Opinion: It’s time Congress pulled back the curtain on social media algorithms
The one thing we haven’t heard, though, is how any of this will change without action from Congress. That’s why I have introduced a bill that would essentially create a light switch for big tech’s secret algorithms — artificial intelligence (AI) that’s designed to shape and manipulate users’ experiences — and give consumers the choice to flip it on or off.
Long gone are the days when Facebook displayed posts on the news feed in chronological order. Now Facebook — and other social media platforms — use secret algorithms to shape what users see by predicting what he or she might be emotionally drawn to and giving it more prominence.
Algorithms can be useful, of course, but many people simply aren’t aware of just how much their experience on these platforms is being manipulated and how this manipulation can have negative emotional effects. These algorithms have largely been a black box to consumers and Congress alike, but now there is new momentum for accountability and transparency.
Supporters of this legislation are an ideologically diverse group, but we all agree that consumers should have more information and control over how algorithms — fed by users’ personal data — are influencing their online experiences.
Our bipartisan legislation is simple and straightforward. It would make large tech companies, including Facebook, Google, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and others, notify users if the platform is using AI to prioritize content. If the user doesn’t want to have an opaque algorithm manipulate his or her online experience, he or she can easily opt out.
In today’s divided and…
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