Anticipating governance, unintended consequences, and disruptive technologies: What recent developments mean for libraries

Abstract

Disruptive technologies including AI and increased technical capabilities to collect data for analysis and other purposes require companies, policymakers, and libraries alike to consider legal implications. Often, however, appropriate laws and regulations may not yet exist, or may be drafted quickly following an event or crisis. Both situations can lead to unintended consequences when policymakers either do not know how to prepare, nor how to react - a challenge known as ‘anticipatory regulation’ (Guston, 2014). This paper discusses some of the recent unintended consequences of data leaks, algorithmic decision-making, and privacy challenges, including examples from Australia and the European Union, and what they mean for libraries and the services they provide to users.