AI Forensics vs. BigTech: "We can have retaliation against us"

The European Commission is increasingly relying on non-governmental organizations like AI Forensics to enforce its landmark digital regulations. This reliance stems from the specialized expertise and unconventional methods these groups employ to analyze complex algorithmic systems, which often fall outside the core capabilities of regulatory bodies. AI Forensics, a Paris-based NGO, plays a crucial role in investigating platforms and informing policy development. AI Forensics focuses on scrutinizing social media recommender systems and emerging chatbot technologies, which significantly shape online information consumption. Their data-driven investigations often involve "adversarial methods" to scrape publicly available content, enabling them to analyze platform behavior under various conditions and for different user groups. This approach provides essential evidence for regulators, particularly in enforcing the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA is highlighted as a pivotal piece of legislation due to its European-wide scope and its broad approach to systemic risks, encompassing issues like electoral integrity and mental health. While the DSA is a primary focus, AI Forensics also contributes to addressing other critical areas, such as the dissemination of non-consensual intimate imagery. This work underscores the vital, behind-the-scenes support that civil society organizations provide in navigating the complex landscape of digital policy enforcement.