We must give more thought to how algorithms affect us

EVERY day, algorithms make decisions that affect your life, whether it is social media firms determining the news you read or mapping apps choosing the route you will take. We are vaguely aware of this, but few people give it much thought. It is time that changed. As machine learning advances, we are conceding more control to the algorithms, with potentially dire consequences. This is a particular problem in the public sector, where cash-strapped authorities are turning to algorithms they don't fully understand in an effort to cut costs.