2021
Bachelor Thesis, Website

Since 2018, Austria has been planning to introduce an algorithm that divides job seekers into three groups with low, medium and high chances of integration into the job-market, according to their socio-demographic characteristics. Linked to this are various resources and supports provided by the Public Employment Service Austria (AMS). For the classification, AMAS uses predictive models and previously collected data by the AMS. Because AMAS uses data from the past to make predictions about the future, AMAS contains the potential to reproduce current discrimination. For example: Among others, women, people with disabilities, non-EU citizens and people over 50 get lower prediction scores.

The Discrimination Barometer is an attempt to transform the AMS-Algorithm from a predictive model into a tool for visualizing discrimination. Since knowledge production always takes place, but at the same time has to be negotiated, the aim of the project is to advance literacy, so that people can negotiate knowledge of job market discrimination. Like Crenshaw said, „If we can’t see a problem, we can’t fix a problem.“ The Discrimination Barometer offers the possibility to test the algorithm, gives an insight into the different variables and values behind it and contextualizes the structural discrimination which is contained by the algorithm.