The right to audit and power asymmetries in algorithm auditing

Abstract

In this paper, we engage with and expand on the keynote talk about the “Right to Audit” given by Prof. Christian Sandvig at the International Conference on Computational Social Science 2021 through a critical reflection on power asymmetries in the algorithm auditing field. We elaborate on the challenges and asymmetries mentioned by Sandvig — such as those related to legal issues and the disparity between early-career and senior researchers. We also contribute a discussion of the asymmetries that were not covered by Sandvig but that we find critically important: those related to other disparities between researchers, incentive structures related to the access to data from companies, targets of auditing and users and their rights. We also discuss the implications these asymmetries have for algorithm auditing research such as the Western-centrism and the lack of the diversity of perspectives. While we focus on the field of algorithm auditing specifically, we suggest some of the discussed asymmetries affect Computational Social Science more generally and need to be reflected on and addressed.