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3/ Instead of the word #algorithm, we should use descriptive language. For example, the Dutch government had to resign over something called the child care benefits scandal. The scandal was in part about the government's use of “algorithms”.

People often ask me about them. I just talk about the faulty fraud detection system that was used.

We can have a conversation about whether we want a fraud detection system. And if so, how it should function. But we can't discuss “algorithms” like that.

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3/ Instead of the word #algorithm, we should use descriptive language. For example, the Dutch government had to resign over something called the child care benefits scandal. The scandal was in part about the government's use of “algorithms”.

People often ask me about them. I just talk about the faulty fraud detection system that was used.

We can have a conversation about whether we want a fraud detection system. And if so, how it should function. But we can't discuss “algorithms” like that.

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2/ Let's start with the word #algorithm. The way this word is being used nowadays is terribly unhelpful. If you ask members of the general public what an algorithm is, they either blank out or say something like 'that's what Google uses'.

Almost by definition: people can't come to terms with things they don't understand. So we shouldn't use terms they don't understand.

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2/ Let's start with the word #algorithm. The way this word is being used nowadays is terribly unhelpful. If you ask members of the general public what an algorithm is, they either blank out or say something like 'that's what Google uses'.

Almost by definition: people can't come to terms with things they don't understand. So we shouldn't use terms they don't understand.

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1/ Hear me out if you're working on #AI/#ML, especially on the ethics of it all. As you know, there is an urgent need to demistify this subject. This also requires *us* to communicate in a different way.

I have two suggestions to that end. I'll give the why in this thread:
1. Stop using the word #algorithm, and start using descriptive language.
2. Stop using the term 'artificial intelligence'. I propose 'assistive computation' instead.

#AssistiveComputation #MachineLearning #Communication

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1/ Hear me out if you're working on #AI/#ML, especially on the ethics of it all. As you know, there is an urgent need to demistify this subject. This also requires *us* to communicate in a different way.

I have two suggestions to that end. I'll give the why in this thread:
1. Stop using the word #algorithm, and start using descriptive language.
2. Stop using the term 'artificial intelligence'. I propose 'assistive computation' instead.

#AssistiveComputation #MachineLearning #Communication

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“Politici en opiniemakers kwamen tot voor kort niet veel verder dan het nutteloze voorstel om haat op sociale media tegen te gaan door anonieme accounts te verbieden. Gelukkig komen steeds meer mensen in aanraking met ideeën die sociaal gedrag op sociale media wel stimuleren, nu ze wegvluchten van Musks Twitter en Mastodon uitproberen.”

Mijn #column vandaag in @Trouw gaat over #Twitter, #Mastodon en aanbevelingssystemen ('algoritmes') op sociale media.

https://www. trouw.nl/opinie/we-kunnen-heel-goed-zonder-het-algoritme-systeem-van-twitter~ba2f4bced/

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“Politici en opiniemakers kwamen tot voor kort niet veel verder dan het nutteloze voorstel om haat op sociale media tegen te gaan door anonieme accounts te verbieden. Gelukkig komen steeds meer mensen in aanraking met ideeën die sociaal gedrag op sociale media wel stimuleren, nu ze wegvluchten van Musks Twitter en Mastodon uitproberen.”

Mijn #column vandaag in @Trouw gaat over #Twitter, #Mastodon en aanbevelingssystemen ('algoritmes') op sociale media.

https://www. trouw.nl/opinie/we-kunnen-heel-goed-zonder-het-algoritme-systeem-van-twitter~ba2f4bced/

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6/5 English language source:

https://datajusticelab.org/2022/11/17/new-research-report-top400-a-top-down-crime-prevention-strategy-in-amsterdam/

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6/5 English language source:

https://datajusticelab.org/2022/11/17/new-research-report-top400-a-top-down-crime-prevention-strategy-in-amsterdam/

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5/5 Today I was part of a panel on “AI and the government” at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. We talked about these cases and the technological, philosophical, ethical, practical and political considerations of what's going on.

And while I think it's useful to raise awareness like this, something entirely different is needed. We need to just stop with the predictive crime stuff. We shouldn't waste time trying to solve problems of fundamentally flawed approaches!

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5/5 Today I was part of a panel on “AI and the government” at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. We talked about these cases and the technological, philosophical, ethical, practical and political considerations of what's going on.

And while I think it's useful to raise awareness like this, something entirely different is needed. We need to just stop with the predictive crime stuff. We shouldn't waste time trying to solve problems of fundamentally flawed approaches!

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4/ This sort of thing isn't new in the Netherlands. Our national government has resigned over something called the child care benefits scandal, where algorithms were used to “detect” fraudulent child care benefits applications. Tens of thousands of people were incorrectly and unjustly targeted. In the City of Rotterdam similar algorithmic approaches were used. All driven by the law and order agendas of the ruling political parties.

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4/ This sort of thing isn't new in the Netherlands. Our national government has resigned over something called the child care benefits scandal, where algorithms were used to “detect” fraudulent child care benefits applications. Tens of thousands of people were incorrectly and unjustly targeted. In the City of Rotterdam similar algorithmic approaches were used. All driven by the law and order agendas of the ruling political parties.

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3/ As can be expected, people from poor regions are being targeted the most by this approach. Somehow the politicians and policy makers just don't seem to learn what #ConfirmationBias is (or they don't care).

I mean that literally. The police responded by saying “they're learning by doing” how to work with the #algorithm. Apparently stigmatising kids is an acceptable cost to “learn” that you're practicing quackery. Moreover, the national police wants to continue with #ProKid.

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3/ As can be expected, people from poor regions are being targeted the most by this approach. Somehow the politicians and policy makers just don't seem to learn what #ConfirmationBias is (or they don't care).

I mean that literally. The police responded by saying “they're learning by doing” how to work with the #algorithm. Apparently stigmatising kids is an acceptable cost to “learn” that you're practicing quackery. Moreover, the national police wants to continue with #ProKid.

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2/ Let's just forget for a second that #predictive #crime is just quackery anyway, extremely stupid mistakes are being made. For example, if your name is in the police systems because of something somebody else did, that was considered an indicator by the #algorithm (called #ProKid). Amateur hour.

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2/ Let's just forget for a second that #predictive #crime is just quackery anyway, extremely stupid mistakes are being made. For example, if your name is in the police systems because of something somebody else did, that was considered an indicator by the #algorithm (called #ProKid). Amateur hour.

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🧵1/ The Netherlands is the place to be if you want to study the #government's misuse of #AI in a democratic country

A week or so ago there was some reporting on the Top 400, a #predictive #crime initiative by the City of #Amsterdam. They algorithmically create a list of the 400 youngsters they believe are most likely to commit serious crimes. The #police actively surveills them (including house visits!), even if they haven't committed any crimes at all.

(EN src post 6)

https://www. trouw.nl/a-b4d1680d

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🧵1/ The Netherlands is the place to be if you want to study the #government's misuse of #AI in a democratic country

A week or so ago there was some reporting on the Top 400, a #predictive #crime initiative by the City of #Amsterdam. They algorithmically create a list of the 400 youngsters they believe are most likely to commit serious crimes. The #police actively surveills them (including house visits!), even if they haven't committed any crimes at all.

(EN src post 6)

https://www. trouw.nl/a-b4d1680d

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Innovative way of using the golden ratio in UX engineering.

#tech #ux #evolution

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Innovative way of using the golden ratio in UX engineering.

#tech #ux #evolution

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A person sitting in a slumped posture looking at his phone, with the shape of a golden spiral overlayed on his back. The shapes match. 

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“Het was een vreemde ervaring om informatica te studeren in de jaren ’90 toen het onderwerp niet cool was. Het werd het nieuwe coole ding waar men naar opkeek in de jaren ’00. En toen, ergens in de jaren ’10, werden we als de bankiers die de samenleving kapot hebben gemaakt.”

Mijn #column in @Trouw vandaag gaat in op de desillusie die ik steeds vaker opmerk onder mijn vakgenoten, de informatici. Wordt technologische #innovatie verward met maatschappelijke vooruitgang?

https://www. trouw.nl/cs-b42f1bcc

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“Het was een vreemde ervaring om informatica te studeren in de jaren ’90 toen het onderwerp niet cool was. Het werd het nieuwe coole ding waar men naar opkeek in de jaren ’00. En toen, ergens in de jaren ’10, werden we als de bankiers die de samenleving kapot hebben gemaakt.”

Mijn #column in @Trouw vandaag gaat in op de desillusie die ik steeds vaker opmerk onder mijn vakgenoten, de informatici. Wordt technologische #innovatie verward met maatschappelijke vooruitgang?

https://www. trouw.nl/cs-b42f1bcc

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Time for an #introduction.

I'm a computer scientist by training, but nowadays I help out organisations with their #digital #strategy and #innovation as an independent contractor in the public and private sector.

I'm also the #tech columnist at Dutch newspaper Trouw, where I write critically about the impact of digital #technology on society.

On here I want to talk about:
— Tech
— Digital society
— Climate
— Taiwan
— Video games
— Tea
— Politics (mostly satire)

I'll post in Dutch and English.

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Time for an #introduction.

I'm a computer scientist by training, but nowadays I help out organisations with their #digital #strategy and #innovation as an independent contractor in the public and private sector.

I'm also the #tech columnist at Dutch newspaper Trouw, where I write critically about the impact of digital #technology on society.

On here I want to talk about:
— Tech
— Digital society
— Climate
— Taiwan
— Video games
— Tea
— Politics (mostly satire)

I'll post in Dutch and English.

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#feditips 3/3 You can easily see that when you choose the “Direct message” option. It will set the visibility setting to “Mentioned people only” (the @-sign in my UI, shown in the screenshot below).

Again, “DM” is not a DM! It shouldn't be called as such.

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#feditips 3/3 You can easily see that when you choose the “Direct message” option. It will set the visibility setting to “Mentioned people only” (the @-sign in my UI, shown in the screenshot below).

Again, “DM” is not a DM! It shouldn't be called as such.

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Screenshot after “Direct message” option is selected. It shows that it is a shortcut to the “Mentioned people only” visibility option. 

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#feditips 2/3 So the problem is this. If you go to somebody's profile, it has a “Direct message” option. This needs a different name, because it is just a shortcut to that “Mentioned people only” option.

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#feditips 2/3 So the problem is this. If you go to somebody's profile, it has a “Direct message” option. This needs a different name, because it is just a shortcut to that “Mentioned people only” option.

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Screenshot of the options on a profile page, showing the “Direct message” option 

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#feditips 1/3 Mastodon doesn't have DMs. Don't tell people that it has, because it is conceptually confusing. DM triggers the idea of a private chat separate from the timelines. Again, Mastodon doesn't have that.

Mastodon has visibility options. If you choose “Mentioned people only”, and add the handle of a person you are complaining about, then they will be able to read your complaint because you are mentioning that person!

So again. No DMs. Just visibility options. This ain't Twitter.

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#feditips 1/3 Mastodon doesn't have DMs. Don't tell people that it has, because it is conceptually confusing. DM triggers the idea of a private chat separate from the timelines. Again, Mastodon doesn't have that.

Mastodon has visibility options. If you choose “Mentioned people only”, and add the handle of a person you are complaining about, then they will be able to read your complaint because you are mentioning that person!

So again. No DMs. Just visibility options. This ain't Twitter.

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Screenshot of the visibility options of Mastodon. 

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If you don't know what #Photosynth was, it was a service that allowed you to create a sort of viewable 3D representation of a scene from your (2D) photos. I remember for example that National Geographic made a Photosynth of the Great Sphinx of Egypt, which was awesome because of their many high-res pictures of that monument.

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If you don't know what #Photosynth was, it was a service that allowed you to create a sort of viewable 3D representation of a scene from your (2D) photos. I remember for example that National Geographic made a Photosynth of the Great Sphinx of Egypt, which was awesome because of their many high-res pictures of that monument.

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Who remembers #Microsoft Photosynth (2008)? I was trying to think about the last time I got really, really excited about #tech, and Photosynth came to mind.

I was messing with it often myself and got cool results. But it really sparkled my imagination when CNN used it to capture Obama's inauguration in 2008.

It was the pre-smartphone era, yet CNN used #crowdsourcing to capture that moment! How? By sending your pictures to them via email, after which they would add it to their Photosynth!

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Who remembers #Microsoft Photosynth (2008)? I was trying to think about the last time I got really, really excited about #tech, and Photosynth came to mind.

I was messing with it often myself and got cool results. But it really sparkled my imagination when CNN used it to capture Obama's inauguration in 2008.

It was the pre-smartphone era, yet CNN used #crowdsourcing to capture that moment! How? By sending your pictures to them via email, after which they would add it to their Photosynth!

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Screenshot of the CNN website showing the Photosynth of Barack Obama's 2008 inauguration. 

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CNN's instructions for how to contribute to the Photosynth of Obama's inauguration. It says stuff like “take one photo of the moment Obama takes the path, but if you have a digital camera take three” and “email each photo as soon as possible” to CNN. 

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I feel sad when reading this open letter from the UN Human Rights Chief to Elon Musk:
1. Something went horribly wrong in society if the UN HRC (!) needs to plead with the CEO of a tech company for human rights. It's truly unbelievable.
2. Why is Volkan Türk using the nonsense Musk PR of Twitter being “our digital public square”. It isn't. This belief is what empowers the tech oligarchs to begin with.

#tech #unhcr #humanrights #musk #twitter

https://www. ohchr.org/en/press-releases/20 22/11/un-human-rights-chief-turk-issues-open-letter-twitters-elon-musk

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I feel sad when reading this open letter from the UN Human Rights Chief to Elon Musk:
1. Something went horribly wrong in society if the UN HRC (!) needs to plead with the CEO of a tech company for human rights. It's truly unbelievable.
2. Why is Volkan Türk using the nonsense Musk PR of Twitter being “our digital public square”. It isn't. This belief is what empowers the tech oligarchs to begin with.

#tech #unhcr #humanrights #musk #twitter

https://www. ohchr.org/en/press-releases/20 22/11/un-human-rights-chief-turk-issues-open-letter-twitters-elon-musk

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“Alles wat Elon Musk doet, doet hij om de mensheid te redden. Althans, dat is wat hij zelf gelooft.”

De moeite waard om te herhalen. Mijn column over het messiascomplex van Elon Musk (uit april):

#twittermigration

Laat Twitter alsjeblieft aan Elon Musk voorbijgaan, hij heeft er geen verstand van
https://www. trouw.nl/a-b86f3776

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“Alles wat Elon Musk doet, doet hij om de mensheid te redden. Althans, dat is wat hij zelf gelooft.”

De moeite waard om te herhalen. Mijn column over het messiascomplex van Elon Musk (uit april):

#twittermigration

Laat Twitter alsjeblieft aan Elon Musk voorbijgaan, hij heeft er geen verstand van
https://www. trouw.nl/a-b86f3776