Calls to audit social media algorithms will rise

Significance

The problem of misinformation, polarisation and harmful content on social media has in recent years exposed the ineffectiveness of self-regulation by platform operators. Yet remedies are difficult to implement. One proposal is to require platforms to submit their algorithms -- the ones used to promote and filter content -- to independent review and audit.

Impacts

• Further civil society reports on the role of social media algorithms in promoting disinformation will strengthen calls for audits.
• Independent audits will fail to tackle harmful content on end-to-end encrypted platforms, boosting calls to end encryption.
• Mainstream social media platforms face no legal obligation to stop monetising disinformation.