The 6G4Society project: A conversation with the Dutch FNS 6G Ethics Board

Overview

In the mid-1990s, the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) programme launched i3 – Intelligent Information Interfaces, also known as The Disappearing Computer. This visionary initiative brought together engineers, ethnographers, designers, artists, computer scientists, and philosophers to explore real-world use cases in schools, offices, and hospitals.

Unfortunately, the programme was discontinued. Human-centered exploration fragmented into UX, usability, and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), while technical development followed a separate trajectory—focusing on situated and autonomous computing. This division, in hindsight, proved detrimental:

• From the technical side, human interaction became an afterthought.
  
• From the HCI perspective, technical frameworks were accepted as fixed and retrofitted into user contexts.
  
  

Today, we have an opportunity to reunite these paths, to create connectivity grounded in ethical design and social inclusion.

Why 6G?

6G networks promise higher speeds, lower latency, and the capacity to connect many more devices than 5G. These features not only enhance performance and reliability but also create opportunities for:

• Increased energy efficiency
  
• Greater sustainability
  
• Stronger digital inclusion
  
• A more resilient, human-centric digital society
  
  

Although 6G is expected to be deployed around 2030, groundwork is already underway, and the ethics of connectivity must be part of the design process from the start.

Webinar objectives

• Present 6G as more than just a technical advancement, but a catalyst for transformative connectivity
  
• Spark a broad, cross-disciplinary discussion around the question: What kind of connectivity do we want?
  
• Introduce the work of the Dutch 6G Ethics Board and the Future Network Services (FNS) ecosystem
  
• Explore Key Value Indicators (KVIs) as tools for ethical, meaningful innovation beyond commercial KPIs
  
  

Target stakeholders

• Regional and national regulators, legislators, and policy makers
  
• Telecom companies working on 5G/6G implementation and use cases
  
• Ethnographers, sociologists, philosophers, and others exploring the social impact of tech
  

• Anyone interested in the emerging triangle of value: IoT, AI, and 6G
  
  

  Session focus
  
  

  We are in a critical five-year window to embed ethics as a core component - not an afterthought - in technical frameworks. Through this discussion, we aim to:
  

• Align sustainability, European values, and societal impact with network design
  

• Develop intuitive, inclusive digital experiences
  

• Provide an actionable ethics toolbox for innovators and policymakers
  
  

Anticipated outcomes

• Deepen our understanding of the ethical and social dimensions of next-generation technologies
  
• Develop a shared language to move beyond hype or fear toward meaningful debate
  
• Introduce Key Value Indicators (KVIs) as tools for building purpose-driven use cases
  
• Highlight how European programmes are scaling up ethical innovation in the 6G space