U-S lawmakers investigating how Facebook Inc. and other online platforms shape users’ world views are considering new rules for the artificial intelligence programs blamed for spreading malicious content, reports Bloomberg.
This legislative push is taking on more urgency since a whistle-blower revealed thousands of pages of internal documents revealing how Facebook employees knew that the company’s algorithms prioritizing growth and engagement were driving people to more divisive and harmful content.
Both Republicans and Democrats agree there should be some accountability for tech companies, even though Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act provides broad legal immunity for online platforms.
After wrestling with how to write laws to allow or prohibit certain kinds of speech, which risks running afoul of the First Amendment, regulating automated algorithms is emerging as a possible strategy.
Senator Ed Markey introduced a bill in May he said would “help pull back the curtain on Big Tech, enact strict prohibitions on harmful algorithms, and prioritize justice for communities who have long been discriminated against as we work toward platform accountability.”
Several senators touted their own algorithm-focused bills while questioning Frances Haugen, the Facebook whistle-blower, when she appeared before Congress earlier this month. While Haugen didn’t endorse any specific piece of legislation, she did say the best way to regulate online platforms like Facebook is to focus on systemic solutions, especially transparency and accountability for the machine-learning architecture that powers some of the world’s biggest and most influential companies.
Internal Facebook documents reveal more red flags about misinformation on site https://t.co/O5vA43kLwF via @nbcnews
— Tom Benson (@Tombenson1) October 26, 2021
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