算法“黑箱”的成因、风险及其治理

On the Cause, Risk and Its Governance of Algorithm “Black Box”

算法作为一种前沿技术,极大地提高了社会运行效率,不断推进了社会发展模式革新。然而,由于算法技术的复杂性、相关法律政策的匮乏、算法素养的限制、公开算法动力不足以及算法安全维护等原因,形成了算法“黑箱”。“黑箱”的存在使得算法在公共领域的应用中,极易衍生出私人资本支配公权力、算法监管的政府失灵、政府信任危机等问题。对此,必须对算法“黑箱”加以治理,治理的关键在于实现“有意义的算法透明度”,具体可遵循构建政府责任义务体系、推动技术公司算法公开、发挥社会组织监督作用等路径。

As a cutting-edge technology, algorithm has greatly improved the social operation efficiency and constantly innovates the social development mode. However, the algorithm “black box” has been formed, due to the complexity of algorithm technology, the lack of relevant laws and policies, the limitation of algorithm literacy, the lack of open algorithm power and the maintenance of algorithm security. The existence of the “black box” makes the application of the algorithm in the public domain easily lead to the problems, such as the domination of public power by private capital, the government failure of algorithm supervision, and the crisis of government trust. Therefore, the algorithm “black box” must be governed. The key of governance is to achieve the “meaningful algorithmic transparency”, which can be achieved by building the system of government responsibility and obligation, promoting the algorithm openness of technology companies, and playing the role of social organization supervision.