Algorithms are everywhere, shaping decisions in education, work, policing, and more. But are these systems fair? A recent article by Vassilis Charitsis, Mikko Laamanen, and Tuukka Lehtiniemi, explores this question and introduces a framework for resisting harmful algorithmic practices.
Inspired by the 19th-century Luddite movement, where workers resisted technology that threatened their livelihoods, the researchers develop the idea of Algorithmic Luddism. This concept is not about rejecting technology altogether. Instead, it calls for questioning how algorithms are used and who benefits from them. The authors propose three key principles: refusal, resistance, and reimagining.
- First, refusal involves rejecting technologies that harm people or worsen inequalities.
- Second, resistance refers to organizing collective action, such as protests or advocacy, to push back against exploitative systems.
- Finally, reimagining means designing technologies that promote fairness and equity instead of prioritizing profit and control.
Although algorithms often appear neutral, they are created and used by people and organizations with specific goals. For instance, automated grading systems and job-matching platforms can unintentionally favour wealthier groups or disadvantage marginalized communities. This shows that algorithms are not just technical tools; they reflect and reinforce the same inequalities found in society.
The authors argue that understanding these issues through the lens of class politics, which examines how social and economic groups are affected, helps uncover how algorithms disproportionately harm the less privileged while benefiting elites.
The article highlights real-world examples. For example, in 2020, students in the UK protested when an algorithm unfairly downgraded their grades. Their chants of ‘Fuck the Algorithm’ received public attention and led to the system being scrapped.
Algorithmic Luddism is about more than protest. It is a call to build something better. By rejecting harmful uses of technology, organizing collective action, and rethinking how algorithms are designed, it is possible to create digital systems that serve everyone.
Read the full article here: Towards Algorithmic Luddism class politics in data capitalism