English

SHAPE: A Framework for Evaluating the Ethicality of Influence

Multiagent Systems 2023-11-08 v2

Abstract

Agents often exert influence when interacting with humans and non-human agents. However, the ethical status of such influence is often unclear. In this paper, we present the SHAPE framework, which lists reasons why influence may be unethical. We draw on literature from descriptive and moral philosophy and connect it to machine learning to help guide ethical considerations when developing algorithms with potential influence. Lastly, we explore mechanisms for governing algorithmic systems that influence people, inspired by mechanisms used in journalism, human subject research, and advertising.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2309.04352,
  title  = {SHAPE: A Framework for Evaluating the Ethicality of Influence},
  author = {Elfia Bezou-Vrakatseli and Benedikt Brückner and Luke Thorburn},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2309.04352},
  year   = {2023}
}

Comments

An earlier version of this paper was accepted at EUMAS 2023

R2 v1 2026-06-28T12:16:19.268Z