Reconciling governmental use of online targeting with democracy

Katja Andrić, Atoosa Kasirzadeh

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract / Description of output

The societal and epistemological implications of online targeted advertising have been scrutinized by AI ethicists, legal scholars, and policymakers alike. However, the government’s use of online targeting and its consequential socio-political ramifications remain under-explored from a critical socio-technical standpoint. This paper investigates the socio-political implications of governmental online targeting, using a case study of the UK government’s application of such techniques for public policy objectives. We argue that this practice undermines democratic ideals, as it engenders three primary concerns — Transparency, Privacy, and Equality — that clash with fundamental democratic doctrines and values. To address these concerns, the paper introduces a preliminary blueprint for an AI governance framework that harmonizes governmental use of online targeting with certain democratic principles. Furthermore, we advocate for the creation of an independent, non-governmental regulatory body responsible for overseeing the process and monitoring the government’s use of online targeting, a critical measure for preserving democratic values.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationFAccT '23
Subtitle of host publicationProceedings of the 6th ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency
Place of PublicationNew York, NY, USA
PublisherACM Association for Computing Machinery
Pages1871–1881
ISBN (Print)9798400701924
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2023
EventThe 2023 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency - Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Chicago, United States
Duration: 12 Jun 202315 Jun 2023
https://facctconference.org/2023/index.html

Publication series

NameFAccT '23
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery

Conference

ConferenceThe 2023 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency
Abbreviated titleFAccT '23
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityChicago
Period12/06/2315/06/23
Internet address

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • democracy
  • targeted advertising
  • AI governance
  • governmental online targeting
  • democracy and AI
  • public policy

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