Open peer review. Vol 20 (Special Issue) China and the Digital Turn

The epistemic ethical concerns involving algorithms in intelligent communication

Jialin Lin; Changfeng Chen

 

Section: KARPETA

 

EDITORIAL REPORT

The issue of algorithmic risk is a current hot topic of academic concern. The paper takes three representative international IT companies, including Meta, Sina and Byte Jump, as research objects and analyses the relevant algorithmic risk issues from the perspective of epistemological ethics. In terms of research findings, the thesis is relatively in-depth in its critique of algorithmic black boxes and algorithmic bias. In terms of research methodology, the thesis is more standardized in its use of a combination of multiple case studies and semi-structured in-depth interviews. In addition, the literature review of the thesis is relatively comprehensive, and the citations are standardized, which has reached publication level in a comprehensive view.

Please follow the reviewer’s comments and suggestions for further improvements.

 

Reviewer A:

The paper proposes three principles of algorithmic ethics, including determinism, interpretability and reliability. The importance of these three principles is well discussed in the paper, but their feasibility is not sufficiently explored. The ethical principles that have been developed in human society so far are the result of a long-term game between multiple interests. In the face of powerful Internet companies, how can we make them accept the ethical principles of algorithms proposed in the paper? It is suggested that the author should think about this in depth.

 

Reviewer B:

I would suggest the author to conduct more thorough comparative analysis in future projects. Since both ethical concerns and epistemologies are highly contextualized concepts and ideas of relativity, tracing back their cultural-historical roots would help in better illustrating the issue. Can you point out the shortcoming in the conclusion part and raise suggestions for future considerations.

 

Reviewer C:

1) Please specify Authors’ contribution

2) Please detail the research design, introducing the data collections and research methodology in the research design part. Right now, there is no such a part.

3) The structure should be restructured.  Part four present the ethics; part five presents the principles as stated in the abstract.

The epistemic kinds of ethics include inconclusive evidence, inscrutable evidence and misguided evidence, which lead to inappropriate conclusions, algorithmic black boxes, and algorithmic bias. To this end, this paper proposes three algorithmic ethical principles, including the principles of certainty, interpretability, and reliability.

Please also address the format problems in line with the guidelines of the journal.

 

                            The text included important modifications before publication