Algorithmic Accountability
Asking questions is one of journalism’s core activities: By asking pertinent questions, journalists play vital roles in exposing abuses of authority and informing the public. This section provides an introduction to important questions to think about and ask when reporting on algorithms.
Despite their actual and potential benefits, the algorithms that are the building blocks of artificial intelligence can amplify inequalities and mask injustices.
Reporters can help address these concerns by consistently asking how the use of algorithms shifts power.
Reporting that addresses this basic question can help members of the public distinguish between genuine benefits and promotional hype, on one hand, and actual risks versus dystopian panic, on the other hand.
More specifically, Ask how algorithms shift power:
The questions that follow are adapted from ACLU Washington’s Algorithmic Equity Toolkit.
What type of content does this system amplify? What type of content does this system marginalize or block?
Does my reporting spread unrealistic expectations
(whether positive or negative) about algorithms?
Beware of reporting that adapts either a utopian or dystopian understanding of what AI can do (boomers versus doomers). Focus instead on what systems actually do (or fail to do) and the “guardrails” necessary to make their use safe and equitable for everyone.
Beyond how the system works (or, is intended to work), it’s important to consider:
Generative AI systems often come at a cost to the planet.
As AI becomes more embedded in newsrooms, be alert to the following concerns:
These are thorny questions that resist simple summary. Here is one primer and FAQ that outlines the main concerns.
