Agency Laundering and Information Technologies

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Agency laundering consists in hiding one's moral responsibility by using a technology or process to act and letting it block others from demanding an account for bad outcomes.

“At root, agency laundering involves obfuscating one's moral responsibility by enlisting a technology or process to take some action and letting it forestall others from demanding an account for bad outcomes that result.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Mixing moral wrongs with morally permissible processes undermines a basic part of responsibility itself.

“Instead, intermingling moral wrongs with morally permissibly processes undermines a fundamental facet of responsibility itself.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

To launder her agency, a person must be a moral agent, and being a moral agent requires being morally responsible in some sense.

“For a person to launder her agency requires that she be a moral agent in the first place, and being a moral agent requires that one be in some sense morally responsible.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

Role responsibility is responsibility attached to a role, and a role requires anticipating events in a domain and acting to avoid bad outcomes there.

“To begin, a person might be responsible in virtue of a role.In Hart's example, a person is responsible for a ship's safety in virtue the fact that she is the captain.A person's role requires her to anticipate events in some domain and to take actions to avoid bad outcomes in that domain.”

• cites Hart 1968Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Agency laundering is distinct from the responsibility gap, bias laundering, and masking.

“We distinguish agency laundering from several other critiques of information technology, including the so-called”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

The chair's ascription of morally relevant qualities to the committee is misleading, and she has therefore deceived people about the process involved.

“More important is that the chair's ascription of morally relevant qualities to the committee is misleading, and she has therefore deceived people about the process involved.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Others with whom the chair has a relationship have a claim to understand such an important facet of their professional lives.

“Others with whom the chair has a relationship have a claim to understand such an important facet of their professional lives.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Agency laundering involves misdirection that undermines others' ability to demand reasons for an agent's actions.

“Agency laundering involves a kind of misdirection (as in ( 2)-( 4)).But, crucially, the misdirection undermines others' ability to demand reasons for an agent's actions.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

The defining feature of agency laundering is that it forestalls others' ability to demand an account, and this turns on the substantive account of responsibility.

“This is the defining feature of agency laundering, and it turns on the substantive account of responsibility in section 2.2.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

An agent's moral responsibility turns on whether she is answerable or accountable for her actions.

“our view aligns with the constellation of views for which an agent's moral responsibility turns on whether she is answerable or accountable for her actions.”

• cites Smith 2012 sourceNot checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Oshana 1997Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

A responsible agent should be able to explain her intentions, reasons, and actions in terms that other relationship participants can understand.

“She should be able to explain her intentions, reasons, and actions in terms that other relationship participants can understand.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

For an agent to be morally responsible for something is for the agent to be open in principle to demands for justification regarding that thing.

“Angela Smith, for example, argues that for an agent to be morally responsible for something is for the agent to be”

• cites Smith 2012 sourceNot checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

An agent can lack capacity responsibility because of lack of access to relevant information, and retrospective moral responsibility requires being able to access facts about one's actions and their significance.

“Alternatively, one may lack capacity due to lack of access to relevant information.That is, an agent must be in a position to access certain facts about her actions and their significance in order to be retrospectively morally responsible for them.”

May combine two claims.

Uber attributes morally relevant features to its algorithms: that they reflect drivers' goals, are reliable, and rest on neutral facts.

“Uber ascribes morally relevant features to the algorithms: that they reflect drivers' own goals, that they are reliable, that they are based on a neutral assessment of facts on the ground (condition (3)).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

In 2012 Target sent fliers targeting women seeking prenatal products to a minor before she had revealed her pregnancy to one of her parents, based on predictive analytics and an automated advertising system.

“In 2012, the Target corporation received international attention when, based on predictive analytics and an automated advertising system, it sent fliers targeting women seeking prenatal products to a minor before she had revealed her pregnancy to one of her parents (Duhigg 2012).”

• cites Duhigg 2012Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The chair's appointment of the committee obscures her designs to eliminate P-studies.

“Fifth, although the chair appears to fulfill her responsibility in shepherding the curriculum, her appointment of the committee obscures her designs to eliminate P-studies.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Blame is in effect a demand that the agent justify herself.

“And blame is in effect a demand that the agent”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Capacity responsibility concerns whether an agent has the capacities needed to be responsible for an outcome.

“That is because of the third facet, capacity responsibility, which relates to whether an agent has the requisite capacities to be responsible for an outcome.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

In Democratic Chair, department members will reasonably believe that the action for which the chair should provide an account is the formation of the committee, and that is the only action for which she should provide an account.

“Just as in the original example, department members will reasonably believe that the action for which the chair should provide an account is the formation of the committee.But in democratic chair, that is the only action for which she should provide an account.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

The laundering part of agency laundering cuts to the heart of what responsibility is by undermining the ability of others to ask the agent to provide an account.

“In other words, the laundering part of agency laundering cuts straight to the heart of what responsibility is by undermining the ability of others to ask the agent to provide an account.”

May combine two claims.

In Democratic Chair, the committee formation is not a sham, so the chair does not avoid having to account for her actions regarding the curriculum.

“But the key difference is that the committee formation in”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S1 (asserted).

A person is responsible if and only if it ought to be the case that the person account for her behavior.

“She articulates an accountability view according to which a person is responsible if, and only if,”

• cites Oshana 1997Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Giving an account requires a person to provide a statement of her beliefs or intentions for her actions.

“Giving such an account requires a person to provide a statement of her”

• cites Oshana 1997Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

It is not reasonable to form reactive attitudes such as resentment or admiration toward entities that are not participants in relationships, such as infants or machines.

“However, we do not form such reactive attitudes towards entities that are not participants in relationships; resentment and admiration are not reasonable reactions to the actions of infants or machines.”

The quote only partly states this claim.

Facebook's platform informed ProPublica that the

“While two thousand Facebook users choosing to identify as”

• cites Angwin and Varner 2017Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Using an automated process to make decisions can let a person distance herself from morally suspect actions by attributing the decision to the system, thereby laundering her agency.

“Using an automated process to make decisions can allow a person to distance herself from morally suspect actions by attributing the decision to the system, thereby laundering her agency.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

Regardless of whether getting rid of P-studies is justifiable, the chair's obscuring her reasons and intentions in impaneling the committee does not appear justifiable.

“Regardless of whether getting rid of P-studies is justifiable, the chair's obscuring her reasons and intentions in impaneling the committee do not appear justifiable.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Being morally responsible for an action means being accountable for it and being able to give an account of one's reasons for it.

“Second, being morally responsible for some action means that one is accountable for, and should be able to provide an account of her reasons for, that action.”

• cites Smith 2012 sourceNot checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Oshana 1997Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

These prompts do not guarantee surge pricing, and drivers cannot know when accepting a ride whether it will be surge-priced.

“However, such prompts do not guarantee surge pricing, and drivers do not know when they accept a ride whether it will be surge-priced.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Laundering is not unique to information technologies.

“Laundering is not unique to information technologies.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

The moral concerns are not merely that values are instantiated within automated systems.

“The moral concerns are not merely that values are instantiated within automated systems.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

We call a person an appropriate subject of reactive attitudes because the person is morally responsible.

“Rather,”

• cites Oshana 1997Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

A common element in these stories is that the technology itself plays an important role, and the existence and use of technological systems are a key part of the explanation of the events.

“A common element in these stories is that the technology itself plays an important role.The existence and use of technological systems are a key part of the explanation of the events.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

Causal responsibility is the link between an agent's action, omission, or disposition and an event that results from it.

“Second is causal responsibility, or the link between an agent's action (or omission, or disposition 6 ) and an event that results from it.”

• cites Kutz 2004Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The system even suggested additional racist categories to make the ad purchase more effective.

“The system even suggested additional racist categories to make the ad purchase more effective.”

• cites Angwin and Varner 2017Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

It is justifiable to ask the responsible agent to account for their actions, omissions, or dispositions.

“Specifically, it is justifiable to ask the responsible agent to account for their actions, omissions, or dispositions.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Role responsibility is broad enough to include general obligations one has as a moral agent.

“Although one's well-defined social roles (ship captain, parent, financial trustor) may give rise to specific responsibilities, the idea of role responsibility is broad enough to encompass general obligations one has as a moral agent.”

May combine two claims.

In the Chair example, the chair had legitimate institutional authority to make the curriculum decision, and that authority is a form of role responsibility for her department's curriculum.

“First is that the chair had legitimate institutional authority to make the decision, and if she had moved to eliminate P studies unilaterally it would have happened.Her institutional authority is a form of role responsibility for her department's curriculum.”

May combine two claims.

ProPublica selected other profiles displaying anti-Semitic categories, and Facebook approved ProPublica's ad with minor changes.

“ProPublica used the platform to select other profiles displaying anti-Semitic categories, and Facebook approved ProPublica's ad with minor changes.”

• cites Angwin and Varner 2017Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Uber has moral responsibility for fielding drivers.

“Uber has moral responsibility with respect to fielding drivers”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The chair is forestalling others' ability to demand an account for her actions within a domain of their legitimate concern.

“Regardless of whether she is meeting her role responsibilities with respect to the curriculum, she is forestalling others' ability to demand an account for her actions within a domain of their legitimate concern.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Retrospective moral responsibility for an outcome requires role responsibility, causal responsibility, and capacity responsibility.

“For a person to be (retrospectively) morally responsible-which is to say morally liable-for some event or outcome, she must have some role responsibility (either a specific duty that attaches to a social role or a general duty as a moral agent) and she must be causally responsible for the outcome (which is to say an action of hers is a key part of the explanation of the outcome).”

• Also stated in: § This is a pre-print of an article forthcoming in Ethical Theory & Moral Practice. · plain

  “Moreover, she must have capacity responsibility.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

When the chair forms the committee, she implies it is neutral, would weigh evidence fairly, and might act in a way she does not anticipate, but by hypothesis she knows the committee will act as she wishes.

“Third, when the chair forms the committee, she implies it is neutral, would weigh evidence fairly, and might act in a way that the chair doesn't anticipate.But that's a ruse-ex hypothesi the chair knows that the committee will act just as she wishes.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

Agency laundering can obscure many different kinds of wrongs, and limiting the concept to bias laundering would fail to capture them.

“Agency laundering can obscure many different kinds of wrongs, and limiting the concept to bias laundering would fail to capture them.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Deploying tools like COMPAS could be a means by which courts and others in the criminal justice system can launder their agency.

“Deploying tools like COMPAS could certainly be a means by which courts (and others in the criminal justice system) can launder their agency.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

HISD has moral responsibility for hiring, firing, and promoting teachers.

“HISD is morally responsible with respect to hiring, firing, and promoting teachers”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Loomis appears to be a good test case for the authors' view.

“Hence, it appears to be to be a good test case for our view.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Loomis received a sentence in the maximum range.

“Loomis received a sentence in the maximum range.”

May combine two claims.

The judge referenced the COMPAS report in sentencing Loomis even though Northpointe says COMPAS is not designed for sentencing.

“In sentencing Loomis, the judge referenced the COMPAS report even though Northpointe (the developer of COMPAS) is clear that the tool is not designed to be used for sentencing.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Matthias's conception of the responsibility gap focuses on an automated system's causal responsibility for some outcome.

“Note first that Matthias's conception of the responsibility gap focuses on an automated system's causal responsibility for some outcome.”

• cites Matthias 2004 sourceNot checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

The authors' understanding of agency laundering is a general account of laundering and is broad enough to encompass bias laundering.

“However, our understanding of agency laundering is a general account of laundering, and it is broad enough that it encompasses bias laundering.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

In the authors' view, the thing that is laundered is agency, and that is the appropriate target of analysis.

“Finally, in our view the thing that is laundered is agency, and that is the appropriate target of analysis.”

May combine two claims.

HISD meets the third condition implicitly by using EVAAS for high-stakes decisions and explicitly by citing EVAAS's reliability in measuring student progress.

“HISD meets the third condition implicitly by using EVAAS for high-stakes decisions.It meets the third condition explicitly by invoking EVAAS's reliability in measuring student progress as a reason in favor of using EVAAS.”

May combine two claims.

The judge considered important the conduct Loomis admitted as part of the read-in charges and Loomis's conduct while under prior supervision.

“He also considered important the conduct Loomis admitted as part of the read-in charges and Loomis's conduct while under prior supervision.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

'Agency laundering' is a concept and a name, not merely a metaphor.

“Hence, 'agency laundering' is a concept and a name, not merely a metaphor.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The Loomis case shows that the authors' understanding of agency laundering is not so broad as to be meaningless.

“Hence, the case shows that our understanding of agency laundering is not so broad as to be meaningless.”

May combine two claims.

Uber creates reasonable expectations of better pay for drivers and then fails to meet them.

“Thus, it creates for drivers reasonable expectations of better pay and fails to meet them.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

In the toy example, nothing suggests the manufacturer obscures the scope of its causal responsibility.

“Nothing in the example (either Matthias's version or ours) suggests that it does.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

The concept of agency laundering can help make judgments in difficult cases and more fully explicate antecedent moral wrongs.

“Note, too, that the concept of agency laundering can help us both to make judgments in difficult cases and to more fully explicate antecedent moral wrongs.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The authors' analysis can help distinguish genuine responsibility gaps from responsibility obfuscation.

“and can help distinguish genuine responsibility gaps from responsibility obfuscation.”

May combine two claims.

The judge referenced Loomis's risk scores and they plausibly had an effect on sentencing.

“The judge referenced Loomis's risk scores and they plausibly had an effect on sentencing.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

The court's use of COMPAS implies that COMPAS is useful, reliable, and fair.

“The court's use of COMPAS implies that it is useful, reliable, and fair, which are morally relevant qualities, per condition (3).”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The Loomis opinion places responsibility squarely on the trial court in using tools like COMPAS.

“The supreme court's Loomis opinion places responsibility squarely on the trial court in using tools like COMPAS.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The concept of agency laundering can explain why Uber acts wrongly in some cases (surge pricing) but not in others (goal prompts, queuing).

“Similarly, the concept of agency laundering can explain why Uber acts wrongly in some cases (surge pricing) but not in others (goal prompts, queuing).”

May combine two claims.

In the Facebook case, the advertising platform is within a domain for which Facebook has moral responsibility, and Facebook's conflation of its actions with an automated system's actions undermines the foundation of responsibility, namely providing an account.

“However, the advertising platform is still within a domain for which Facebook has moral responsibility, and its conflation of its actions with an automated system's actions undermines the foundation of responsibility, viz., providing an account.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The judge indicated that his own judgment based on Loomis's conduct and history led him to a similar conclusion as COMPAS.

“he also indicated that his own judgment (based on Loomis's conduct and history) led him to a similar conclusion.”

May combine two claims.

Teachers fired based on EVAAS scores receive a faulty explanation: they are told they are ineffective when, given EVAAS's flaws, that is likely false.

“Finally, the fifth is met because teachers who are fired on account of their EVAAS scores are given a faulty accounting of why they were fired.They are told they are being fired for being ineffective, when, given EVAAS's flaws, this is likely not the case.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Tools like COMPAS cannot be used alone; their use must be supported by other factors independent of the tool.

“The passage makes clear that tools like COMPAS cannot be used alone, and use of such scores has to be supported by other factors that are independent of the tool.”

• cites Loomis, ¶9Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The authors' analysis of agency laundering requires thinking about role and causal responsibilities of people who deploy technologies like those Matthias contemplates.

“But our analysis of agency laundering requires thinking about role and causal responsibilities of people who deploy technologies like those Matthias contemplates.”

May combine two claims.

Because the public has a collective stake in the education system, HISD's laundering makes accountability harder in a way that private firms' laundering does not.

“Hence, the fact that HISD's laundering makes accountability all the more difficult matters in a way that accountability of private firms does not.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The authors' account of agency laundering can help evaluate what, if anything, Uber does wrong.

“Our account of agency laundering can help evaluate what, if anything, Uber does wrong.”

May combine two claims.

EVAAS is proprietary, so teachers cannot audit their scores to check whether they were produced correctly.

“EVAAS is proprietary, which prevents teachers from auditing their scores to see if they were produced properly.”

• cites Houston Federation of Teachers, Local 2415 v. Houston Independent School District 2017Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The authors' analysis forces one to consider a wider range of actions than the operations of an AI system.

“That forces one to consider a wider range of actions than the operations of an AI system”

May combine two claims.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court prohibited trial courts from using scores to determine whether to incarcerate a person, to determine the length and severity of sentence, and to determine aggravating or mitigating factors in sentencing.

“it prohibited trial courts from using scores to determine whether to incarcerate a person or not, to determine the length and severity of sentence, and to determine aggravating or mitigating factors in sentencing (Loomis, ¶ ¶88-98).”

• cites Loomis, ¶ ¶88-98Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

By predicting surge pricing and signaling its likelihood to drivers, Uber both exploits surge pricing and makes it less likely.

“By predicting surge pricing and signaling the likelihood of surge pricing to drivers, Uber simultaneously exploits surge pricing and makes it less likely.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The authors' account explains how laundering is related to responsibility, both structurally and morally.

“More importantly, our account explains just how laundering is related to responsibility, both structurally and morally.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Both Uber actions are within Uber's domain of responsibility, and both are actions where there is an open question about whether Uber infringes its substantive role responsibility.

“Both actions are within Uber's domain of responsibility, and both are actions where there is an open question about whether Uber infringes its substantive role responsibility.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Eric Loomis pleaded guilty to crimes related to a drive-by shooting.

“Eric Loomis pleaded guilty to crimes related to a drive-by shooting.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Uber's claim that the market alone is responsible is an inadequate account, satisfying condition 5.

“Uber's claim that it is simply the market's doing is an inadequate account, satisfying condition 5.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Cameron initiated a political process likely to be divisive and fruitless to ease tensions within his party, which was an expression of democratic will he believed would offer him political capital.

“Yet, to ease tensions within his own party, he initiated a political process that was likely to be both divisive and fruitless, but which was an expression of the democratic will that he believed would offer him political capital.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

David Cameron had a moral responsibility with respect to the well-being of the British electorate.

“As Prime Minister, for instance, David Cameron had a moral responsibility with respect to the well-being of the British electorate.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

In that hypothetical, the court would not have violated some other substantive role responsibility.

“But in that case, the court would not have violated some other substantive role responsibility.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

If the trial court had deliberated but did not explain its reasoning, and merely wrote that it agreed with the COMPAS report's assessment, that would obscure the scope of the court's causal responsibility and fail to provide an adequate account of the decision.

“That would obscure the scope of the court's causal responsibility and would fail to provide an adequate account of the decision.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Agency laundering does not require that one infringe one's substantive role responsibilities, except to the extent that one's role responsibility includes being transparent about one's causal responsibility.

“Note that agency laundering does not require that one infringe one's substantive role responsibilities (except to the extent that one's role responsibility includes being transparent about one's causal responsibility).”