Episode 25: Algorithm Literacy

Episode 25 of the Think It Through: the Clearer Thinking Podcast podcast, hosted by April Hebert, titled "Episode 25: Algorithm Literacy" was published on May 17, 2022 and runs 21 minutes.

May 17, 2022 ·21m · Think It Through: the Clearer Thinking Podcast

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Summary

Send a text Yes, she's back!!! In this episode, April discusses "algorithm literacy" as a critical part of overall media literacy. It's important to understand that algorithms, while they are a necessary and useful part of the online universe, also play a big role in online polarization and the normalization of extreme viewpoints. The more you know about them, the more effectively you can control what you see online. Episode 25 Show Notes: Here's the article discussing the resu...

Episode Description

Send a text

Yes, she's back!!! In this episode, April discusses "algorithm literacy" as a critical part of overall media literacy. It's important to understand that algorithms, while they are a necessary and useful part of the online universe, also play a big role in online polarization and the normalization of extreme viewpoints. The more you know about them, the more effectively you can control what you see online.

Episode 25 Show Notes:

Here's the article discussing the results of the study by Project Information Literacy:
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-01-16-report-colleges-must-teach-algorithm-literacy-to-help-students-navigate-internet

Pew Research Center's discussion of the need for algorithm literacy:
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2017/02/08/theme-7-the-need-grows-for-algorithmic-literacy-transparency-and-oversight/

The Algorithm and Data Literacy Project, a great source for kids to learn about algorithms (you'll find the YouTube video I mentioned in the podcast here):
https://algorithmliteracy.org/

A LibGuides page from the University of Singapore's website on the topic of algorithm literacy:
https://libguides.nus.edu.sg/digitalliteracy/algorithm

Paper by Harvard professors Cetina Presuel and Martinez Sierra on the problems caused by social media platforms' reluctance to see themselves as news publishers and distributors:
http://www.scielo.org.pe/pdf/rcudep/v18n2/2227-1465-rcudep-18-02-261.pdf

PBS Nova investigates the spread of radical extremism on social media through algorithms:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/radical-ideas-social-media-algorithms/

Troubling information about the ways that Russian troll farms used Facebook algorithms to spread disinformation before the 2020 election:
https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/09/16/1035851/facebook-troll-farms-report-us-2020-election/

Financial Times op-ed advocating for more accountability of social media algorithms:
https://www.ft.com/content/39d69f80-5266-4e22-965f-efbc19d2e776

Some helpful articles with tips and tricks about how individuals can limit the influence of algorithms:
From Mashable: https://mashable.com/article/how-to-avoid-algorithms-facebook-youtube-twitter-instagram
From LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-reduce-effect-algorithms-your-behavior-worldview-guide-mikko/
From BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-38769996