Algorithms Might Be Everywhere, But Like Us, They're Deeply Flawed

Dating app Tinder relies on algorithms to decide which photos users see. As algorithms become entrenched into society, the debate about their effects rages on. In essence, algorithms are sequences of instructions used to solve problems and perform functions in computer programming. As mathematical expressions, algorithms existed long before modern computers. While they vary in application, all algorithms have three things in common: clearly-defined beginning and ending points, discrete sets of "steps," and design meant to address a specific type of problem.