Big data and algorithms are everywhere, but how much do they really affect everyday life, and in what ways? These are the main questions under discussion in All Hail the Algorithm, a five-part video series published by Al Jazeera in July 2019. Presented and produced by multimedia journalist Ali Rae, this series examines and critiques the effects of algorithms and the tech companies who create them. Each episode is between 15 and 20 minutes in length and focuses on a particular aspect of algorithmic influence, with the first episode concentrating on algorithms' trustworthiness. Subsequent episodes explore the power of Big Tech in developing countries, the role that algorithms play in online manipulation, privacy concerns around biometric technology, and how design influences users' compliance with data harvesting and how long they spend online providing data. As part of these explorations, Rae speaks with numerous experts around the world, such as Nanjira Sambuli, a researcher and digital rights advocate based in Kenya, and Samantha Bradshaw, a doctoral candidate at the Oxford Internet Institute in the UK. Those interested can watch the entire All Hail the Algorithm series at the link above.
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