Mitigation Strategies

 

Dominika Čupková & Archival Images of AI + AIxDESIGN / https://betterimagesofai.org / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

 

Strengthening User Autonomy

Researchers emphasize that recommendation systems should give higher priority to user control to promote self-determination. Instead of passively accepting algorithmic recommendations, you should have the ability to adjust system settings, choose between different recommendation models, and actively shape your content exposure.

 

 

Digital Services Act (DSA)

 

The Digital Services Act (DSA) is one of the first regulations in the world to recognize the varied ways that recommender systems influence our public discourse and well-being. 

 

The DSA establishes a set of high-level requirements aimed at improving the transparency and accountability of recommender systems across online platforms. 

• Article 25 prohibits the use of deceptive or manipulative interface designs, seeking to enable intentional and deliberative user interaction.
• Article 27 requires platforms to clearly explain the main and most significant parameters used in their recommender systems, and to allow users to directly and easily select or modify their preferred recommendation settings when multiple options are available.
• Article 28 reinforces protections for minors by mandating proportionate measures to ensure their privacy, safety, and security.
• Articles 34 and 35 focus on risks and mitigations, requiring platforms to assess and mitigate systemic risks stemming from the design and operation of recommender and other algorithmic systems, among other design choices.
• Finally, Article 38 obliges very large online platforms to offer at least one recommender system that is not based on profiling, in line with the definitions and protections of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation. 

Collectively, these provisions aim to build a foundation for more responsible and user-aligned recommender system design.