Friday, July 22, 2022: 4:00 pm (DAC 416ABC): The non-profit organization Tracking Exposed (tracking.exposed/), which fosters digital rights and algorithm accountability, has developed a set of free-software tools (Potrex and Guardoni) with the intent of bringing light into the underlying mechanisms of one of the major porn platforms existing nowadays. Thanks to these tools, Giulia and Alessandro have achieved an unprecedented angle of view over biases and data processing malpractices that may affect these websites, collecting precious evidence that has proven useful for carrying out academic research and even digital forensics investigations. Their goal is to give empowerment to the users and help them reclaim their rights recognized by the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and even more. During this talk, they will present the research they have conducted regarding the abuses spotted on a porn platform whose algorithms seem to be operating in a seriously biased way. They will then explore signs of possible data protection law violations and will imagine together strategies and methodologies for the upcoming analysis of these platforms.

Giulia Corona

Alessandro Polidoro