Around thirty associations demand the end of CAF’s “scoring algorithms”

The family allowance fund is not out of trouble. After accusations of discrimination against certain beneficiaries last Novemberthe practices of CIF are now the subject of an open letter addressed to the Prime Minister.

Denouncing “lawless situations» as well as the “institutional abuse», the open letter addressed to Prime Minister Gabriel Attal does not mince its words. Signed by around thirty associations, including Emmaüs France, La Quadrature du Net, the Human Rights League and the Abbé Pierre Foundation, this letter demands changes from the Prime Minister in relation to recent revelations concerning the National Allocations Fund Family.

“Drifts linked to dematerialization”

At the end of last year, La Quadrature du Net and the newspaper Le Monde lifted the veil on “a particularly pernicious mass surveillance system» put in place by the various CAFs to better target controls in the event of suspicion of fraud. Problem, this algorithm would be biased and particularly quick to pin “people in precarious situations», particularly single mothers or people receiving the Disabled Adult Allowance (AAH).

If the CAF has since defended itself by explaining that this algorithm was used to “classify files» rather than monitoring the beneficiaries, the critics have not remained silent. In this open letter published on February 6, the associations further denounce the use of a “discriminatory control targeting algorithm» and point to “abuses linked to dematerialization“. Among these problems, the signatories point out “the absence of sufficient physical contacts in CAF receptions” And “a dehumanization of relationships.»

A “scoring” algorithm contrary to the GDPR

To put an end to this situation, La Quadrature du Net, Emmaüs and all the others therefore ask that “scoring algorithms» are put in the closet and that a “independent legality check» be put in place to verify that the IT tools used by departmental bodies comply with the Code of Relations between the Public and the Administration.

The GDPR is also cited, accompanied by the “SCHUFA” judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union which establishes, on the altar of European data protection law, a ban on “automated individual decisions” who wear “a decisive role in the granting of credits“.

The signatories also call for an end to “automatic rights suspensions» and defend access “to a physical contact in case of difficulties“. In short, a dematerialization that does not come at the expense of humans.

Source : collective Change Course