Green Party manifesto: What's in it for tech?

Green Party pledges precautionary approach to AI regulation and a Digital Bill of Rights'

Computing is covering the technology-related pledges in the manifestos of the Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems and Reform. This time, the Greens.

The Green Party released its manifesto today ahead of the general election on 4th July. Among its technology-related pledges are statements related to media and big tech, artificial intelligence, a Digital Bill of Rights, and more support for green tech.

Transition to renewables

As would be expected, the Green Party manifesto prioritises a transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles, upgrading the housing stock and public buildings, promising to end new oil and gas licences and subsidies for the oil and gas industries, and placing a focus on wind, solar, green hydrogen and energy storage, including via community ownership of generation facilities.

To facilitate the switch to EVs, the Green Party proposes an extensive vehicle scrappage scheme, with funding rising to £5 billion per year by the end of the parliament, alongside the rapid rollout of EV charging points.

AI regulation

Acknowledging the transformative potential of AI, in its manifesto the Green Party advocates for a precautionary regulatory approach to manage its risks. It aims to align the UK's approach with the EU, UNESCO and global efforts to ensure a coordinated response. The party says it would end the routine use of facial recognition software by the police.

The Greens say they will seek to secure equitable access to socially and environmentally responsible benefits of AI, while also addressing issues related to bias, discrimination, equality, liberty, privacy and IP.

"We would insist on the protection of the Intellectual Property of artists, writers and musicians and other creators," the party says, adding that it will seek to ensure that workers' rights and interests are respected when AI leads to significant changes in working conditions.

Media and the Digital Bill of Rights

The manifesto calls out the negative impact of billionaire and big-tech ownership in the media landscape, including social media.

The party intends to implement the 2012 Leveson Report recommendations to reform the media and reinstate the second part of the review, which was abandoned by the coalition government. It proposes a Digital Bill of Rights to ensure independent regulation of social media providers and safeguard elections from foreign interference.

"The Digital Bill of Rights will give the public greater control over their data, ensuring UK data protection is as strong as any other regulatory regime," the manifesto states.

Entrepreneurship

The manifesto is light on support for entrepreneurship, but Green party says it wants to "attract the best researchers for our universities, the top talent for our start-ups," by loosening immigration rules and dropping minimum income requirements. The party also promises to invest more in education, and to scrap university tuition fees.