The ethics of scientific recommender systems

Abstract

Scientific recommender systems have become increasingly popular as a tool to overcome information overload, allowing researchers to access fresh and relevant content. However, this article presents an analysis of the most pressing ethical challenges posed by recommender systems in the context of scientific research. In particular, it is argued that scientific recommender systems may risk isolating scholars in information bubbles and insulating them from exposure to different viewpoints. Further, they also risk suffering from popularity biases which may lead to a winner-takes-all scenario and reinforce discrepancies in recognition received by eminent scientists and unknown researchers. The article concludes with recommendations for scientists, journals, and digital libraries to facilitate progress in the study of the ethics of scientific recommender systems.