Drupal Creator Floats an "FDA For Data and Algorithms"

Posted by timothy on Friday March 4, 2016 @04:36AM from the your-approval-is-pending dept.

jeffengel writes: When Facebook's news feed and Google's search bar have the power to influence voter decisions, is it time for government oversight? That's what Dries Buytaert, creator of Drupal and co-founder of Acquia, is proposing: an "FDA for data and algorithms." The move would aim to boost transparency, but it also raises tough questions. What exactly would such an agency be tasked with monitoring, and what would its penalties look like? Would it wield too much power, pushing the U.S. closer to China levels of information control? Buytaert is pitching the idea as part of a broader push for a more open Web that reduces the dominance of a handful of platforms.

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How about a "UL approved" instead? by Steve1952 · 2016-03-04 04:59 · Score: 1, Interesting

Instead of an "FDA for Data and Algorithms", I would recommend a non-government testing agency instead. Many of these exist already (think UL, "consumer reports", or European "notified bodies"). This requires that the industry agree on certain testing standards, and post on their websites when the algorithms have been certified. This could bring a lot of benefits without the drawbacks of government control.