The Youth Jury takes about 2 hours to run and involves three main themes, with a ten minute break in the middle: The following pages go into more detail and suggestions for how to run each theme, using the downloadable resources at the top of this page.
- Introduction (10 minutes)
- Theme 1: The Use of algorithms (50 minutes)
- BREAK (10 minutes)
- Theme 2: The regulation of algorithms (20 minutes)
- Theme 3: Algorithm transparency (30 minutes)
Part 1: 60 mins
Introduction (10 mins)
The introduction makes sure everyone is prepared for the session. You should make sure that any consent forms that may be required have been received, and get the participants to fill out a questionnaire if you are using them. A suggested version is provided in the resources pack but feel free to modify to make questions more relevant to your group or purposes. If the group is not known to the facilitator and/or each other, we suggest name tags be worn, and these can be used to help break the ice. You should give a brief introduction about the purpose of the session, and how it will be structured. (10 mins)
Theme 1: The Use of Algorithms (50 mins)
Task 1: Mapping Your Online World (15 mins)
What do you use the internet for, and which apps/websites do you use the most for these things?
– TOOLS: Sharpies, roll of paper, sticker sheets with logos (one each), post-its
Task 2: Data used in personalisation (10 mins)
Introduce black box as representing an algorithm, and types of data companies may collect.
– TOOLS: Data cards, the Black Box
Task 3: Data as currency (10 mins)
Discuss what different types of data are worth more to them, and to the companies that use their data
– TOOLS: Data cards
Task 4: Personal filter bubble (15 mins)
Each person fills out what they think might be inside (and therefore outside) their bubble.
– TOOLS: Filter bubble sheets
-10 minute break-
During the break you may wish to put up a new sheet of paper, and make sure all of the data cards and post-its are in the ‘black box’.
Part 2: 50 mins
Theme 2: The Regulation of Algorithms (20 mins)
Task 5: Present case (plagiarism or inappropriate content) and all the parties who might be to blame; Discuss why they ARE or are NOT to blame. Get the groups to present, argue, and vote on the outcome (20 mins)
– TOOLS: Post-its, bingo dabbers, paper, sharpies
Theme 3: Algorithm Transparency (30 mins)
Task 6: Show the black box where all the data cards and so on have been put and ask what they would like to know, and what meaningful transparency is. Reveal each side in turn, talk about whether it would help to understand the algorithm or trust the company who uses it? (15 mins)
– TOOLS: The black box, containing data cards and post-its etc.
Summarise each of the three main scenarios in terms of what was said, particularly fairness and bias. (5 mins)
Task 7: Ask for recommendations or suggestions about increasing fairness and preventing bias in any or all of the themes (10 mins)
– TOOLS: Post-its, sharpies, questionnaire (if required), any other thank yous etc.
Notes:
This is a lot to get through in two hours so it is important to try to stick to the suggested times, even if one task is particularly successful. Interesting topics can be brought back and discussed as part of other themes. However, the structure of this session is easy to tailor to the needs of your group, so if a particular activity is not relevant, it can be removed and more time allowed for other activities.
Things to focus on:
- Is this fair?
- Is bias always bad?
- Who should regulate this?
- (What) do you want to know?
- Transparency – what is useful information?