Public Perception of Algorithms in Society: Accounting for the Algorithmic Public Opinion (ALGOCOUNT)

ALGOCOUNT seeks to expand our current understanding of, and raise awareness about, the role of algorithms in society, with a specific focus on the formation of public opinion in the Italian context. To this end, it asks the following questions: a) What is the 'state of the art' regarding public perception about the role of algorithms in the formation of public opinion in Italy? How much do Italians know about algorithms, their power, and the outcomes they produce? To what extent do Italians trust algorithms in accessing information? Is there an interest in questioning the relevance and role of algorithms in the formation of public opinion, to enhance transparency in lieu of opacity? b) How can we visualise the intervention of algorithms in the formation of public opinion, particularly in the Italian context, to the aim of making the processes of information filtering and access by the general public more accountable to public scrutiny? c) What policies can be put in place, starting from the Italian context and then at a European and global level, in order to increase transparency, reduce opacity and enhance accountability of the intermediation role algorithms play in the formation of public opinion? What role should the state and/or local administrations play in order to respond to the challenge of 'data justice' and increase public trust in the way digital technology mediates societal processes? To address these issues, ALGOCOUNT will rely on an interdisciplinary research team composed by expert academics and young researchers in the fields of social sciences, informatics, law and communication design, to execute a cutting-edge research project that combines innovative methodologies of big data analysis and visualisation based on 'digital methods' with existing qualitative research in the tradition of social sciences. To the aim of maximising impact, the project will benefit from a collaboration with the Museo della Scienza e della Tecnologia “Leonardo da Vinci” of Milan (Science Museum of Milan from now on) in the conduction of a number of research activities and for the production of a set of outcomes aimed at reaching out widely to relevant stakeholders and the general public. This is thought of as a way to foster a debate as large and plural as possible on algorithms, their role and the implications of their emergence in the Italian context for public opinion formation and society at large.