The Algorithmic Law of Business and Human Rights : Constructing a Private Transnational Law of Ratings, Social Credit, and Accountability Measures

This paper examines the rise of algorithmic systems—that is systems of data driven governance (and social credit type) systems in the context of business and human rights and its ramifications (especially its challenges) for law. Section 1 sketches the context within which it is possible to frame concepts of algorithmic law. Algorithmic law is centered at the nexus point of a number of critical trends. Section 2 explores the premise that ratings based governance systems can be created in a lucid and coherent way. Section 3 then examines the way that these theoretical possibilities begin to emerge in the West. Section 4 then briefly considers ramifications for liberal democratic orders and the constitution of law. Among the more relevant are those tied to issues of privacy, of the integrity of data, and on transparency. The context centers on the examination of the landscape of such algorithmic private legal systems as it has developed to date by considering the extent to which a rating or algorithmic system has been emerging around recent national efforts to combat human trafficking through so-called Modern Slavery and Supply Chain Due Diligence legal regime and international norms.Type of paper: ConceptualMain Contribution to Literature: (1) AI, democracy, development, and the rule of law; (2) Algorithmic decision systems.Key Methodological Considerations: comparison based research drawing inferences from a review of current practice in light of conceptual framework developed