FEDERALhearing transcript

Congressional Hearing: How Algorithms Impact Consumers

Original title: ALGORITHMS: HOW COMPANIES' DECISIONS ABOUT DATA AND CONTENT IMPACT CONSUMERS

January 1, 2018

technology algorithms consumer protection data privacy internet regulation

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing established the early congressional record on the societal and economic impacts of ic decision-making, which informs ongoing debates regarding tech industry regulation and consumer privacy rights.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Technology Companies

These companies are the subjects of the algorithmic practices being examined for potential future regulation.

Consumers

Consumers are the individuals whose data and content consumption are influenced by the algorithms discussed.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2018.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript of a 2017 joint congressional hearing held by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Lawmakers and academic experts discussed how automated s used by companies influence consumer data, content delivery, and digital commerce.

Key Facts

The hearing was a joint session between the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology and the Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection.
The hearing took place on November 29, 2017, during the 115th Congress.
The primary focus was the impact of corporate algorithmic decisions on consumer data and content.
Five academic experts provided testimony and written statements regarding the legal and management implications of algorithms.
The hearing resulted in a published serial (No. 115-80) for the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this document?

It is a transcript of a public hearing where Congress gathered expert testimony to understand how s affect consumer experiences online.

Did this hearing result in new laws?

No, this document is a record of a hearing held to gather information; it does not contain legislative text or enacted laws.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Early Congressional Interest in Algorithms

The hearing demonstrates that Congress began formally investigating the societal impact of corporate algorithms as early as 2017.

House Committee on Energy and Commerce

Connected Entities

personRobert E. Latta“Chairman of the Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection.”Map →

personLaura Moy“Witness, Deputy Director at Georgetown Law.”Map →

personMarsha Blackburn“Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.”Map →

organizationHouse Committee on Energy and Commerce“The committee hosting the joint subcommittee hearing.”Map →

personCatherine Tucker“Witness, Professor at MIT Sloane School of Management.”Map →

personKate Klonick“Witness, Fellow at Yale Law School.”Map →

personOmri Ben-Shahar“Witness, Professor at University of Chicago Law School.”Map →

personFrank Pasquale“Witness, Professor at University of Maryland.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

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