I wrote a piece for The Conversation, “It’s time to shine a light on the unseen algorithms that power ‘Big Brother’”. I try to make the point that we as citizens know very little about the algorithms that power the security services (not to mention all sorts of other things too). Which is troubling as there is a great potential for them to discriminate, or plane get things wrong. This is both potentially damaging to us, but it also makes them less useful. I also draw a comparison between these analytical algorithms and cryptographic algorithms, which are often deliberately opened up to ensure there strength. Analytical algorithms that have the power to refuse someone entry to a country, or potentially assist with putting someone behind bars, should also be open.
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