Algorithmic IF … THEN rules and the conditions and consequences of power

ABSTRACT

The introduction to this special issue suggests we need to develop ‘a greater understanding of what might be thought of as the social power of algorithms'. In this paper, ‘social power’ will be critically scrutinised through a study of the entanglement of algorithmic rules with contemporary video-based surveillance technologies. The paper will begin with an analysis of algorithmic ‘IF?…?THEN’ rules and the conditions (IF) and consequences (THEN) that need to be accomplished for an algorithm to be said to succeed. The work of achieving conditions and consequences demonstrates that the form of ‘power’ in focus is not solely attributable to the algorithm as such, but operates through distributed agency and can be noted as a network effect. That is, the conditions and consequences of algorithmic rules only come into being through the careful plaiting of relatively unstable associations of people, things, processes, documents and resources. From this we can say that power is not primarily social in the sense that algorithms alone create an impact on society, but social in the sense of power being derived through algorithmic associations. The paper argues that this kind of power is most clearly visible in moments of breakdown, failure or other forms of trouble, whereby algorithmic conditions and consequences are not met and the careful plaiting of associations has to be brought to the fore and examined. It is through such examinations that the associational dependencies more than the social power of algorithms are made apparent.     

‘Hypernudge’: Big Data as a mode of regulation by design

ABSTRACT

This paper draws on regulatory governance scholarship to argue that the analytic phenomenon currently known as ‘Big Data’ can be understood as a mode of ‘design-based’ regulation. Although Big Data decision-making technologies can take the form of automated decision-making systems, this paper focuses on algorithmic decision-guidance techniques. By highlighting correlations between data items that would not otherwise be observable, these techniques are being used to shape the informational choice context in which individual decision-making occurs, with the aim of channelling attention and decision-making in directions preferred by the ‘choice architect’. By relying upon the use of ‘nudge’ – a particular form of choice architecture that alters people’s behaviour in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives, these techniques constitute a ‘soft’ form of design-based control. But, unlike the static Nudges popularised by Thaler and Sunstein [(2008). Nudge. London: Penguin Books] such as placing the salad in front of the lasagne to encourage healthy eating, Big Data analytic nudges are extremely powerful and potent due to their networked, continuously updated, dynamic and pervasive nature (hence ‘hypernudge’). I adopt a liberal, rights-based critique of these techniques, contrasting liberal theoretical accounts with selective insights from science and technology studies (STS) and surveillance studies on the other. I argue that concerns about the legitimacy of these techniques are not satisfactorily resolved through reliance on individual notice and consent, touching upon the troubling implications for democracy and human flourishing if Big Data analytic techniques driven by commercial self-interest continue their onward march unchecked by effective and legitimate constraints.     

突发公共卫生事件中患者隐私权保护机制探析

突发公共卫生事件所带来的社会恐慌、焦虑会使公众对于知情权的渴求进一步增大。如何在保障特殊时期公众知情权的前提下维护好患者隐私权从而稳定社会情绪,守护法治社会之基是值得探讨的问题。只有依法应“急”,依法防控,在维护社会公益的基础上充分尊重每一位患者人格隐私之利益,才能驭法治之利器克时局之多艰。     

网络隐私侵权之法律规制

信息时代人们的生活与网络的联系越来越密切。网络在带给人们极大便利的同时也带来了诸多负面问题。其中公众最为无奈的当数网络隐私侵权问题。探讨网络隐私侵权行为之构成、网络隐私侵权行为违法性之阻却及网络隐私侵权行为之法律规制,对净化网络环境,保护网络隐私权十分必要。     

论新生代小说"断裂"本质的双重内涵

“新生代”作家在1998年发起的“断裂”问卷已引起评论界的极大关注,有关“断裂”本质的论争可谓众说纷纭。从“断裂”行为所呈现出的作家文化心态入手,具体分析“断裂”本质的双重内涵。     

论征信活动中保护个人信用信息隐私权之目的特定原则

目的特定原则对于在征信活动中保护个人信用信息隐私权具有重要作用:一是加强了个人信用信息隐私权的安全性;二是在保护个人信用信息隐私权与其他重要利益间维持平衡。主要包含以下内容:收集个人信用信息的目的特定,处理和利用个人信用信息的目的特定,目的变更后的目的特定,目的消失后的删除义务。     

“人肉搜索”视角下我国网络隐私权保护立法评价及构想

近些年,随着网络＂人肉搜索＂现象的出现,公民网络隐私权的脆弱性愈加凸显,首要问题就在于我国相关立法的滞后。文章以人肉搜索现象为视角,全新评价当前我国网络隐私权法律保护现状,研究认为完善相关立法并最终推动制定专门的＂网络隐私权保护法＂是应对形势发展的上策。     

IT中的名誉权及隐私权保护

因特网的普及使网络侵权,特别是对名誉权、隐私权的侵犯成为可能且呈日益增多的趋势.在这种情况下,如何认定不当信息发布者以及ISP的责任从而实现IT中名誉权、隐私权的保护,就成为亟待解决的问题.     

网络社会个人信息侵权问题研究

随着信息社会中各种个人信息侵权案件的大量发生,传统民事法律将个人信息置于隐私权之下的保护模式已越来越不能满足人们对个人信息利益保护的要求。个人信息侵权符合民事侵权行为的法律构成要件,因此,应将个人信息权确立为一种新的民事权利,而且应在遵循合法原则、告知原则、安全和完整原则和利益平衡原则基础上完善与个人信息保护相关的法律制度,建立包括辅助侵害责任和代理责任制度和信息侵权惩罚性赔偿制度在内的法律法规。