Algorithms have a document of accountability that outlines its decision-making process, evaluated against key criteria: Transparency, Auditability, Ethical Considerations, Risk Mitigation, Accountability Mechanisms, and Stakeholder Engagement. These criteria are crucial in high-stakes domains such as criminal justice, hiring and employment, healthcare, finance and credit, and government decision-making.

However, holding algorithms accountable raises complex ethical questions. This issue has been highlighted in the context of elections, social media platforms like Facebook, and the spread of fake news. The key question becomes: Who should be held accountable—the algorithm itself, or the organizations behind it (e.g., Facebook)? There is a risk that emphasizing the algorithm as an entity could shift responsibility away from the companies that develop and deploy these systems, effectively allowing them to avoid full responsibility. This could undermine efforts to ensure that companies create robust documentation and internal processes to verify and uphold ethical governance for the impact of their algorithms.

In summary, while algorithms themselves play a pivotal role in decision-making, it is essential to ensure that the organizations behind them remain accountable and transparent about how these systems operate, how decisions are made, and the broader social impact of those decisions.

Source

Algorithmic Accountability and the Right to Information: Visibility & Invisibility of Online Content During Elections by Anne Oloo