{"id":971,"date":"2015-05-19T16:17:01","date_gmt":"2015-05-19T20:17:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/?p=971"},"modified":"2015-05-19T16:17:01","modified_gmt":"2015-05-19T20:17:01","slug":"new-mega-hit-case-study-on-tech-ethics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/2015\/05\/19\/new-mega-hit-case-study-on-tech-ethics\/","title":{"rendered":"New Mega-Hit Case Study on Tech Ethics"},"content":{"rendered":"

New FREE Product: Algorithmic Allegories (Version 1.0)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

In June 2014, people got emotional about Facebook.<\/p>\n

That month, Facebook published the results of its \u201cemotional contagion\u201d study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/em>. In conjunction with researchers at Cornell, Facebook experimentally altered the algorithm that populates the News Feed, the primary activity and content list on Facebook. The goal? To explore if emotions can spread through Facebook.\u00a0In the experiment, the algorithms<\/a> for a random subset of users were manipulated to display either proportionately more negative emotional content or proportionately more emotional content; a control group saw content according to the current algorithm. The study found that the emotional nature of News Feed content does influence users\u2019 moods, as indicated by their subsequent posts.<\/p>\n

This was news to Facebook users, none of whom had volunteered for, opted into, or known about the study. Some found the invisible consequences of the algorithm chilling. Privacy activist Lauren Weinstein<\/a> said, \u201cI wonder if anyone killed anyone with their emotional manipulation stunt.\u201d This impassioned response is the launching point of a new, free Advanced Problem Solving Workshop case, \u201cAlgorithmic Allegories (version 1.0)<\/a>,\u201d spearheaded by HLS Professor Jonathan Zittrain.<\/p>\n

Algorithmic Allegories chronicles the Facebook study controversy and the legal issues it introduced, as well as offering six related hypotheticals to probe the moral, legal, and technical implications of algorithms in our lives. By considering the use of algorithms in print media, charity, business, and other situations, participants form nuanced ethical positions on the Facebook Emotional Contagion study. Participants then engage in a class-wide debate about the study. Participants learn to assess the feasibility of implementing policy in a rapidly changing, technology-powered landscape; appreciate the responsibilities of those who use algorithms; write policy briefs; and advise clients.<\/p>\n

Though the infamous experiment was conducted on a small fraction of users, Facebook data scientist Dan Farrell told Radiolab<\/a> that \u201cany given person is probably currentlty involved in ten different experiments\u201d on Facebook alone. The pervasive use of algorithms begs for human consideration.<\/p>\n

Sure enough, more than 100 customers have downloaded Algorithmic Allegories in its first month. See what the buzz is all about by downloading the case for free<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New FREE Product: Algorithmic Allegories (Version 1.0) In June 2014, people got emotional about Facebook. That month, Facebook published the results of its \u201cemotional contagion\u201d study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In conjunction with researchers at … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5482,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4CR8M-fF","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1053,"url":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/2015\/12\/29\/greatest-hits-of-2015\/","url_meta":{"origin":971,"position":0},"title":"Case Studies Greatest Hits of 2015","author":"","date":"December 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"As the year comes to a close, here\u2019s a look at our greatest hits of 2015. Have you downloaded our top cases and role plays yet? Top New Cases of 2015: Algorithmic Allegories (version 1.0) A workshop-based case study about an experiment designed by Facebook which altered the Facebook News\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":740,"url":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/2014\/04\/08\/far-east-yardies-in-the-classroom\/","url_meta":{"origin":971,"position":1},"title":"“Far East Yardies” in the Classroom","author":"Elizabeth Moroney","date":"April 8, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"the emotional stakes of legal analysis By Saptarishi Bandopadhyay In a sense, the Ching Pow: Far East Yardies!! case study is a prequel to cases in the Langdellian tradition. Where the latter begins with the facts elaborated on in a judicial opinion, Ching Pow speaks to the abundance of conflicts\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Problem Solving Workshop Blog Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Problem Solving Workshop Blog Posts","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/category\/problem-solving-workshop-blog-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":957,"url":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/2015\/04\/21\/new-case-on-the-realities-of-business-development\/","url_meta":{"origin":971,"position":2},"title":"New Case on the Realities of Business Development","author":"Elizabeth Moroney","date":"April 21, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"New Product: Chasing Growth at Sasker Devereaux EM:\u00a0Business development is a critical component of any successful law practice, but poses challenges unique to each partner. \u00a0A new discussion-based case study, Chasing Growth at Sasker Devereaux, profiles law firm partners struggling with\u00a0business development; through the case study format, each participant unearths\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":919,"url":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/2015\/01\/28\/case-writer-qa-dr-lisa-rohrer\/","url_meta":{"origin":971,"position":3},"title":"Case Writer Q&A: Dr. Lisa Rohrer","author":"Elizabeth Moroney","date":"January 28, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"New Products: Sponsorship at Wilmer Cutler & Pickering (A): Yoon-Young Lee Sponsorship at Wilmer Cutler & Pickering (B): The Sponsor\u2019s Perspective Lisa Rohrer is a seasoned case writer and the Executive Director of the Case Development Initiative at Harvard Law School. She co-wrote CDI\u2019s latest two-part case study, Sponsorship at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case Development Initiative Blog Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Case Development Initiative Blog Posts","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/category\/case-development-initiative-blog-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":857,"url":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/2014\/09\/23\/5-questions-with-professor-adriaan-lanni\/","url_meta":{"origin":971,"position":4},"title":"5 Questions with Professor Adriaan Lanni","author":"Elizabeth Moroney","date":"September 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Product: Prosecutorial Discretion in Charging and Plea Bargaining: The Aaron Swartz Case HLS Professor Adriaan Lanni came to us with a vision for her criminal adjudication class: teach students the ethics and discretion of prosecution. Rather than explain landmark examples of prosecutorial discretion herself, Professor Lanni wanted students to find\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case Study Program Blog Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Case Study Program Blog Posts","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/category\/case-study-program-blog-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lanni","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/files\/2014\/09\/Lanni.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":647,"url":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/hlscasestudies\/2013\/11\/13\/playing-the-accused-its-more-than-just-a-game\/","url_meta":{"origin":971,"position":5},"title":"Playing \u201cThe Accused\u201d: It\u2019s More than Just a Game","author":"Elizabeth Moroney","date":"November 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Antidote Games, a group that produces educational and entertaining simulations of \u201ccomplex realities,\u201d has teamed up with the Innocence Project to create The Accused, a game about investigative tactics and accusation. To get a better look at the game\u2019s educational possibilities, I decided to play. 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