this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2023
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You can't design a neutral algorithm. The algorithm has to be designed to optimize something. What that thing is is a political and philosophical decision. Government by algorithm is indirect government by whoever's values shaped the design of the algorithm.
Algorithms can no doubt assist in regulating systems but they don't resolve any of the deeper political issues about values, goals and what constitutes improvement.
Of course, tech bros will claim they can sell you a neutral algorithm that will run things better than people, but that's just because tech bros' political philosophy is basically "just do it my way because obviously I'm smarter than you." They won't even notice how their algorithms are biased, because they're not even interested in that question.
Yeah I might have oversimplified about ten steps there.
It's an iterative process.
Tech bros 4 life.