Mathematician Cathy O'Neil examines the role that algorithms play in society and finds many of them dangerous and destructive. Mainly because of a "negative feedback loop," these programs reinforce their own biases and create a death spiral for people, mainly poor, trying to get a job, credit, or get into college. The diagnosis is convincing; the epilogue in which solutions are offered seems, unfortunately, wildly unrealistic. Greed and self-interest are far too firmly entrenched, as witness the recent revelations by the Facebook whistleblower.
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