As AI Meets the Reputation Economy, We’re All Being Silently Judged

Anyone who’s ever rated their Uber driver or Airbnb host has actively participated in the “reputation economy”. But what happens when algorithms, rather than humans, determine an individual’s reputation score? When AI starts determining an individual’s social worth, the stakes are high. We must ask ourselves: How good is the data? How good is the math? How ready is society to be judged by AI? And what could possibly go wrong? Lawmakers and civil rights groups alike are grappling with the question of how to regulate the use of algorithms, and how to maintain quality control over the formulas. Efforts like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) aim to put the user back in control of their own personal data. Meanwhile, individuals will need to become more vigilant about their personal data online. If we expect to gain access to employment, goods, and services in the future, social platforms can no longer be a playground for the ego. Our online reputations will precede us all.