Algorithmic Pluralism: A Structural Approach To Equal Opportunity
We present a structural approach toward achieving equal opportunity in systems of algorithmic decision-making called algorithmic pluralism. Algorithmic pluralism describes a state of affairs in which no set of algorithms severely limits access to opportunity, allowing individuals the freedom to purs...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
ACM|The 2024 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency
2024
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155778 |
| _version_ | 1811096539230109696 |
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| author | Jain, Shomik Suriyakumar, Vinith Creel, Kathleen Wilson, Ashia |
| author_facet | Jain, Shomik Suriyakumar, Vinith Creel, Kathleen Wilson, Ashia |
| author_sort | Jain, Shomik |
| collection | MIT |
| description | We present a structural approach toward achieving equal opportunity in systems of algorithmic decision-making called algorithmic pluralism. Algorithmic pluralism describes a state of affairs in which no set of algorithms severely limits access to opportunity, allowing individuals the freedom to pursue a diverse range of life paths. To argue for algorithmic pluralism, we adopt Joseph Fishkin’s theory of bottlenecks, which focuses on the structure of decision-points that determine how opportunities are allocated. The theory contends that each decision-point or “bottleneck’’ limits access to opportunities with some degree of severity and legitimacy. We extend Fishkin’s structural viewpoint and use it to reframe existing systemic concerns about equal opportunity in algorithmic decision-making, such as patterned inequality and algorithmic monoculture. In proposing algorithmic pluralism, we argue for the urgent priority of alleviating severe bottlenecks in algorithmic-decision-making. We contend that there must be a pluralism of opportunity available to many different individuals in order to promote equal opportunity in a systemic way. We further show how this framework has several implications for system design and regulation through current debates about equal opportunity in algorithmic hiring. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T16:45:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/155778 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-24T16:44:13Z |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publisher | ACM|The 2024 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1557782024-09-23T04:07:35Z Algorithmic Pluralism: A Structural Approach To Equal Opportunity Jain, Shomik Suriyakumar, Vinith Creel, Kathleen Wilson, Ashia We present a structural approach toward achieving equal opportunity in systems of algorithmic decision-making called algorithmic pluralism. Algorithmic pluralism describes a state of affairs in which no set of algorithms severely limits access to opportunity, allowing individuals the freedom to pursue a diverse range of life paths. To argue for algorithmic pluralism, we adopt Joseph Fishkin’s theory of bottlenecks, which focuses on the structure of decision-points that determine how opportunities are allocated. The theory contends that each decision-point or “bottleneck’’ limits access to opportunities with some degree of severity and legitimacy. We extend Fishkin’s structural viewpoint and use it to reframe existing systemic concerns about equal opportunity in algorithmic decision-making, such as patterned inequality and algorithmic monoculture. In proposing algorithmic pluralism, we argue for the urgent priority of alleviating severe bottlenecks in algorithmic-decision-making. We contend that there must be a pluralism of opportunity available to many different individuals in order to promote equal opportunity in a systemic way. We further show how this framework has several implications for system design and regulation through current debates about equal opportunity in algorithmic hiring. 2024-07-24T16:20:55Z 2024-07-24T16:20:55Z 2024-06-03 2024-07-01T07:55:32Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/ConferencePaper 979-8-4007-0450-5 https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155778 Jain, Shomik, Suriyakumar, Vinith, Creel, Kathleen and Wilson, Ashia. 2024. "Algorithmic Pluralism: A Structural Approach To Equal Opportunity." PUBLISHER_CC en 10.1145/3630106.3658899 Creative Commons Attribution https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The author(s) application/pdf ACM|The 2024 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency Association for Computing Machinery |
| spellingShingle | Jain, Shomik Suriyakumar, Vinith Creel, Kathleen Wilson, Ashia Algorithmic Pluralism: A Structural Approach To Equal Opportunity |
| title | Algorithmic Pluralism: A Structural Approach To Equal Opportunity |
| title_full | Algorithmic Pluralism: A Structural Approach To Equal Opportunity |
| title_fullStr | Algorithmic Pluralism: A Structural Approach To Equal Opportunity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Algorithmic Pluralism: A Structural Approach To Equal Opportunity |
| title_short | Algorithmic Pluralism: A Structural Approach To Equal Opportunity |
| title_sort | algorithmic pluralism a structural approach to equal opportunity |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155778 |
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