Tag: Pocket

Doubts About Data-Driven Schools

AI, Articles, Block 3: Algorithmic Cultures, Education

As we all know, the collection of data on students has become commonplace, from grades, state test resumescores, attendance, behavior, lateness, to graduation rates. Each year however, this information becomes ever more detailed with more and more data points being collected per student.

Educational transcripts, unlike credit reports or juvenile court records, are currently considered fair game for gatekeepers like colleges and employers. These records, though, are getting much more detailed, and how will this influence a student’s ability to gain access to these institutions in later years?

Article Complet : https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/06/03/480029234/5-doubts-about-data-driven-schools
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New York City Moves to Create Accountability for Algorithms — ProPublica

AI, Articles, Block 3: Algorithmic Cultures, machine learning, Pocket

This article discusses the development of an ‘accountability bill’ in the US, which aims to punish different races of peoplecompany algorithms that appear to discriminate against people based on age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or citizenship status.

Whilst it would be a good law in theory, in reality, it would be very hard to implement. Algorithmic systems are so difficult to break down, designed to be increasingly complex, gathering millions of data points and  “woven together with hundreds of other algorithms to create algorithmic systems” (Williamson 2017). Added to that,companies are very secretive about how their models work and what type of parameters make up the design of the algorithms, so that “the rules generated by (algorithms) are compressed and hidden”  (Williamson 2017). Discrimination would be very hard to prove as being deliberate in these cases, but hopefully it will encourage scientifically sound data builds, validated in appropriate ways, and to eventually make them more transparent to the public.

Article Complet : https://www.propublica.org/article/new-york-city-moves-to-create-accountability-for-algorithms
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Williamson, B. 2017. Introduction: Learning machines, digital data and the future of education (chapter 1). In Big Data and Education: the digital future of learning, policy, and practice

Instagram explains how it uses AI to choose content for your Explore tab

AI, Articles, Block 3: Algorithmic Cultures, machine learning

Not a huge amount of detail was handed over by Instagram in the writing of this article, but I did glean one thing;

Instagram identifies accounts that are similar to one another by adapting a common machine learning method known as “word embedding.” Word embedding systems study the order in which words appear in text to measure how related they are. Instagram uses a similar process to determine how related any two accounts are to one another. If it thinks this is similar to an account you’ve already liked, they’ll recommend it to you.

There are no details on what signals are used to identify spam or misinformation. The algorthim details are not revealed. So whilst algorithms are playing an increasingly important role in producing content and mediating the relationships between us and other internet products, precisely how they do that is not made clear to us,

“Such conclusions have led a number of commentators to argue that we are now entering an era of widespread algorithmic governance, wherein algorithms will play an ever-increasing role in the exercise of power, a means through which to automate the disciplining and controlling of societies and to increase the efficiency of capital accumulation.” Kitchin 2017

 

Article Complet : https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/25/20977734/instagram-ai-algorithm-explore-tab-machine-learning-method
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Reference
Kitchin, R. (2017) Thinking critically about and researching algorithms, Information, Communication & Society, 20:1, 14-29, DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2016.1154087

Instagram will be better about showing you new pictures first

AI, Articles, Block 3: Algorithmic Cultures, machine learning

Instagram used to sort posts in a simple reverse order chronologically- where the most recent were

at the top. Then they changed the algorithm to sort posts with family and friends first. This annoyed a lot of users who found that a family post from a week ago took priority over a post from 30 mins ago.

I wonder if the algorithm was picking up on the increased amount of user clicks and scrolls as the frustrated users moved around their feed trying to ensure that they were ‘all caught up’ on latest feeds? Despite user complaints, Instagram have not changed it back, and maybe it’s because the new algorithm forces users to stay on the app for longer.

It ranks three main factors when creating users’ feeds: interest, recency, and relationship. Interest is how much Instagram thinks you’ll care about a post, with the most important obviously coming to the top. Recency just means Instagram prioritizes newer posts, and your relationship to the poster is of course also considered.

Article Complet : https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/22/17151976/instagram-chronological-new-photos-algorithm-feed-new-post-button-update
via Pocket