Senator Johnson Sends Letter to Heads of Instagram, Facebook on Suggested Content Algorithms

Sen Ron Johnson (R-WI) sent a letter to Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, requesting information on how algorithms and artificial intelligence suggest content and users to engage with on their platforms. “After conducting a number of algorithm-related studies, Pew Research Center concluded, ‘Americans express broad concerns over the fairness and effectiveness of computer programs making important decisions in people’s lives.’ As we become aware of the society-wide significance of this influence, the lack of transparency regarding human bias and the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence is troubling,” Sen Johnson wrote. “As a result, policymakers and the American public deserve to understand the facts behind the content and suggestions they are served on these internet platforms.”