1. Prof. Dr. Natali Helberger
Journalism in the Age of Data-analytics: Towards algorithmic journalistic ethics
Prof. Dr. Natali Helberger
Vienna, 14 September 2016

2. Journalism in the Age of Data-analytics
Source of information
Part of production process
Targeted distribution & marketing
“The challenge of using data effectively will be central” (BBC, Future of News, 2015)
23 November 2018
Institute for Information Law - IViR

3. Journalism in the Age of Data-analytics
Source of information
Part of production process
Targeted distribution & marketing
“The challenge of using data effectively will be central” (BBC, Future of News, 2015)
23 November 2018
Institute for Information Law - IViR

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7. Journalism in the Age of Data-analytics
Source of information
Part of production process
Targeted distribution & marketing
23 November 2018
Institute for Information Law - IViR

8. Robot-journalism
23 November 2018
Institute for Information Law - IViR

9. Journalism in the Age of Data-analytics
Source of information
Part of production process
Targeted distribution & marketing
Need to focus on “the art and science of getting our journalism to readers” (New York Times, Innovation, 2014)
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12. The datafication of readers
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13. Changing relationship with the audience
Intensive collection of personal insights about news readers
From mass to personalised communication: growing orientation towards the user and personal relevance – need to strike a balance
From sources of general interest information to personal information coaches
But also: dictate of clicks and metrics
23 November 2018
Institute for Information Law - IViR

14. Example: Journalism and news readers’ privacy?
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15. Media exception in data protection law
Member states shall provide for exemptions …. For the processing of personal data carried out solely for journalistic purposes … in order to reconcile the right to the protection of personal data with the rules governing freedom of expression (Art. 80(1) GDPR)
23 November 2018
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16. Why news readers’ privacy matters
Respect for privacy as precondition for trust into the media
Can be a pre-condition for the freedom of expression
Reader surveillance can lead to chilling effects
Behavioural targeting can decrease diversity of exposure
Privacy as democratic breathing space
Privacy as a means to protect editorial integrity
23 November 2018
Institute for Information Law - IViR

17. In concrete: Towards principles of algorithmic fairness in journalism
Issues to think about for the example of privacy:
Giving users a choice to (not) share personal information (example: cookie walls)
Applying restraint in reader surveillance (data minimalisation, no collection of sensitive data, data retention)
Deserving readers’ trust (e.g. by not sharing sensitive reading information with third parties, data security)
Utmost transparency about why users get to see certain contents
Striking a balance between personal relevancy and readers’ interest in a diverse and inclusive information offer
Using data to inform, not: to persuade (e.g. care with political targeting in the news media)
23 November 2018
Institute for Information Law - IViR

18. To conclude
Datafication triggers need to rethink the media’s relationship with the reader
And ways of responsible dealing with data in journalism - algorithmic journalistic ethics
Privacy is one example
And there are more: editorial integrity, media diversity, social media, data as form of opinion power, etc.
23 November 2018
Institute for Information Law - IViR

19. For more information, please visit our website or send me an email: n
For more information, please visit our website or send me an
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