Transparency on algorithms right way to establish trust with users: Koo CEO

NEW Delhi: Taking transparent and consistent approach to algorithms is a conscious choice to be made by every social media platform, and is “the right way to go” to establish trust with users, homegrown microblogging platform Koo’s co-founder and CEO Aprameya Radhakrishna has said.
While self-regulation should be the first step, separate instructions are needed in cases where platforms are not living up to the expectation of users, or found to be violating norms, Radhakrishna said.
“It is our choice to remain transparent and consistent, and that is the value add we are bringing into the world of social media,” Radhakrishna told PTI when asked about the debate raging over algorithmic bias on certain platforms.
Allegations of Facebook’s system and algorithms fuelling hate speech and fake news, have led to widespread concerns over the influence of algorithms and tools in amplifying harmful content and misinformation.
Following recent revelations by whistleblower Frances Haugen, Facebook drew flak for allegedly putting profit before public good, and not doing enough to shed its ‘growth at all costs’ culture that propelled its rise to capture 2.91 billion monthly active users globally, including over 400 million in India.
Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar has categorically stated that no ‘algorithm’ of any social media platform should violate fundamental rights of Indians, and the laws and jurisprudence would need to evolve continuously to keep pace with the changing nature of internet.
Also, the IT ministry is planning a massive outreach next year in the form of a dialogue with public, consumer forums, academia, industry and others on fast-evolving online space and what more needs to be done to ensure that internet is open, safe and trusted.
Koo’s Radhakrishna said making algorithms transparent is a conscious choice to be made by companies, and an easy one for all platforms, irrespective of whether they are into microblogging or other forms of social media.
“If you want to be opaque about it, then nobody will understand why I’m seeing a particular type of content and hence accusations will be made…but as long as it’s transparent and consistent, it is the right way to go and more trust is built with the user as well as individual governments of every country,” Radhakrishna elaborated.
India, the world’s second-largest telecom market and the biggest consumer of data, is a key market for internet companies like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, given the large population base, burgeoning internet and smartphone adoption, as well as explosive growth.
Amid rising instances of user harm and dangerous behaviour on digital platforms, India enforced new IT intermediary rules earlier this year, aiming to bring greater accountability for big tech companies, including Twitter and Facebook.
—PTI

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