Digital Legal Lab researchers participating in gravitation program 'The algorithmic society'

The research project ‘The Algorithmic Society’ (ALGOSOC) is a collaboration between top scientists from five different universities, who jointly investigate the impact of automated processes on human rights and public values.

The project is led by professor Natali Helberger and professor Claes de Vreese from the University of Amsterdam. In addition to the University of Amsterdam, Tilburg University, the University of Utrecht, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Delft University of Technology are part of the consortium.

Digital Legal Lab members professor Linnet Taylor and professor Esther Keymolen are involved in the project as part of the Tilburg University team.

The algorithmic society

‘Automated decision making is rapidly becoming a social reality. In all areas of our life, from health and justice to media and democracy, policy makers and academics alike are grappling with the question whether and how to implement automated decision making within society’, says Natali Helberger.

‘This funding for our ALGOSOC programme is a huge opportunity to contribute cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research insights that will help us safeguard our fundamental rights and public values within the ‘algorithmic society’, and create the necessary governance frameworks. I feel very privileged to be able to work on this critical challenge with an amazing team of experts.’

Gravitation

The Gravitation program encourages excellent research in the Netherlands by allowing top scientists from across universities and disciplines to work together on cutting-edge research for a ten-year period.

The program is funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). In total, seven consortia are receiving more than 142 million euros in funding for their research projects in this round of the Gravitation program.

Read the press release of the Dutch Ministry of Education announcing all 7 selected consortia here (in Dutch).