Sunstein, Cass R., Algorithms, Correcting Biases (December 12, 2018). Forthcoming, Social Research. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3300171
“A great deal of theoretical work explores the possibility that algorithms may be biased in one or another respect. But for purposes of law and policy, some of the most important empirical research finds exactly the opposite. In the context of bail decisions, an algorithm designed to predict flight risk does much better than human judges, in large part because the latter place an excessive emphasis on the current offense. Current Offense Bias, as we might call it, is best seen as a cousin of “availability bias,” a well-known source of mistaken probability judgments. The broader lesson is that well-designed algorithms should be able to avoid cognitive biases of many kinds. Existing research on bail decisions also casts a new light on how to think about the risk that algorithms will discriminate on the basis of race (or other factors). Algorithms can easily be designed so as to avoid taking account of race (or other factors). They can also be constrained so as to produce whatever kind of racial balance is sought, and thus to reveal tradeoffs among various social values.”
The Next Web: The only way to stop fake news is for you to take responsibility: “Trump has made a lot of things buzzworthy, but perhaps none more than “fake news.” Everyone has strong opinions about who is at fault for spreading lies in the press. It’s “the media’s” fault. It’s Trump’s fault. Before Trump, it was the National Enquirer’s fault. It’s Facebook’s fault. You name a source, and they’ve probably been blamed. Do you like good gadgets? Those sweet cool gadgets? Oh, yeah And while all of those entities have played their part in this epidemic, I’m going to tell you something that might be hard for you to hear: it’s your fault.
POGO: “The House of Representatives has new rules for itself that will foster stronger accountability and ethics, and protect whistleblowers. At the beginning of each legislative session, Congress adopts rules that cover everything from voting procedures to the names of committees to who is admitted into the halls of Congress to dress codes for Members. While appearing mundane, the process of how Congress legislates and conducts oversight can either foster or thwart those trying to have their voices heard. Congressional ethics and conflict-of-interest standards are also defined by these rules. For the 116th Congress, which started this month, the House of Representatives agreed to a package of new rules that include key reforms supported by POGO. Most notably, the House established its first Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman. The office is tasked with developing “best practices for whistleblower intake for offices of the House” and providing “trainings for offices of the House on whistleblower intake.” Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA) led efforts to create the office, which the Make It Safe Coalition (POGO is a member of the coalition’s steering committee) also advocated for. The new office is intended to help Congress work more effectively with individuals coming forward to disclose key information on waste, fraud, and abuse…”
The Next Web: The only way to stop fake news is for you to take responsibility: “Trump has made a lot of things buzzworthy, but perhaps none more than “fake news.” Everyone has strong opinions about who is at fault for spreading lies in the press. It’s “the media’s” fault. It’s Trump’s fault. Before Trump, it was the National Enquirer’s fault. It’s Facebook’s fault. You name a source, and they’ve probably been blamed. Do you like good gadgets? Those sweet cool gadgets? Oh, yeah And while all of those entities have played their part in this epidemic, I’m going to tell you something that might be hard for you to hear: it’s your fault.
POGO: “The House of Representatives has new rules for itself that will foster stronger accountability and ethics, and protect whistleblowers. At the beginning of each legislative session, Congress adopts rules that cover everything from voting procedures to the names of committees to who is admitted into the halls of Congress to dress codes for Members. While appearing mundane, the process of how Congress legislates and conducts oversight can either foster or thwart those trying to have their voices heard. Congressional ethics and conflict-of-interest standards are also defined by these rules. For the 116th Congress, which started this month, the House of Representatives agreed to a package of new rules that include key reforms supported by POGO. Most notably, the House established its first Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman. The office is tasked with developing “best practices for whistleblower intake for offices of the House” and providing “trainings for offices of the House on whistleblower intake.” Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA) led efforts to create the office, which the Make It Safe Coalition (POGO is a member of the coalition’s steering committee) also advocated for. The new office is intended to help Congress work more effectively with individuals coming forward to disclose key information on waste, fraud, and abuse…”
