Algorytmy wyszukiwarek internetowych a zniekształcenie woli wyborczej. Wybrane aspekty prawne i technologiczne

Abstract

Search engine algorithms are based on content prioritization mechanisms that remain beyond social control. This, in turn, means that they can be used in a completely free way by their owners, as well as entities specializing in positioning content on the Internet. The above issue is important in relation to elections, and in particular, the process of constructing electoral will (preference). This text intends to define the legal and technological framework for the potential impact of algorithms used in search engines on the distortion of electoral will by creating information bubbles, as well as displaying specific content related to elections to a given user by targeting him. The research objective of the article was to identify the potential correlation between the activity of search engine algorithms and the formulation of electoral will. The conducted analysis showed that the prioritization of content by the algorithms of individual search engines can directly affect the creation of electoral preferences. Consequently, the entities that own these search engines can, to a large extent, determine the success of particular political options.

Keywords

• elections
• election rules
• election law
• algorithms
• internet search engines