Impact of Algorithms on Social Media Users
What's an algorithm ? Should we be worried?
An algorithm (in this context) is a set of instructions that the computer uses to collect information about a user, and to make judgments about the user's beliefs and interests, often for the purpose of advertising. Whether you think. You and the algorithm: It takes two to tango outlines many of the issues, usually with Facebook as an example, focusing especially on the interactive nature of the algorithm and how you can ' train' the algorithms to serve you better.
Key concepts in this area include:
Key concepts in this area include:
- data mining
- artificial intelligence
- fog computing
Inclusivity in Social Media
For people with with marginalised identities (eg People Of Colour, differently-abled people and LGBTIQA+ people) or unusual interests (eg roller derby, quiddich, family history or creating historical costumes), the internet is a wonderful way to connect with people who have similar experiences or interests. However,
- This article describes the way in which social media (esp TikTok) can save lives!
Algorithmic Exclusion
Algorithmic exclusion is the process whereby technological algorithms are created to construct users of identity and to suggest content for users, but because the artificial intelligence is not constructed to deal with the complexity of human identities, actually ends up creating platforms that exclude users' . This is especially the case for marginalised identities such as People Of Colour, differently-abled people and LGBTIQA+ people, who seek safe spaces online.
- For You, or For"You"?: Everyday LGBTQ+ Encounters with TikTok discusses research into the way marginalised identities navigate algorithmic exclusion, examining the way the exclusion is created as well as ways that people respond to these situations. In this speech about the project, she discusses the case of Daisy, a bisexual black American's use of TikTok - the algorithm picked up on her LGBTQIA+ identitiy but kept bringing up racist posts based on the conservative White university she attended.