The ethics of algorithms: key problems and solutions

TLDR

Research on the ethics of algorithms has grown substantially over the past decade, driven by the exponential development and application of machine learning algorithms and the emergence of new ethical problems and solutions for their ubiquitous societal use. The article aims to advance the debate on identifying and analyzing algorithmic ethical implications, update epistemic and normative concerns, and provide actionable governance guidance for algorithm design, development, and deployment. It builds on a 2016 review of algorithm ethics by Mittelstadt et al. in Big Data Society.

Abstract

Abstract Research on the ethics of algorithms has grown substantially over the past decade. Alongside the exponential development and application of machine learning algorithms, new ethical problems and solutions relating to their ubiquitous use in society have been proposed. This article builds on a review of the ethics of algorithms published in 2016 (Mittelstadt et al. Big Data Soc 3(2), 2016). The goals are to contribute to the debate on the identification and analysis of the ethical implications of algorithms, to provide an updated analysis of epistemic and normative concerns, and to offer actionable guidance for the governance of the design, development and deployment of algorithms.