The right to audit and power asymmetries in algorithm auditing

Urman, A; Smirnov, I; Lasser, J

The right to audit and power asymmetries in algorithm auditing

Urman, A Smirnov, I

Lasser, J

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Publisher:: Springer Nature
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: EPJ Data Science, 2024, 13, (1), pp. 19
Issue Date:: 2024-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Urman, A
dc.contributor.author	Smirnov, I https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8347-6703
dc.contributor.author	Lasser, J
dc.date.accessioned	2024-11-14T01:27:15Z
dc.date.available	2024-11-14T01:27:15Z
dc.date.issued	2024-12-01
dc.identifier.citation	EPJ Data Science, 2024, 13, (1), pp. 19
dc.identifier.issn	2193-1127
dc.identifier.issn	2193-1127
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/181895
dc.description.abstract	In this paper, we engage with and expand on the keynote talk about the “Right to Audit” given by Prof. Christian Sandvig at the International Conference on Computational Social Science 2021 through a critical reflection on power asymmetries in the algorithm auditing field. We elaborate on the challenges and asymmetries mentioned by Sandvig — such as those related to legal issues and the disparity between early-career and senior researchers. We also contribute a discussion of the asymmetries that were not covered by Sandvig but that we find critically important: those related to other disparities between researchers, incentive structures related to the access to data from companies, targets of auditing and users and their rights. We also discuss the implications these asymmetries have for algorithm auditing research such as the Western-centrism and the lack of the diversity of perspectives. While we focus on the field of algorithm auditing specifically, we suggest some of the discussed asymmetries affect Computational Social Science more generally and need to be reflected on and addressed.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Springer Nature
dc.relation.ispartof	EPJ Data Science
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1140/epjds/s13688-024-00454-5
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	The right to audit and power asymmetries in algorithm auditing
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	13
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2024-11-14T01:27:13Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Accepted
pubs.volume	13
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

In this paper, we engage with and expand on the keynote talk about the “Right to Audit” given by Prof. Christian Sandvig at the International Conference on Computational Social Science 2021 through a critical reflection on power asymmetries in the algorithm auditing field. We elaborate on the challenges and asymmetries mentioned by Sandvig — such as those related to legal issues and the disparity between early-career and senior researchers. We also contribute a discussion of the asymmetries that were not covered by Sandvig but that we find critically important: those related to other disparities between researchers, incentive structures related to the access to data from companies, targets of auditing and users and their rights. We also discuss the implications these asymmetries have for algorithm auditing research such as the Western-centrism and the lack of the diversity of perspectives. While we focus on the field of algorithm auditing specifically, we suggest some of the discussed asymmetries affect Computational Social Science more generally and need to be reflected on and addressed.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/181895