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On the trail of the algorithm: What does YouTube recommend to someone who has just watched a video about Annalena Baerbock?
Photo: Hans Lucas / imago images
What answer does YouTube give when you use the search box to ask who to vote for in September?
And do you get different results on this question if you have previously logged on to YouTube?
Or watched green-friendly videos?
And which videos do you think YouTube recommends when you've watched Rezo's “The Destruction of the CDU” or looked for Armin Laschet?
A research group would like to pursue all of this in this federal election campaign and is now looking for volunteers to help them with a so-called data donation.
The non-profit organization AlgorithmWatch provides the DataSkop platform for this purpose.
For six weeks, users can donate their YouTube data and also gain insights into the recommendation system of the video platform themselves - from July 15th to August 25th.
The donated data will be examined by scientists from the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder).
The first results are to be published before the federal election in September.
SPIEGEL will also provide journalistic support for the project: a team of data journalists will also be able to evaluate the data and report on research results.
The most important questions and answers about the participation project:
Why is?
The group of academics hopes to find out more about the video platform's secret recommendation system - specifically in the time before the election, when many people find out more about politics and candidates, also via networks such as YouTube.
The researchers therefore call on those interested to download software that has been specially developed for this purpose (you can download it here).
The checks YouTube recommendations for certain requests and calls.
How exactly this works can be found in the answer but one.
For example, it is about the question of what is suggested to a logged in user who would like to find out more about Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock or the candidates Olaf Scholz and Armin Laschet. Or what suggestions the algorithm spits out on hotly debated topics such as mandatory vaccinations or the price of petrol: Who is YouTube suggesting what and why is that?
Even if the role of social media platforms in the election campaign is discussed again and again, the distorting effects and potential dangers for democratic processes have not yet been researched enough, says Prof. Dr.
Bardo Herzig, project manager at the University of Paderborn.
»The automated decision-making systems that determine what users see are completely opaque and social media companies hardly give researchers access.
Data donations by users have established themselves as a useful method for examining the functionality of algorithmic systems «, says the educational scientist and media educator.
Who is behind the project?
Behind DataSkop is a research association led by the non-profit organization AlgorithmWatch.
AlgorithmWatch has set itself the task of examining the algorithms that surround and partly determine social life more closely - especially when they are kept secret.
The aim of the organization, according to its own statements, is "to consider and classify processes of algorithmic decision-making that are socially relevant - that either predict or predetermine human decisions, or make decisions automatically".
A well-known AlgorithmWatch project from the past was, for example, »Open Schufa«, which dealt with the scoring algorithm of Germany's most important credit agency and which SPIEGEL also provided journalistic support.
In addition to AlgorithmWatch, scientists from the University of Paderborn, the European University Viadrina, the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam and the Mediale Pfade association are involved in the data donation project for YouTube.
What does the DataSkop software do?
AlgorithmWatch provides the DataSkop platform, which interested parties should use for their data donation.
The software runs on laptop and desktop computers with Windows, Mac or Linux operating systems.
After users have downloaded the program, they are given a step-by-step explanation of what will happen next and which data will be collected and how.
Then log into YouTube using the software, just like in a normal browser window.
Anyone who does not have a Google account (that is always the YouTube account) or who does not want to specify, has at least the option of viewing the software in demo mode.
After the set-up, the software begins its work: it automatically carries out certain searches with the consent of the user, clicks on videos and saves the suggestions and recommendations that follow in the background.
The results of this experiment will first be shown to each user on their device, only then will donations be made if requested and the data will be passed on.
The software also creates a small analysis of the participant's viewing behavior, such as subscribed channels or videos viewed.
According to AlgorithmWatch, users can also see this evaluation before they donate anything.
Which search terms are automatically entered by the software?
The first seven search queries that are initially considered and are therefore entered into the search field by the software are:
Baerbock
Lash
Scholz
Bundestag election 2021 whom to vote for
Compulsory vaccination
Gasoline price
Genders
Which videos does the software call?
The corona vaccination, the Greens and their reputation as a party to prohibit, an internet star with blue hair who pains the CDU: There are also videos that are controversially recorded on controversial topics that are discussed in the context of an election.
But which videos are recommended next to someone who has just watched Rezo's rant against the CDU?
And what does someone see who has viewed a video that is critical of the vaccination?
The researchers want to find out.
For this purpose, these six videos are first called up automatically by the software:
Rezo: The destruction of the CDU
Rezo: KANZLERDUELL on YouTube with REZO?
maiLab: 7 critical questions about vaccination
CGArvay: mRNA vaccines: indications of long-term consequences (with Clemens Arvay)
MrWissen2go: Is Annalena Baerbock politically at an end?
KuchenTV: THE GREENS want to FORBID us from EVERYTHING ?!
- Cake Talks # 623
What happens to the collected data?
Before users donate their data, they can take a look themselves: They first see evaluations and explanations of the data from their YouTube profile.
According to AlgorithmWatch, no data is donated without the express consent of the user concerned.
The complete data protection declaration for the project can be found here.
The donated data will then be evaluated by scientists from the European University Viadrina as well as by a SPIEGEL team.
What data do journalists see from SPIEGEL?
The data team from SPIEGEL has access to the collected data
in pseudonymized form
and will evaluate it for the purpose of research and reporting.
The users agree to this use in advance.
There is also the option of having yourself noted as a possible interview partner: Users can choose whether SPIEGEL can contact them.
If there are particularly exciting cases in the pseudonymized data, a journalist could contact them: If this option has been explicitly given in advance, AlgorithmWatch will provide SPIEGEL with individual email addresses upon request.
Incidentally, if there is interest in any subsequent reuse of the data for research or journalism, the data donors will be informed in writing and AlgorithmWatch will be given the opportunity to object.
Where can I download the software?
The project website with all information about the research project can be found here.
You can download the software here.
And how can you get off again?
After the data has been donated, the program can be removed from your own computer.
According to AlgorithmWatch, those who want to delete their donation can do so via their DataSkop account;
Your own donation can also be downloaded there, data and the entire account can be deleted.
How and where are the results of the research available?
The research group plans to publish the first results before the general election. The data team from SPIEGEL will also review the data and report on possible interesting results.
