Hoonestuse

Hoonestuse is a term in digital ethics that denotes a principled approach to using technology and data in an open, accountable manner. It emphasizes transparency, consent, and minimal harm, aiming to balance utility with user autonomy.

The word is a blend of honest and use, with a stylized form that also echoes the colloquial term hoon, used in some cultures to denote energetic action. The concept is used in discussions about responsible AI, data privacy, and platform design.

Core principles include disclosure of data collection practices, interpretable algorithms, user control over data, auditable decision-making processes, and avoidance of manipulative interfaces.

Applications in industry, research, and platform design illustrate how hoonestuse can be pursued in practice: companies may publish model cards and data usage notices; researchers obtain informed consent and anonymize data; platforms default to privacy-preserving options and provide clear opt-out controls.

Criticism centers on concerns that hoonestuse can be vague or aspirational, making it hard to measure and enforce. Proponents counter that it provides a usable baseline for trustworthy technology and a framework for ongoing improvement.

See also: ethics in technology, transparency, algorithmic accountability.