Embedding Social Perspectives in 6G Development: Insights from a SUSTAIN-6G & 6G4Society Workshop
On July 6th, CyberSocial Lab conducted a workshop at Università degli Studi Roma TRE with students from the Inter-University Master’s Program in Sociology, focusing on what it means to conceptualize 6G from a social and ethical perspective. Facilitated by Emanuela Tangari and Luigi Briguglio, the session encouraged open dialogue around critical issues such as trust, access to information, digital inequality, citizens’ rights, and the responsibilities associated with technological innovation.
The core of the discussion revolved around a fundamental question: Not just what 6G could do, but what it should do—and for whom. This question anchored a rich exchange of ideas, culminating in a collective proposal of core values to guide future technological development: transparency, freedom, privacy protection, and human dignity.
Aligning Technical Research with Societal Needs
The workshop also featured presentations on two EU research projects: 6G4Society and SUSTAIN-6G. Both initiatives aim to bridge the gap between technical research and ethical reflection, ensuring that next-generation networks are developed with societal impact in mind.
The event marked an important step in a broader mission to embed social values at the core of technological design. As both projects continue to explore sustainable, inclusive approaches to 6G, the workshop at Roma TRE serves as a strong foundation for ongoing collaboration between the technical and social sciences.
