Not Just Algorithms: Strategically Addressing Consumer Impacts in Information Retrieval

Abstract

Information Retrieval (IR) systems have a wide range of impacts on consumers. We offer maps to help identify goals IR systems could—or should—strive for, and guide the process of scoping how to gauge a wide range of consumer-side impacts and the possible interventions needed to address these effects. Grounded in prior work on scoping algorithmic impact efforts, our goal is to promote and facilitate research that (1) is grounded in impacts on information consumers, contextualizing these impacts in the broader landscape of positive and negative consumer experience; (2) takes a broad view of the possible means of changing or improving that impact, including non-technical interventions; and (3) uses operationalizations and strategies that are well-matched to the technical, social, ethical, legal, and other dimensions of the specific problem in question.