Ethical Implications and Accountability of Algorithms

TLDR

Algorithms shape hiring, lending, housing, and media exposure, yet their moral impact and accountability remain unclear because they are value‑laden and influence how responsibility is delegated. The article examines whether developers and firms bear responsibility for algorithms in use, and establishes normative grounds for such accountability. The authors conceptualize algorithms as value‑laden entities that generate moral consequences and affect stakeholder rights. They conclude that firms must design the extent of individual agency in algorithmic decisions, and that designers are accountable when algorithms deny individuals responsibility.

Abstract

Algorithms silently structure our lives. Algorithms can determine whether someone is hired, promoted, offered a loan, or provided housing as well as determine which political ads and news articles consumers see. Yet, the responsibility for algorithms in these important decisions is not clear. This article identifies whether developers have a responsibility for their algorithms later in use, what those firms are responsible for, and the normative grounding for that responsibility. I conceptualize algorithms as value-laden, rather than neutral, in that algorithms create moral consequences, reinforce or undercut ethical principles, and enable or diminish stakeholder rights and dignity. In addition, algorithms are an important actor in ethical decisions and influence the delegation of roles and responsibilities within these decisions. As such, firms should be responsible not only for the value-laden-ness of an algorithm but also for designing who-does-what within the algorithmic decision. As such, firms developing algorithms are accountable for designing how large a role individual will be permitted to take in the subsequent algorithmic decision. Counter to current arguments, I find that if an algorithm is designed to preclude individuals from taking responsibility within a decision, then the designer of the algorithm should be held accountable for the ethical implications of the algorithm in use.