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Regulating high-reach AI: on transparency directions in the Digital Services Act

Söderlund, Kasia LU ; Engström, Emma ; Haresamudram, Kashyap LU ; Larsson, Stefan LU and Strimling, Pontus (2024) In Internet Policy Review 13(1).
Abstract
By introducing the concept of high-reach AI, this paper focuses on AI systems whose widespread use may generate significant risks for both individuals and societies. While some of those risks have been recognised under the AI Act, we are analysing the rules laid down by the Digital Services Act (DSA) for recommender systems used by dominant social media platforms, as a prominent example of high-reach AI. Specifically, we examine transparency provisions aimed at addressing adverse effects of these AI technologies employed by social media very large online platforms (VLOPs).

Drawing from AI transparency literature, we analyse DSA transparency measures through the conceptual lens of horizontal and vertical transparency. Our... (More)
By introducing the concept of high-reach AI, this paper focuses on AI systems whose widespread use may generate significant risks for both individuals and societies. While some of those risks have been recognised under the AI Act, we are analysing the rules laid down by the Digital Services Act (DSA) for recommender systems used by dominant social media platforms, as a prominent example of high-reach AI. Specifically, we examine transparency provisions aimed at addressing adverse effects of these AI technologies employed by social media very large online platforms (VLOPs).

Drawing from AI transparency literature, we analyse DSA transparency measures through the conceptual lens of horizontal and vertical transparency. Our analysis indicates that while the DSA incorporates transparency provisions in both dimensions, the most progressive amendments emerge within the vertical transparency, for instance, by the introduction of the systemic risk assessment mechanism.

However, we argue that the true impact of the new transparency provisions extends beyond their mere existence, emphasising the critical role of oversight entities in implementation and application of the DSA. Overall, this study highlights the paramount importance of vertical transparency in providing a comprehensive understanding of the aggregated risks associated with high-reach AI technologies, exemplified by social media recommender systems. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
high-reach AI, Recommender systems, Digital Services Act, Social media, AI transparency
in
Internet Policy Review
volume
13
issue
1
publisher
The Alexander Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society
ISSN
2197-6775
DOI
10.14763/2024.1.1746
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0a68ba57-f447-4df8-b45b-d1937be5cff0
date added to LUP
2024-03-25 22:46:32
date last changed
2024-04-05 10:16:08
@article{0a68ba57-f447-4df8-b45b-d1937be5cff0,
  abstract     = {{By introducing the concept of high-reach AI, this paper focuses on AI systems whose widespread use may generate significant risks for both individuals and societies. While some of those risks have been recognised under the AI Act, we are analysing the rules laid down by the Digital Services Act (DSA) for recommender systems used by dominant social media platforms, as a prominent example of high-reach AI. Specifically, we examine transparency provisions aimed at addressing adverse effects of these AI technologies employed by social media very large online platforms (VLOPs). <br/> <br/>Drawing from AI transparency literature, we analyse DSA transparency measures through the conceptual lens of horizontal and vertical transparency. Our analysis indicates that while the DSA incorporates  transparency provisions in both dimensions, the most progressive amendments emerge within the vertical transparency, for instance, by the introduction of the systemic risk assessment mechanism.<br/> <br/>However, we argue that the true impact of the new transparency provisions extends beyond their mere existence, emphasising the critical role of oversight entities in implementation and application of the DSA. Overall, this study highlights the paramount importance of vertical transparency in providing a comprehensive understanding of the aggregated risks associated with high-reach AI technologies, exemplified by social media recommender systems.}},
  author       = {{Söderlund, Kasia and Engström, Emma and Haresamudram, Kashyap and Larsson, Stefan and Strimling, Pontus}},
  issn         = {{2197-6775}},
  keywords     = {{high-reach AI; Recommender systems; Digital Services Act; Social media; AI transparency}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{The Alexander Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society}},
  series       = {{Internet Policy Review}},
  title        = {{Regulating high-reach AI: on transparency directions in the Digital Services Act}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.14763/2024.1.1746}},
  doi          = {{10.14763/2024.1.1746}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}