This week has been all about the algorithmic play. I spent a lot of time playing with the Youtube recommends algorithm and trying various ways to understand and manipulate it. It would have been naïve to think that I could figure out the algorithm within two weeks. I was baffled by a lot of the recommendations but I believe that there is a reason for suggesting these videos to me. What this exercise has taught me is how complex algorithms are and that no matter how aware we are of them, they can be very powerful in influencing our behaviour. This thought was reinforced by Kitchin’s (2017) article who stresses that algorithms aren’t purely technical and objective: ‘Other knowledge about algorithms – such as their applications, effects, and circulation – is strictly out of frame’ (Seaver, 2013, pp. 1–2). As are the complex set of decision-making processes and practices, and the wider assemblage of systems of thought, finance, politics, legal codes and regulations, materialities and infrastructures, institutions, inter-personal relations, which shape their production (Kitchin, 2014).
Another topic I explored on my lifestream this week was the rise of personalised learning. I can see why people get excited about it but, as with everything to do with Big Data, people often seem to forget the ethical side.
References
Kitchin, R. (2017). Thinking critically about and researching algorithms, Information, Communication & Society, 20:1, 14-29, DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2016.1154087.
