of subjectivation with Spinoza and Foucault“, Max-Weber-Kolleg, Universität Erfurt.
International Graduate School „Resonant Self-World Relations“ at Max-Weber-Kolleg, University of Erfurt. I’m giving a Key Note on Resonance, Affect and Pow...
Talk on Digital Counter-Enlightenment, Surveillance by Design, and Collective Data Protection at Geoinformatics Forum, Universität Münster
Tuesday January 21, 2020, 12:15–13:00, Universität Münster, Institute for Geoinformatics, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149 Münster.
Article on “Human-Aided AI” now published in New Media & Society
My article “Human-Aided Artificial Intelligence: Or, How to Run Large Computations in Human Brains? Toward a media sociology of machine learning” is now publ...
Talk on my project “Human-Aided Artificial Intelligence” at GFM annual conference 2019 in Cologne.
Paper presentation on the Annual Conference of the German Society of Media Studies 2019 in Cologne (in German).
Transitioning to TU Berlin
I’m happy to announce that as of October I will transition to the newly founded Excellence Cluster Science of Intelligence at Technische Universität Berlin....
New article on “Human-Aided AI” out
My article Menschengestützte Künstliche Intelligenz. Über die soziotechnischen Voraussetzungen von «deep learning» just appeared in Zeitschrift für Medienwis...
Live at Deutschlandfunk Kultur Radio, Sein und Streit, 21.07.2019, 13:05 pm
Anja Breljak and Rainer Mühlhoff are speaking with moderator Christian Möller on “Wie affektgetrieben ist das Netz?”
Book Release “Affekt Macht Netz” – 15.7.2019, 8 pm, @Antiquariat Kalligramm, Berlin
We are happy to invite to our Book Release event for our volume „Affekt Macht Netz. Auf dem Weg zu einer Sozialtheorie der Digitalen Gesellschaft“.
Book “Affekt Macht Netz” published (Open Access)
Rainer Mühlhoff, Anja Breljak and Jan Slaby jointly edited the new volume “Affekt Macht Netz. Auf dem Weg zu einer Sozialtheorie der Digitalen Gesellschaft”...
Speaking on „Human-Aided Artificial Intelligence, or: How to Run Large Computations in Human Brains?“ at the HCC – Human-Centered Computing Group, Freie Universität Berlin
I’m excited to present my work at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, “Human-Centered Computing” Group (Prof. Claudia Müller-Birn) at Freie ...
