Problem

The O'Neil reading, Weapons of Math Destruction, poses the question of how algorithms may have biases built into them. The idea is that the veneer of objectivity is there, but beneath the surface, models can be 1) opaque, 2) unfair, and 3) scale rapidly, with potentially enormous consequences. Describe an example of an algorithm that affects you in your daily life, and rate it on these 3 dimensions. What are the lessons you draw from this example, and how will it affect how you approach algorithms in the future?

Return to this forum and review the posts from others. What lessons do you draw from the examples others have posted? How might you approach skepticism about or disagreement with what analytics tells you? How can you communicate about analytics to help drive business decisions?

This discussion will be evaluated based on your ability to evaluate an algorithm against the 3 dimensions O'Neil outlines, to assess the consequences, and to build on the thoughts and comments from others in your group.