RightsCon Toronto 2018

This panel will convene experts from different fields to explore models of accountability and oversight for the use of algorithms in automated decision systems that impact social and criminal justice. The panel will bring together people from the technology community, academia, legal practitioners, and the government who have called for algorithmic accountability and assess practical approaches to auditing algorithms. The panel will address the difficulty that policymakers and courts have in understanding the roles played by algorithms in government functions, as well as the unique hurdles involved in ensuring that they are functioning in a manner that is accurate, accountable, and fair. Panelists will also evaluate current oversight methods and proposals, including first-of-its-kind legislation in New York City to increase algorithmic transparency, as well as a Massachusetts bill that would require bias-testing and validation for the use of a “risk assessment” tool in criminal proceedings. Finally, the panel will explore options to “fix” errant algorithms and automate parts of the oversight process.