News about the Uk Foresight Programme
Issue 5 - June 2004
Foresight's fourth project launches its findings.
Cyber Trust & Crime Prevention
Click here for the executive summary.
As the world becomes more dependent on ICT - which continues to bring massive benefits - the UK needs to tackle the issues that influence the ways in which people make use of these advances, to increase public trust in technologies and reduce the potential for crime. The Cyber Trust and Crime Prevention project has used sound science and imaginative future scenarios to highlight challenges facing policy makers, businesses and the public by the development of ICT.
On 11th June the project launched its findings :
Project News
The Technology Forward Look gives an overview of the emerging world of pervasive computing, and detailed discussion of six dominant organising themes in areas from web services and software liability to critical infrastructure and e-cash.
The Scenario and Gaming Report contains three broad scenarios for the year 2018. These provide a narrative backdrop and give pointers as to how the future might be unfolding as we live it.
Following discussion in expert workshops and at the Advisory Groups, ten themes were picked covering a range of disciplines from philosophy and study of information systems. A science review has been written on each discipline.
A number of short review or discussion papers were drawn up over the life of the project and contain material that is of relevance and interest, but they have not been through a formal peer-review process. They fill in gaps in the coverage of the science reviews or address some specific points as a stimulus for further debate.
Brain Science, Addiction and Drugs
Project themes emerging so far are:
- Legal drugs (eg alcohol and tobacco), gambling and other behavioural addictions; vulnerability to addiction including risk;
- Abuse and addiction to illicit drugs and other chemical stimulants;
- Harm to the individual and society
- Use and abuse of cognitive enhancement drugs
- Treatment including prevention
The project's Advisory Group and Stakeholder Group both met in May and focused on the issues and topics raised by the two scoping workshops held in March and April.
The project's work in the near future includes a review of futures work in this area and the production of state of the science reviews.
The project is generating a lot of interest in the science communities both in the UK and abroad. The project team is also working to engage key international scientists and organisations in its work.
In April both the Flood & Coastal Defence and Exploiting the Electromagnetic Spectrum launched their findings and action plans.
Other links