The tyranny of algorithms by Kaiser Fung.
This WSJ book review on “The Tyranny of Algorithms” (link) is well worth reading for those interested in how computer algorithms are used in business and government. I agree with most of what this author has to say.
You need to read Kaiser’s comment on the review before proceeding….
Back?
I am not altogether sure that algorithms are the problem the book and/or review make they out to be.
No doubt the concerns and problems described are real, but they don’t exist because of algorithms.
Rather they exist because we are basically lazy and accept the result of algorithms, just like we accept the judgements of others, advertising, etc.
Were we to question algorithms, judgements of others, advertising, we might be living in a very different world.
But we don’t, so we’re not.
So the question is, how to live with algorithms knowing we are too lazy to question them. Yes?
Are these shadows/echoes of Thinking, Fast and Slow?
Interestingly, before I saw Morozov’s review, I saw his Twitter commentary on his commenters:
https://twitter.com/evgenymorozov/status/248866188191490048
It’s evident in this tweet that Morozov holds the point of view that Fung says is missing from the piece. I’d speculate that Morozov thinks it’s obvious that algorithms may be biased or broken and wasn’t worth stating explicitly. I would further speculate that Morozov fell victim to false consensus and assumed that because it’s obvious to him, it’s obvious to everyone. Which would be why his commenters proceeded to frighten him. But again, I am just speculating here.
But it does paint a grim picture: not only are people too lazy to question algorithms, many aren’t even aware that they *should* question them, and those who are aware that algorithms should be questioned apparently assume everyone already knows that.
How do we live with algorithms, indeed.
Comment by marijane — September 24, 2012 @ 5:08 pm