Designing for agency – Key lessons learned from developing an online platform to study users’ appropriation of algorithmic systems
(2022) 9th European Communication Conference (ECREA 2022) — Location: Aarhus, Denmark (19.October.2022)
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- Abstract
- Social media and multiple online platforms are heavily relying on recommender systems to provide access to their database. An increasing number of public media outlets are also considering incorporating similar technologies into their online platform. The applications of these algorithms to news recommendations sparked concerns about the quality and the diversity of the content provided to the users (Pariser, 2011). These concerns often favor a deterministic approach exaggerating the impact of the algorithm and downplaying users’ agency. Current research on the subject provides us with a more nuanced image of users’ interactions with recommender systems (Bruns, 2019; Dahlgren, 2021). The sociology of uses speaks of determination, emphasizing that there is no impact of ICT, but rather “effects” situated between a technical determinism and a social appropriation (Proulx, 2015). However, on the topic of news recommendation, there is still little information available on the influence of the interface on users’ appropriation practices. Specific features could either support the user to be more critical of the system as well as hide critical information from him. Collecting additional data on this topic could help produce sensible design guidelines aligned with the public interest for public service media providers. However, such fine-grained data is difficult to find. Researchers must usually rely on interviews using mock-up interfaces (e.g. Harambam et al., 2019) or observe participants’ daily routine on existing services (e.g. Wiard et al., in press). To complement these approaches as well as to investigate experimental control mechanisms, we designed an online platform equipped with a recommender system and supplied in real time with news articles coming from a public service media. The main purpose of our presentation will be to discuss how this kind of experimental platform can help us study the effect of algorithmic systems on users’ behaviors. We will highlight the methodological opportunities provided by this platform as well as its limits and biases. To conclude this presentation, we will discuss the feasibility of reusing it for other research topics and sharing it with the scientific community.
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Claes, A., & Philippette, T. (2022). Designing for agency – Key lessons learned from developing an online platform to study users’ appropriation of algorithmic systems. 9th European Communication Conference (ECREA 2022), Aarhus, Denmark. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/234350