The Algorithmic Sabotage Research Group (ASRG) is an ongoing, aesthetico-political research framework that explores the intersection of digital culture and information technology. Describing itself as "conspiratorial," the group advocates for "techno-disobedience" against what it calls the "algorithmic empire"—systems of control that reinforce structural injustice and profit-driven optimization. 🛠️ Radical Techno-Politics: The ASRG Manifesto
Because at the bottom of the message, in a smaller, almost polite font, was a final line: algorithmic sabotage research group %28asrg%29
"To identify, formalize, and deploy non-destructive counter-mechanisms against flawlessly executing malicious algorithms." The Algorithmic Sabotage Research Group (ASRG) is an
Consider the classic "loyalty penalty" algorithms used by insurance or telecom companies. While regulators call these "price optimization," the ASRG calls them a form of soft sabotage—systems designed to gradually increase friction for loyal users without triggering explicit fraud alerts. Traditional audits miss this because the code works perfectly; it is the intent that is broken. The ASRG was created to build the forensic tools and legal frameworks to prove that intent. While regulators call these "price optimization," the ASRG
Most AI systems are trained on historical data. The ASRG's first pillar asks: What if the future does not look like the past? PPDI involves pre-positioning "sleeper" data points into public datasets that lie dormant until triggered by a specific real-world condition.
Official Manifesto: The Manifesto on Algorithmic Sabotage outlines their foundational principles.