Facebook ends independent investigation into Instagram algorithm
Recently, a large corporation has been gaining more media attention again: Facebook. After we had already reported to you on Friday about a decision by the independent supervisory body, the end-to-end encryption for voice and video calls was introduced at the weekend. Now the abrupt end of research is making the rounds.
Specifically, it is about an investigation by the AlgorithmWatch group, which has been running since March 2020. The goal was to gain an insight into the Instagram algorithm and to find out to what extent it prioritizes images and videos. A browser extension was made available to participants for this purpose.
Results were published on an ongoing basis, with initial results suggesting that bare skin and photos with faces were recommended far more often. But now the research is over, Facebook accused the scientists of violating the terms of use. Furthermore, a violation of the GDPR was seen.
The researchers disagreed with the company’s allegations, but closed the investigation to protect against lawsuits. Only the feeds of those people who actively participated in the experiment were examined; the data were used exclusively for the study and not passed on to other parties.
Facebook contradicted AlgorithmWatch and announced that the researchers had not been threatened in any way. Nevertheless, the campaign shows that there is still no insight into the Group’s algorithms. Researchers only receive data from Facebook itself, but scientists hardly trust the company.
Own opinion:
It is astonishing that a company like Facebook is hiding behind the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation. It hardly speaks for the group if its business practices and algorithms cannot be examined independently, especially when it comes to sorting and selecting topics, Facebook and Instagram users have already experienced some surprises in the past. It therefore remains to be seen how long the group can get away with such a policy.
Via The Verge
