- Interviews
Interview: Ethics as the Foundation for 6G
What if the biggest challenge of 6G isn’t the technology itself, but the way we use it? Technology is never neutral.
When developing the next generation of digital infrastructure, discussions about speed, capacity, and performance are essential. But that is only part of the story. If 6G is to deliver lasting value to society, ethical considerations must be taken into account from the very beginning.
In this interview, Jeroen van den Hoven, chair of the Ethics Committee for Future Network Services and professor of Ethics and Technology at Delft University of Technology, explains why societal values such as privacy, security, transparency, and sustainability should not be treated as an afterthought. Instead, they must be translated into concrete design requirements that shape the technology itself.
He focuses on a central question: How do we ensure that technological innovation leads to social progress without creating new, unacceptable risks?
“Don’t just ask yourself whether something is technically possible, but also what it means for an entire society to live with that technology.” – Professor Jeroen van den Hoven
