Australia's RoboDebt scandal shows risk of rule by algorithms

Seb StarcevicPublished: December 15, 2022

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Tourists take photos and walk near an Australian federal police officer carrying a gun while patrolling the forecourt of Australia's Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, October 16, 2017. REUTERS/David Gray

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The Australian RoboDebt program, whose algorithms incorrectly calculated overpayments to 400,000 benefit recipients, is under investigation

• Around 400,000 benefit recipients wrongly accused by algorithm
• Many countries automate the social security system to reduce costs and fraud
• AI care systems need human intervention, experts say
• Experts say some government algorithms are racist

MELBOURNE — When Australian welfare organization Nathan Kearney emailed to say he owed thousands of dollars, the musician knew something was wrong. But no matter how he tried, Kearney couldn't reach anyone in the government to right the terrible injustice zetten.Dat was the start of a five-year ordeal in 2016. First, a whole series of intimidating calls from debt collectors. Subsequently, his tax credit was withheld to pay arrears of approximately A$2,000 ($1,400) that he owed the government. One year after the first confession of guilt, he received a new one, telling him that he owed approximately A$4,000 ($2,700).” It was just beyond my comprehension how they could ask me for that money,” says Kearney, 33, who had to leave his shared home in Brisbane and move back to his parents' house, hundreds of miles away. ' It was the only way I could imagine being able to make it financially,” said Kearney, whose debts grew even higher after buying countless therapy sessions to get through an ordeal that had made him “really depressed.” It took me five years to get back on my feet,” he told Context. Kearney is one of around 400,000 benefit recipients in Australia who were falsely accused of misreporting their income to the welfare agency, and who were subsequently fined.