Primary Post Discussion Questions (Part 1-answer all discussion questions thoroughly):

Ethics of Algorithms- datasets, data points, and data privacy (500 words).

  1. Listen to Open Mike Eagle’s song “Dark Comedy Morning Show.” Do you agree or disagree that a “whole ‘nother labor force” will be required to spot, see, or recognize our habits to make use of them to predict and influence our behavior, choices, and spending habits? Why or why not? Cite Tom Jokinen and Charles Duhigg in your considered response to this question regarding the labor force required to make meaningful use of large datasets.
  2. What opaque boxes has Netflix, Target, YouTube, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Procter &
  3. Gamble, Starbucks, Spotify, the University of Arizona, etc. placed you into? Offer a description of how two of the above behemoths “sees” you and what two of these companies or organizations thinks you are like. How do you feel about corporations, organizations, or even hiring managers knowing most, if not all, of your demographic information, your internet search activities, and your daily habits to then “camouflage” how much they know about you so as to not “spook” you with overly precise recommendations, attention, coupons, suggestions, newsfeeds, or advertising (Duhigg)?
  4. Describe online or other advertising or recommendations you have received that have surprised you or otherwise caused you some alarm or trepidation. Consider the father who had to call to apologize to the Target store manager because the analytics and/or data science information gathered about his daughter’s reproductive health was more prescient, in terms of what was occurring under his roof, than he was. Has the knowledge of the neighborhood shopkeeper from 100 years ago, pre-WWI, been outstripped by business intelligence in the 21st century?

Important Notes:

  • Remember that high quality academic and reflective writing is required in all of your posts, which should be spell-checked, semi-formal, and well organized. Spell-checking is an enabled D2L feature (abc V), as is editing your posts.
  • There is an emphasis on quality posts over a large quantity of posts.
  • If it is apparent, from your primary post, that you have not engaged thoroughly with the required and assigned course reading for 2.9 you will not receive full credit for your primary post. You should cite and engage with Tom Jokinen, Adrienne LaFrance, Will Oremus, and Charles Duhigg, in your primary post this week.
  • Note: you must answer all five questions (1-5) fully and should plan to write 500 words in your primary post and 100 words in each secondary post to receive full credit for this assignment.

CAVEAT: If you are concerned about accidentally losing your post due to spell-check glitches within D2L, compose within Google Docs, MS Word, or a plain text editor. Please do not attach MS Word files or PDF files to the discussion this week.