Digital responsibility
Digitalisation is for the people
We are currently at a turning point. All around the world, digitalisation is resulting in fundamental economic and social changes. The pace of digital transformation, which is affecting every aspect of our lives, is remarkable.
“We are approaching the topic with the mindset that technology must serve people and not vice versa. People are the highest ethical authority.”
Valentina Daiber
Chief Officer Legal and Corporate Affairs
Chief Officer Legal and Corporate Affairs
O2 Telefónica assumes responsibility
Shaping the digital transformation responsibly is a central aspiration of O2 Telefónica's actions – for the benefit of the customers, the company, employees and society.
O2 Telefónica is a founding company of the Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) Initiative, which is based at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).
O2 Telefónica has committed to the initiative's CDR Code. This states: “We put people at the centre of the development and use of technical systems.” 2023 O2 Telefónica has published its current CDR report.
Digital participation of all people
O2 Telefónica stands up for making sure all people have access to the opportunities offered by digitalisation. The company has been working for years to familiarise the young and the old with the possibilities offered by digitalisation and teach them about the challenges involved in using the Internet.
O2 Telefónica has a joint initiative with the Digital Opportunities Foundation called “Digital mobil im Alter” (Digitally mobile in old age). This also involves education about risks, for example through disinformation on the net. The website “Faktisch betrachtet – Fit gegen Fake News” (Factually speaking – fit for fake news) features a checklist for identifying misinformation, explanatory videos and an online quiz.
Protecting children and young people
These days, children are asking for a smartphone or a tablet at an early age – most young people can no longer imagine living without a mobile device. But they too have to learn how to use digital technologies safely. Many young people find themselves confronted with hate messages or offensive comments, and primary school children are affected by cyberbullying too. O2 Telefónica therefore considers it important to specifically take responsibility here.
O2 Telefónica wants to enable young people to use digital media in a competent and safe manner and help strengthen children's rights by protecting them from problematic media content. The WAKE UP! initiative uses a web series, workshops and a digital learning programme to teach children and young people about how to deal with cyberbullying. The company supports parents with guides and pamphlets on competently handling their children’s mobile freedom.
Sustainable innovations and AI in accordance with ethical principles
O2 Telefónica wants to use digital technologies to drive the sustainable development of the company, the economy and society as a whole. An important lever for this is artificial intelligence (AI). The company is convinced that AI opens up enormous opportunities. The associated risks must be minimized. For this reason, O2 Telefónica has defined ethical principles for the use of AI so that it serves the interests of society.
The company is also committed to an improved data economy, i.e. the use of data to bring added value to both the economy and society. The authority over personal data remains by the people. This allows them to shape their digital lives with confidence. Find out more on the data protection website and in the CDR Report 2023.
Digital pact
The pace of change is putting pressure on political decision-making processes and international collaboration. O2 Telefónica is calling for a “new digital pact” in order that everyone can benefit from digitalisation in an age of rapid technological changes. The digital manifesto to download: