Code-Dependent: Pros and Cons of the Algorithm Age

Another interesting report from Pew. "Pew Research Center and Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center conducted a large-scale canvassing of technology experts, scholars, corporate practitioners and government leaders. Some 1,302 responded to this question about what will happen in the next decade: Will the net overall effect of algorithms be positive for individuals and society or negative for individuals and society?
The non-scientific canvassing found that 38% of these particular respondents predicted that the positive impacts of algorithms will outweigh negatives for individuals and society in general, while 37% said negatives will outweigh positives; 25% said the overall impact of algorithms will be about 50-50, positive-negative." As they stress in the quote, this isn't a robust piece of research, but nevertheless it uncovers an interesting range of views. In amongst them is a call for "Algorithmic literacy"



Rainie, L. and Anderson, J. (2017, February 8). Code-Dependent: Pros and Cons of the Algorithm Age. Pew Research Center. http://www.pewinternet.org/2017/02/08/code-dependent-pros-and-cons-of-the-algorithm-age/
The list of themes is embedded from http://www.pewinternet.org/2017/02/08/code-dependent-pros-and-cons-of-the-algorithm-age/pi_2017-02-08_algorithms_0-01/