WODA

Algorithms

Performativity of accountability

The simplest explanation of the concept of performativity is a 'self-fulfilling prophecy': creating what you describe. It suits the concept of accountability well. Although accountability should just be about describing a practice, the authors point out that when you measure or assess/audit a phenomenon you end up shaping it. In their case, hoteliers start changing the way they run their hotel because of the way they are 'held to account' on trip adviser (by both people and algorithm together). Thus accountability creates a new reality for the tourism industry instead of just capturing/describing it as it is, so here accountability can be thought of as performative (it shapes rather than just describes).

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