Algorithmic Accountability

Abstract

Accountability is fundamentally about checks and balances to power. In theory, both government and corporations are kept accountable through social, economic, and political mechanisms. Journalism and public advocates serve as an additional tool to hold powerful institutions and individuals accountable. But in a world of data and algorithms, accountability is often murky. Beyond questions about whether the market is sufficient or governmental regulation is necessary, how should algorithms be held accountable? For example what is the role of the fourth estate in holding data-oriented practices accountable? Detailed Topic Description:Algorithms can be hugely beneficial in sorting through vast troves of information to deliver what is potentially the most useful sort. Automated algorithms can use a sequence of well-defined steps and instructions to generate categories for filtering information based on a combination of motives about a desirable outcome. In the final expression of that combination, the elements of uncertainty, subjective interpretation, arbitrary choice, accidents, and other ingredients in the mix are rendered invisible, and what is displayed to the end-user who interfaces with the algorithm's product is just the functionality of the technology. For instance, Google, Yahoo, and other search engines can effectively create "filter bubbles" for the results people see when they query items, which can be problematic. Some information is more visible to one individual versus another based on the user profiles that the search engine has on them, and how its algorithms predict what might be most relevant to the users according to their profiles. How might algorithms affect the flow of educational materials or other types of information? Who or which networks of stakeholders are the arbiters of algorithmic power that strongly influence information flows?Designing software to mobilize and unlock the supposed power of the "big data" phenomenon is often focused on the best technical ways to achieve a particular outcome, like personalizing search results so that a user gets information that is tailored to their interests. Algorithms break down information into certain constituent parts, and

What to account for when accounting for algorithms

“…Nevertheless, there have been numerous works over the past decades which touch upon the theme of algorithmic accountability, albeit using different terms and stemming from different disciplines [e.g. 83,88,94,116,123]. Thus, while the term may be new, the theme certainly stands in a much older tradition of, for instance, computational accountability [e.g.…”

Locating the work of artificial intelligence ethics

“…Based on our findings, we recommend that the work of AI ethics needs to be recognized, legitimized, and rewarded. While it is critical to hold the designers of ethically problematic AI‐based systems accountable (Rosenblat et al, 2014), it is also critical to proactively encourage and reward ethically exemplary work (Huff & Barnard, 2009). Thus, we argue that teams developing new AI‐based systems need to include core team members who are trained to consider the ethical, legal, and societal implications of those systems, and who also have the technical expertise to formulate actionable design recommendations.…”

Punitive ambiguity: State-level criminal record data quality in the era of widespread background screening

“…Instead, record subjects are often left carrying the burden of correction on a case-by-case basis when confronted with the effects of exclusionary policies. In these ways, inaccurate criminal records and the challenges of rectification underscore the unequal effects of data-driven systems that are pervasive, invasive, and opaque (Madden et al., 2017; Rosenblat et al., 2014). Crucially, as Benjamin (2019) observes, when “glitches” in these technologies accumulate in racially patterned ways, they force us to consider whether apparent aberrations are “not spurious, but rather a kind of signal of how the system operates” (80).…”