Impact Assessments are a popular answer to transparency and accountability problems with algorithms, yet they remain inconsistently defined and enforced. This panel will explore different approaches jurisdictions have taken, discuss the value of these instruments, and discuss paths forward.
• What should comprise an impact assessment and what is their purpose? Does it change when required for the public and private sectors?
• How do you consider different proposals to put the onus on the business vs. independent – what the trade offs are for a regime that requires both?
• What segments of an impact assessment should be made public? How do they work with other transparency or accountability mechanisms required in a jurisdiction? Can impact assessments be used as a tool for accountability?
• In what contexts, if at all, are they actually appropriate? Can they be designed so they’re not easily circumvented?
