Algorithmic Sabotage Research Group (asrg)

The ASRG employs a range of methodologies and tools, including:

: The group has collaborated with major institutions like the Serpentine Gallery to investigate technology’s role in social transformation. algorithmic sabotage research group (asrg)

For decades, the prevailing narrative of artificial intelligence has been one of optimization. From supply chain logistics to social media feeds, the goal of algorithmic design has been to streamline, predict, and maximize efficiency. However, as these systems become the invisible infrastructure of daily life, a counter-narrative is emerging. It suggests that efficiency is not always a virtue and that systems designed for perfect prediction require a disruptive counter-force. This is the intellectual territory of the . The ASRG employs a range of methodologies and

This involves making data unusable or misleading for algorithmic scrapers. One of the group’s most cited projects involved the development of a browser extension that runs silently in the background, clicking random ads and visiting unrelated websites. This "chaff" data creates a chaotic digital footprint, making it impossible for data brokers to construct an accurate consumer profile. It is sabotage through the injection of noise, turning the panopticon into a hall of mirrors. This involves making data unusable or misleading for

By advancing the field of algorithmic sabotage research, the ASRG aims to create a safer, more secure, and more trustworthy digital landscape for all.

At the core of the ASRG’s philosophy is the reclamation of the word "sabotage." Historically associated with workplace disobedience (literally throwing wooden shoes, or sabots , into machinery to stop production), the group redefines the term for the digital age. To the ASRG, sabotage is not merely destruction; it is a form of critique.