Loss of agency/control
Loss of agency occurs when the use [123, 137] or abuse [142] of algorithmic systems reduces autonomy. One dimension of agency loss is algorithmic profiling [138], through which people are subject to social sorting and discriminatory outcomes to access basic services... presentation of content may lead to “algorithmically informed identity change. . . including [promotion of] harmful person identities (e.g., interests in white supremacy, disordered eating, etc.).” Similarly, for content creators, desire to maintain visibility or prevent shadow banning, may lead to increased conforming of content
ENTITY
3 - Other
INTENT
3 - Other
TIMING
2 - Post-deployment
Risk ID
mit148
Domain lineage
5. Human-Computer Interaction
5.2 > Loss of human agency and autonomy
Mitigation strategy
1. Prioritize design architectures that **restore user agency and control** by implementing mechanisms for **algorithmic curation and choice**, allowing users to actively adjust, override, or diversify algorithmic inputs and outputs, thereby mitigating the pressure toward behavioral conformity or algorithmically informed identity change. 2. Mandate the **enhanced transparency and explainability** of algorithmic systems through **explicit responsibility frameworks** and the provision of **pre-recommendation reasoning**, enabling users to comprehend the logic of profiling and content presentation, which is essential for challenging discriminatory outcomes and reducing the perception of 'black box' manipulation. 3. Develop and integrate **algorithmic literacy programs and platform tools** to cultivate **conscious engagement and critical evaluation** among users, thereby empowering them to recognize and resist algorithmic nudges, psychological manipulation, and the narrowing of choices inherent in filter bubbles, ultimately enhancing their self-determination and psychological well-being.
ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE
[A photo recommender shared a] picture of my deceased mother [and it] just kind of caught me, and I sat there and thought about different things for a little bit. Then I had to get back to work. But I was distracted the whole time