How do we speak about algorithms and algorithmic media futures? Using vignettes and scenarios in a citizen council on data-driven media personalisation

Das, Ranjana; Wong, Yen Nee; Jones, Rhianne; Jackson, Philip JB

Abstract

‘New’ media and algorithmic rules underlying many emerging technologies present particular challenges in fieldwork, because the opacity of their design, and, sometimes, their real or perceived status as ‘not quite here yet’ – makes speaking about these challenging in the field. In this article, we use insights from a three-stage citizens council investigating citizens’ views on developments in data-driven media personalisation to reflect on the potentials of using future-orientated vignettes and scenarios in data collection on user experiences, expectations and the ethics of algorithms. We present the possibilities and potentials of using vignettes as part of a data collection approach in user-centric algorithm studies which invites users’ contextual experiences of algorithms but also enables more normative reflections on what good looks like in contemporary datafied societies.

Citation

Das, R., Wong, Y. N., Jones, R., & Jackson, P. J. (online). How do we speak about algorithms and algorithmic media futures? Using vignettes and scenarios in a citizen council on data-driven media personalisation. New Media and Society, https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448241232589

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 13, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Mar 8, 2024
• Deposit Date: Mar 15, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 18, 2024
• Print ISSN: 1461-4448
• Electronic ISSN: 1461-7315
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448241232589
• Keywords: Algorithms, datafication, methodology, qualitative, users
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/3565005