Harmthe

Harmthe is a theoretical framework used in ethics and risk assessment to study and compare potential harms associated with technology and policy decisions. The term is a portmanteau of harm and theory, and it is used to structure analysis rather than to prescribe a single method.

Origin and usage: The term emerged in interdisciplinary AI ethics discussions in the early 2020s and gained traction through conference papers and policy notes. There is no single canonical definition, and various researchers adapt harmthe to fit different domains such as AI deployment, data practices, or platform governance.

Key components: Harmthe typically organizes harms into a typology (physical, psychological, social, economic, environmental) and examines exposure pathways, likelihood, severity, and distribution. It emphasizes stakeholder perspectives, timescale, and the interplay of harms with design choices and governance measures. It also supports comparative risk assessment and scenario analysis.

Applications: Practitioners apply harmthe to evaluate technologies before deployment, to design safer products, and to inform policy or regulatory decisions. It can guide the creation of mitigation strategies, transparency requirements, and accountability mechanisms, as well as post-implementation monitoring.

Limitations and critique: The lack of a standardized methodology means harmthe remains flexible but inconsistent across studies. Critics warn that subjective weighting, data limitations, and institutional biases can influence outcomes, and that harmthe should complement rather than replace formal risk assessments and regulatory standards.

See also: risk assessment, harm minimization, AI ethics, safety governance, responsible innovation.