Antiharm

Antiharm is an ethical stance and policy framework that regards the prevention of harm as a primary objective in decision-making, design, and governance. The term is used across disciplines to describe approaches that seek to minimize negative outcomes for individuals and communities, sometimes alongside goals such as beneficence or justice.

In practice, antiharm is not a single codified doctrine; rather, it functions as a guiding principle applied through risk assessment, precautionary measures, and accountability mechanisms. In fields like medicine, public health, and information technology, antiharm-oriented work emphasizes avoiding physical, psychological, social, or environmental harm, especially to vulnerable groups.

Core elements often associated with antiharm include harm minimization, non-maleficence, proportionality (ensuring responses to risk are proportionate to the threat), transparency, privacy protection, consent where feasible, and ongoing monitoring for unforeseen consequences.

In modern AI safety debates, antiharm is used to describe constraints and design choices intended to prevent misuse, bias, or harmful outcomes, while balancing other values such as autonomy and utility.

Critics argue that antiharm can be vague or lead to over-caution, potentially suppressing innovation or failing to anticipate complex harms. Effective antiharm practice typically requires explicit criteria, stakeholder input, and regular reevaluation as contexts change.

See also: Do no harm, non-maleficence, harm reduction, risk assessment, safety-by-design.