Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    TopBuzzMagazine.com
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Home
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Music
    • Fashion
    • Books
    • Science
    • Technology
    • Cover Story
    • Contact
      • About
      • Amazon Disclaimer
      • Terms and Conditions
      • Privacy Policy
      • DMCA / Copyrights Disclaimer
    TopBuzzMagazine.com
    Home»Technology»Inside a Misfiring Government Data Machine
    Technology

    Inside a Misfiring Government Data Machine

    By AdminMarch 28, 2023
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Inside a Misfiring Government Data Machine

    Last week, WIRED published a series of in-depth, data-driven stories about a problematic algorithm the Dutch city of Rotterdam deployed with the aim of rooting out benefits fraud.

    In partnership with Lighthouse Reports, a European organization that specializes in investigative journalism, WIRED gained access to the inner workings of the algorithm under freedom-of-information laws and explored how it evaluates who is most likely to commit fraud. 

    We found that the algorithm discriminates based on ethnicity and gender—unfairly giving women and minorities higher risk scores, which can lead to investigations that cause significant damage to claimants’ personal lives. An interactive article digs into the guts of the algorithm, taking you through two hypothetical examples to show that while race and gender are not among the factors fed into the algorithm, other data, such as a person’s Dutch language proficiency, can act as a proxy that enables discrimination.

    The project shows how algorithms designed to make governments more efficient—and which are often heralded as fairer and more data-driven—can covertly amplify societal biases. The WIRED and Lighthouse investigation also found that other countries are testing similarly flawed approaches to finding fraudsters.

    “Governments have been embedding algorithms in their systems for years, whether it’s a spreadsheet or some fancy machine learning,” says Dhruv Mehrotra, an investigative data reporter at WIRED who worked on the project. “But when an algorithm like this is applied to any type of punitive and predictive law enforcement, it becomes high-impact and quite scary.”

    The impact of an investigation prompted by Rotterdam’s algorithm could be harrowing, as seen in the case of a mother of three who faced interrogation. 

    But Mehrotra says the project was only able to highlight such injustices because WIRED and Lighthouse had a chance to inspect how the algorithm works—countless other systems operate  with impunity under cover of bureaucratic darkness. He says it is also important to recognize that algorithms such as the one used in Rotterdam are often built on top of inherently unfair systems.

    “Oftentimes, algorithms are just optimizing an already punitive technology for welfare, fraud, or policing,” he says. “You don’t want to say that if the algorithm was fair it would be OK.”

    It is also critical to recognize that algorithms are becoming increasingly widespread in all levels of government and yet their workings are often entirely hidden fromthose who are most affected.

    Another investigation that Mehrota carried out in 2021, before he joined WIRED, shows how the crime prediction software used by some police departments unfairly targeted Black and Latinx communities. In 2016, ProPublica revealed shocking biases in the algorithms used by some courts in the US to predict which criminal defendants are at greatest risk of reoffending. Other problematic algorithms determine which schools children attend, recommend who companies should hire, and decide which families’ mortgage applications are approved.

    Many companies use algorithms to make important decisions too, of course, and these are often even less transparent than those in government. There is a growing movement to hold companies accountable for algorithmic decision-making, and a push for legislation that requires greater visibility. But the issue is complex—and making algorithms fairer may perversely sometimes make things worse.

    Read The Full Article Here

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    Best Prime Day Beauty Deals 2025: Hair, Skin, and Dental Care

    July 9, 2025

    El Salvador-based Tether says it holds nearly 80 tons of gold, worth ~$8B, in a vault in Switzerland; precious metals made up nearly 5% of its reserves in March (Jack Ryan/Bloomberg)

    July 8, 2025

    Boat to Partner With Safari for Launch of Smart Luggage in India During Amazon Prime Day 2025

    July 8, 2025

    Why Jolly Ranchers Are Banned in the UK but Not the US

    July 7, 2025

    Hangzhou, home to DeepSeek and Alibaba, has become a hub for Chinese AI startups, with the suburb Liangzhu emerging as a hotspot for coders in their 20s and 30s (Meaghan Tobin/New York Times)

    July 7, 2025

    Astronomers Discover 3I/ATLAS, Largest Interstellar Comet Yet Detected

    July 6, 2025
    popular posts

    A non-covalent bonding experience: Scientists discover new structures for unique

    Most Planets in the Galaxy Orbit Stars You Can’t Even

    John Gosling, Former Kinks Keyboardist, Dies at 75

    Can Binance Save Crypto? The CEO Is Thinking About It

    6 New Romances for Fans of Fly Me to the Moon

    Warrior Season 3 Episode 4 Review: In Chinatown, No One

    The Birds and the Bees: 20 Must-Read Books About Sex

    Categories
    • Books (3,276)
    • Cover Story (4)
    • Events (18)
    • Fashion (2,441)
    • Interviews (43)
    • Movies (2,575)
    • Music (2,853)
    • News (155)
    • Politics (1)
    • Science (4,425)
    • Technology (2,568)
    • Television (3,298)
    • Uncategorized (932)
    Archives
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube Reddit TikTok
    © 2025 Top Buzz Magazine. All rights reserved. All articles, images, product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement unless specified. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT