Previously we have written about the problematic relationship between algorithms and law enforcement, specifically what happens when algorithms are supposed to predict crime in advance of it happening (precrime). Today we will briefly mention another case of racism in algorithms by going over a recent… Read More »Racism and Algorithms: Part 2
Yesterday Open Democracy held a live discussion on the broad topic of whether algorithms can be fair. This was in the context of the A-level results fiasco which you can read more about here. The discussion was highly informative and got into many of the… Read More »Computer says no: can algorithms be fair?
Algorithms are seductive because they implicitly suggest that their results are free from human judgement or bias. In our project we believe that these assumptions must be challenged. Algorithms are a remarkable piece of technology, but they have the power to do great harm if… Read More »The Ethics of Algorithms: Classism
Good morning all, today our project has reached another milestone by sending another deliverable to the EU. As Hecat intends to build a more ethical algorithm, it is essential that we understand and critique what already exists. This report exists to inform us of the… Read More »New Deliverable: Report on Commonly Used Algorithms and their Performance
This has been a very productive week for the HECAT project, with several important deadlines hit. We wanted to take a moment and update all of you. We would like to thank our partners in Sciences Po (France) for submitting their deliverable on the User… Read More »This Week in HECAT
One of HECAT’s core guiding principles is our commitment to developing an algorithm that is ethical and that has no strings attached. We intend for use of our algorithm to be entirely voluntary, and there are many cautionary tales in the world of data science… Read More »MiDAS: A Cautionary Tale
This article was originally written by Aisling Tuite in 2017 to discuss and reflect on PEX algorithms, in light of research funding acquired at that time. While HECAT has changed somewhat, the essential points of this article still accurately describe our approach and thinking with… Read More »What is the PEX algorithm and why is it important to study it?
The Hecat research project was officially launched last month, March 3rd and 4th at the Finnstown Castle Hotel. Hecat is funded under the Horizon 2020 research framework, a research initiative focused on enhancing innovation and fostering interdisciplinarity upon the foundation of European Values. The goal… Read More »HECAT Kickoff Meeting