I, Annie Machon, have always been intrigued by technology. They rule the ball in society at the moment. I am a former international security analyst as well as an ethical technology specialist. My goal is the well-being of society through the use of technology. I have studied the threats from the use of technology and its impact on democracy. My mission is to create a sustainable digital environment.
I started my career in international security at a leading non-governmental organization. I focused on cyber threats. Over the past ten years, I have helped develop strategies to protect digital systems in more than 20 countries. I have led projects to strengthen privacy protections and filled gaps in digital infrastructure.
I authored approximately fifty reports on cyber security and privacy which changed global policy. One initiative I worked on in 2018 focused on a data breach that affected five hundred million users. My team’s contributions improved international standards for data protection.
When I left security, I became a practitioner of digital privacy. I have published 30 pieces discussing technology privacy and ethics. These pieces touch on issues related to surveillance and exploitation of data. My focus is advocating for personal data rights.
I also co-authored a report on facial recognition technology which was published in 2021. It was shocking that 60% of the systems did not have basic safeguards. My initiatives helped promote public awareness and responsibility in this field.
I study the politics of technology and its impact on the democratic system. In 2022, I completed a study on social media influencers. It was evident that 1 billion users’ political content was curated by algorithms. I shared the findings at three conferences.
I have done work on misinformation too. In 2024, I conducted an analysis on information that was shared within 24 hours and found that 70% of it was false. My works advocate for more openness on algorithm developments and uses.
I have given over 100 lectures and other public presentations. I focus on digital ethics and information security. I have talked to over 10,000 people. In an international conference in 2022, I shared my thoughts on the ethics of AI with delegates from more than 40 countries.
Conducting young professionals’ mentoring is yet another thing I do. I have offered training in ethical technology practices to 200 people.
Technology is a mirror of a society’s values. I imagine a future centered on ethics and moral values. Social progress should be the aim of every invention. I collaborate with academics and government representatives to develop governance frameworks for the digital world. These frameworks ensure that development is accountable.
Technology is much more than an instrument. It is a construct of society. My work assures that equity and justice are preserved as technology evolves alongside humanity.