The Accountability Paradox: How Platform API Restrictions Undermine AI Transparency Mandates

The article discusses the implications of API restrictions imposed by major social media platforms, which hinder compliance with the EU Digital Services Act aimed at ensuring algorithmic transparency. It introduces a structured audit framework to evaluate discrepancies between regulatory mandates and actual platform practices, highlighting "audit blind-spots" in content moderation and algorithmic processes on platforms like X/Twitter, Reddit, TikTok, and Meta. The findings illustrate an "accountability paradox" where increased AI reliance limits independent oversight, prompting recommendations for policy interventions that align with the AI Risk Management Framework to enhance transparency and regulatory enforcement.