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The question is whether personal feelings were translated into algorithmic bias. The simple fact that that some employees were upset by a result doesn't necessa

The question is whether personal feelings were translated into algorithmic bias. The simple fact that that some employees were upset by a result doesn't necessarily mean they took some underhand action.

tootahe45 7y ago
"We lost" doesn't sound like some employees, sounds like org-wide political conformity. I actually think the various independent creators on Youtube played a huge part in helping Trump win. The question is whether the de-platforming has anything to do with that. The algorithm itself just lets you binge on more of what you're looking for, and a large group of those that binge Youtube the most are drawn to right-wing views.
andrenth 7y ago
Don’t we talk here all the time about how algorithms can be biased (even racist) due to programmers being biased in ways they may not even be aware of? Then we must consider the possibility of bias in this case too.
- threatofrain 7y ago
  People talk about how your data’s perspective is biased, and how algorithms can lead to cyclic effects. Or in what manner does someone exercise racial bias in their data model?
  - andrenth 7y ago
    Surely the same can happen for politics? Especially when sources of data are preemptively blacklisted?
- Angostura 7y ago
  Agreed, it's a possibility. But pictures of upset people aren't evidence that it happened.
macspoofing 7y ago
>The question is whether personal feelings were translated into algorithmic bias. Activists certainly claim that personal bias will influence algorithmic bias when it comes to gender and race. I take their point. Why should political bias be exempt from that, especially in light of the highly emotional and polarizing political climate.
candiodari 7y ago
You are assuming - wrongly - that it is even possible for that not to happen. Companies like Google (and Amazon, and FB, and any company that has any kind of search), need to constantly watch and change their search results to avoid a lot of things popping up on them, avoid them getting gamed. Because a LOT of people on the internet are looking to game their results for commercial advantage. And a lot of governments are looking for certain things to pop up in those algorithms, it's not relevant so let's not go into what exactly. So search results must be evaluated and changed - by people with personal feelings - and an internal process gets started to change the search results - by people with personal feelings, to correct things. So there is no need whatsoever for there to be anything underhanded. I hate how people reason about this. Just because there is no conspiracy things are assumed to be working well and non-politically, perfectly and neutrally enforcing the rules. Well, good luck with that.

tootahe45 7y ago

"We lost" doesn't sound like some employees, sounds like org-wide political conformity. I actually think the various independent creators on Youtube played a huge part in helping Trump win. The question is whether the de-platforming has anything to do with that. The algorithm itself just lets you binge on more of what you're looking for, and a large group of those that binge Youtube the most are drawn to right-wing views.

andrenth 7y ago

Don’t we talk here all the time about how algorithms can be biased (even racist) due to programmers being biased in ways they may not even be aware of? Then we must consider the possibility of bias in this case too.

threatofrain 7y ago
People talk about how your data’s perspective is biased, and how algorithms can lead to cyclic effects. Or in what manner does someone exercise racial bias in their data model?
- andrenth 7y ago
  Surely the same can happen for politics? Especially when sources of data are preemptively blacklisted?
Angostura 7y ago
Agreed, it's a possibility. But pictures of upset people aren't evidence that it happened.

macspoofing 7y ago

>The question is whether personal feelings were translated into algorithmic bias. Activists certainly claim that personal bias will influence algorithmic bias when it comes to gender and race. I take their point. Why should political bias be exempt from that, especially in light of the highly emotional and polarizing political climate.

candiodari 7y ago

You are assuming - wrongly - that it is even possible for that not to happen. Companies like Google (and Amazon, and FB, and any company that has any kind of search), need to constantly watch and change their search results to avoid a lot of things popping up on them, avoid them getting gamed. Because a LOT of people on the internet are looking to game their results for commercial advantage. And a lot of governments are looking for certain things to pop up in those algorithms, it's not relevant so let's not go into what exactly. So search results must be evaluated and changed - by people with personal feelings - and an internal process gets started to change the search results - by people with personal feelings, to correct things. So there is no need whatsoever for there to be anything underhanded. I hate how people reason about this. Just because there is no conspiracy things are assumed to be working well and non-politically, perfectly and neutrally enforcing the rules. Well, good luck with that.