Algo-Rights

Algorithms are increasingly determining important decisions in our lives, from tax calculations to the allocation of benefits. Yet many citizens do not know how these systems work, when they are affected by them, or how they can exercise their rights when an algorithm influences their situation. This lack of transparency and clarity poses a significant problem: existing information channels are difficult to find, too technical, and offer insufficient guidance for citizens who wish to understand how they are treated by government algorithms. The Algo-Rights project aims to solve this problem by developing an interactive information service that helps citizens and public authorities bridge this gap.

Research and recent policy also show that transparency depends on who is using the information. Someone who wants to know how data is processed needs different information from someone who may have been discriminated against by an algorithm. At the same time, public authorities often do not know exactly what information they should share. And discussions with digital support workers reveal that people do not always realise that an algorithm plays a role in a decision. In order to exercise rights, it must first be clear that an algorithm has been used.

In the Algo-Rights project, Waag Futurelab is developing an interactive information service that helps citizens exercise their data and algorithmic rights and supports public authorities in publishing relevant, understandable information. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the Digital Rights Team of the Municipality of Amsterdam and the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Algorithm Coordination Directorate).

A functional and technical design is being drawn up for a prototype information service. The service:

• Collects citizens’ information needs, in the form of information requests, and publishes these in a readable and anonymised format in a public overview
• Provides a standard form for submitting an information request
• Provides an overview of government organisations from which information about algorithms can be requested and explains why such a request may be important.