EPIC To Congress: Require Algorithmic Transparency For Google, Dominant Internet Firms
EPIC has sent a statement to the House Judiciary Committee in advance of a hearing on Google's business practices. EPIC said that "algorithmic transparency" should be required for Internet firms. EPIC explained that Google's acquisition of YouTube led to a skewing of search results after Google substituted its secret "relevance" ranking for the original objective ranking, based on hits and ratings. EPIC pointed out that Google's algorithm preferences YouTube's web pages over EPIC's in searches for videos concerning "privacy." Last year the European Commission found that Google rigged search results to preference its own online service. The Commission required Google to change its algorithm to rank its own shopping comparison the same way it ranks its competitors. The US Federal Trade Commission has failed to take similar action, after even receiving substantial complaints. EPIC also urged Congress to consider the Universal Guidelines for AI as a basis for federal legislation.