Algorithmic Transparency: Peeking Into the Black Box
Source: Original art by Paweł Kuczyński
While we know that algorithms are often the underlying cause of virality, we don’t know much more—corporate norms fiercely protect these technologies as private property, leaving them insulated from public scrutiny, despite their immeasurable impact on public life. Since early 2019, RDR has been researching the impact of internet platforms’ use of algorithmic systems, including those used for targeted advertising, and how companies should govern these systems.36 With some exceptions, we found that companies largely failed to disclose sufficient information about these processes, leaving us all in the dark about the forces that shape our information environments. Facebook, Google, and Twitter do not hide the fact that they use algorithms to shape content, but they are less forthcoming about how the algorithms actually work, what factors influence them, and how users can customize their own experiences. 37
newamerica.org/oti/reports/its-not-just-content-its-business-model/
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