Your Algorithm Hates You

What can we do about algorithmic bias? If you're a software developer or data scientist, IBM Research has an open source toolkit that helps you check bias in your data models. But it's not just technologists who can do something about algorithmic bias. You can start reclaiming digital space by exploring your choice in technology services. For example, by using search engines like DuckDuckGo, because unlike the voracious data vampire that is Google, it doesn't store your personal information to then use for targeted ads. You can also petition and lobby your government to adopt a governance framework for algorithmic accountability and transparency policy where "Algorithmic literacy" is introduced into curricular, and standardised notifications (to communicate type and degree of algorithmic processing in decisions) are made a requirement. Ultimately, we need to ask more of ourselves and tech companies. It's not enough to just employ critical thinking – we also need to employ civic thinking in how we build and use these technologies. This article first appeared in The Daily Maverick.