Algorithm ethics

When individual choice inhibits choice:Algorithm Ethics

Joerg Blumtritt@jbenno

Social Media Week Berlin, 2013

This algorithm does not contain a value judgment

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def eratosthenes(n):multiples = []for i in xrange(2, n+1):

if i not in multiples:print ifor j in xrange(i*i, n+1, i):

multiples.append(j)

... the algorithm behind this map does!

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"Urteilskraft überhaupt ist das Vermögen, das Besondere als enthalten unter dem Allgemeinen zu denken."

(Judgment of all is the ability to think the particular as contained under the universal.)

Kant, Kritik der Urteilskraft

The rise and fall of"Werturteil" / "Value Judgment"

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You don't see it, but medical imaging technolgy heavily relies on value jugements. The bad thing: most of it

comes as a black box.

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The classification algorithm you chose effects your results. There is no true of false. Just the costs of

missclassification.

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We have to make a decision for:

- the method- which algorithm?

- boundary conditions- which parameters?

- dealing with errors- which risk funktion?

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Property P object does not carry P object carries P

P was not observed TRUE false negative

P was observed false positive TRUE

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Mistakes like a bounced check or a small overdraft have effectively blacklisted more than a million low-income Americans from the mainstream financial system for as long as seven years as a result of little-known private databases that are used by the nation’s major banks.

Algorithmic filter bubble: personalized search decides what's relevant on your behalf.

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Targeted Advertising

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Digital Dualism: there is nothing virtual about data.

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Technology like our smartphones are like a telescope that makes the data floating around us visible.So we have our world augmented rather than virtualized.

Cyborg Rights

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Becoming cyborgs.

Developers:• keep as many options open as possible• give others a chance in changing the pre-sets

Educational systems:• teach people to hack, to become curious about

seeing behind things.

Legislative bodies:• make hacking things legal. Only what gets

hacked, gets tested.

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Let us have sovereignty overthe things we have to deal with,

let us shape our surroundings according to our ethics.

Joerg Blumtritt@jbenno

Datarella GmbHOskar-von-Miller-Ring 36

80333 München

089/44 23 69 99info@datarella.com