DominiCE

DominiCE is a term used in digital ethics and media studies to describe a framework for analyzing the relationship between human agents and computational systems. The name combines dominium (ownership or domain) with CE, commonly interpreted as conscience or ethical governance, to signal a concern with how control, consent, and responsibility are distributed in AI‑driven environments. The framework emphasizes user autonomy, transparent governance, and accountable algorithmic behavior.

At its core, DominiCE proposes a three‑layer approach: governance and policy that set rights, limits, and consent; interface design that makes system capabilities and data practices legible to users; and agentive capacity that preserves meaningful human oversight and accountability for system actions.

Origin and adoption: The term emerged in the late 2010s within the digital ethics community and spread through academic articles, conference papers, and policy discussions. It is typically used as a heuristic rather than a fixed theory, applied to analyze platforms, devices, and services with AI components.

Applications of DominiCE include evaluating recommender systems, data collection practices, automated decision‑making in employment and finance, and the governance of connected devices in consumer and enterprise settings. Proponents argue that it helps foreground user consent, explainability, and responsibility in the design and deployment of technology.

Critics note that DominiCE can be broad and vague, making concrete measurement and enforcement difficult. Some worry that emphasis on user sovereignty may clash with business models or national security concerns, while others call for clearer operational definitions and standard metrics.

See also: digital ethics, human‑centered AI, algorithmic transparency, data governance.