What we see on our social media is based on formulas or “algorithms.” Concern about how this occurs through data mining and manipulation is not new, but, until recently, it was mostly a consideration at a personal level. However, we are learning that the same algorithms that feed you ads for products you like to buy also feed you news that is shaped to you – you receive fewer divergent ideas and information. Add to that the proliferation of false information, and the result is a nation divided not only in opinion, but also in the information used to form those opinions. How can we find common ground if we don’t have common facts? How do we overcome divisions that have been created subconsciously? Can we create a new “algorithm” for real-life interactions to combat the online mechanisms that we cannot control?
Organizing team
