Transparency Platform Governance MARGOT KAMINSKI COLORADO LAW Transparency

Transparency & Platform Governance MARGOT KAMINSKI COLORADO LAW

Transparency & Platforms • U. S. regulation of platforms has emphasized– and continues to emphasize— transparency. • Three parts to talk: • Examples • Why transparency? • Transparency today

Transparency in Tech Policy • Transparency at core of a number of tech policy approaches/debates • Privacy: • Notice aspect of notice and choice. See, e. g. , COPPA (1998/2000) • Cal. OPPA (2004) • Copyright: • 512 Notice and takedown • FCC’s 2010 Open Internet Transparency Rule • Self-regulation • Google Transparency report 2010, Twitter 2012 • NSLs, ECPA gag orders, “warrant canaries”

Why Transparency? • Why transparency? • Rationales given for transparency • Bigger picture reasons

Transparency Rationales • Two types of rationales given for transparency: • (1) Instrumentalist/consequentalist: • To correct errors • Fix info asymmetries • Increase corporate & government accountability • towards better alignment with law/public values • (2) Deontological • Human dignity • Human autonomy • “fairness” when you have big systems with big impacts on lives of individuals

Why Transparency? Big Picture • Bigger picture examination of why: • Analogy • Legal process ported into private actions with significant outcomes • Due process principles, open government principles, APA -> FIPPs • Regulatory style • “new governance” or collaborative governance • …“paper” governance? Or effective? • Anti-precautionary principle: first show us the harm

Why Transparency? The Big Picture • Legal culture • i. General • US focus on liberal actors • Ii. Specific • Regulatory path-determinism, eg. FTC’s focus on public promises made • Law • First Amendment • Contract • Tort

Transparency Today • A. More of the same • We need more disclosure • Privacy regimes • Algorithmic accountability/ “right to explanation” • B. Backlash • Transparency gaming • Obfuscation through information • Information capture: both outflow and input • C. Transparency Straw Man • Individual transparency doesn’t work, therefore… no transparency

Thinking about Transparency… • More critical conversations needed: • What is transparency for? • What kinds of transparency? • who gives what to whom, how, why? • How is transparency made effective? • What other features of a regulatory system make transparency do what it’s intended to do? • When is transparency effective by itself (conforming effect) versus when does it need to be accompanied by sanctions?