Transparent to whom? No algorithmic accountability without a critical audience

Jakko Kemper & Daan Kolkman (2019) Transparent to whom? No algorithmic accountability without a critical audience, Information, Communication & Society, 22:14, 2081-2096, DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2018.1477967

Transparency represents how a model can be understood by humans and it is seen as crucial to algorithmic accountability. This article asks: "If transparency is a primary concern, then to whom should algorithms be transparent?" The authors argue that transparency can only be accomplished with the presence of a critical audience and that there are limits to degrees of transparency.

They analyze transparency through the lens of glitch studies - focused on how digital errors and failures showcase normative engagements with technology. Glitches allow for critical reflection.