Algorithms and Society

1 Unit · Undergraduate

Computing technologies play a role in an increasing percentage in our lives. They help to define the information we consume, the jobs that are available to us, and even our romantic partners. While these technologies bring us many benefits ? more appealing information, better jobs ? an increasing body of research suggests that they may also have critical negative side-effects or externalities. These externalities may be serious: some have attributed recent election outcomes and future massive-scale job loss to computing technologies (at least in part), even suggesting that we need a new ?societal business model? [1]. In this course, we will first review and discuss this body of research. We will then shift towards developing potential solutions to these problems. Ultimately, my hope is that students who take this course will be better equipped to build technologies that are more likely to have a net positive effect on society.