People do have the right to object to significant decisions being made about them without any human involvement. Specifically, under data protection laws such as the GDPR and related regulations in places like the UK, Jersey, and the European Union, individuals have these rights:
- They have the right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing, including profiling, if such decisions produce legal effects concerning them or similarly significantly affect them.
- They are entitled to an explanation of the reasons behind decisions made solely by automated processing.
- They can object to profiling and automated decisions, especially when these impact legal rights, economic status, health, or other important personal interests.
- Organizations must provide the opportunity for human intervention in such decisions and allow individuals to challenge them.
- Exceptions exist where automated decisions are necessary for contracts, authorized by law, or made with explicit consent.
These rules ensure that potentially damaging decisions are not made without a human being able to review and challenge the outcomes, safeguarding individuals' rights to fair treatment and transparency.