#platforms (8 results)

Are Google AI Overviews killing media pluralism? AlgorithmWatch amongst first organizations to investigate that.

Google could destroy the web traffic which is the life-blood of organisations who produce reliable information. This is thanks to their new AI Overviews – a tool that hides links to real websites, in favour of their own summaries which have (for example) claimed Olaf Scholz is still the German Chancellor. AlgorithmWatch is making one of the very first data access requests under new EU rules to investigate these systemic risks to media freedom.

Press release

Google AI risks to media pluralism investigated by AlgorithmWatch using brand new data access rules

AlgorithmWatch is requesting data from Google regarding the impact of their “AI Overviews” service on traffic to external websites. The NGO is concerned that AI Overviews pose a risk to media pluralism and freedom of information and is one of the first organizations to use new EU rules to gain access to internal data from major online services.

Yet to be delivered: labor rights in the gig economy

Digitally controlled platform work is fundamentally changing working conditions while current legislation is lagging behind this development. Our joint campaign "Liefern am Limit" is advocating for the rights of Lieferando drivers.

Fighting in the Dark: How Europeans Push Back Against Rogue AI

Automated systems go astray, they contribute to child sexual violence, deny people their social benefits, or block organizations' online presence. The affected people often feel helpless when their rights are violated, but some are taking up the fight while current laws fail to protect the victims.

Food delivery service Glovo: tracking riders’ private location and other infringements

A recent investigation by Tracking Exposed shows that Glovo’s subsidiary in Italy, Foodinho, registers couriers’ off-shift location and shares it with unauthorized parties. The delivery app provider has also been found to have created a “hidden” credit score for their riders.

Interview

New audits for the greatest benefits possible

Oliver Marsh is the new head of AlgorithmWatch’s project "Auditing Algorithms for Systemic Risks." He told us about his background and the goals that he will be persuing.

New project: Auditing Algorithms for Systemic Risks

Assessing algorithmic systems is an indispensable step towards the protection of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. At the moment, it is largely unclear how it can and should be done. With the support of Alfred Landecker Foundation, we are developing ideas, procedures, and best practices to effectively assess algorithms for systemic risks, test them in practice, and advocate for their adoption.

Facebook’s gutting of CrowdTangle: a step backward for platform transparency

Facebook is quietly dismantling CrowdTangle, a tool that academics, watchdog organizations and journalists rely on to expose disinformation and other problematic content on the platform. The move contradicts the company’s commitments to give researchers better access to data.