Towards transparency of automated decisions

Civio has achieved a landmark legal victory that paves the way for transparency in automated decision-making processes. These decisions, made by computer programmes and algorithms, directly affect our lives, from determining who receives public assistance to allocating essential resources.

The Supreme Court upheld our appeal in the BOSCO case — the programme that determines eligibility for the social electricity subsidy. This sets a key precedent f<or citizens’ access to the inner workings of automated systems used by public administrations.

Public algorithms determine rights and resources that affect us all. Without transparency, we cannot audit their operation, identify errors or prevent arbitrariness and abuse. In 2019, we revealed that BOSCO contained significant errors that prevented eligible individuals from receiving aid. After six years of legal battles with the public administration, the Supreme Court’s ruling grants us access to the complete code, enabling us to determine whether there are any further errors.

The BOSCO case is not just about a programme; it is about the model of public management that we want: one that is open to scrutiny, or a black box that conceals decisions affecting us on a daily basis.