A guide for the 21st-century citizen... accessible, refreshingly critical, relevant, and urgent. In this New York Times bestseller, Cathy O'Neil, one of the earliest advocates for algorithmic accountability, sounds the alarm about the mathematical models that overwhelm modern life -- and threaten to unravel our social fabric. We live in the age of the algorithm. An increasing number of decisions that affect our lives - where we will go to school, whether we will take out a loan, how much we will pay for insurance - are made not by people, but by mathematical models. In theory, this should lead to greater fairness: everyone is judged by the same rules, and biases are eliminated. Yet, as Cathy O'Neil reveals in this urgent and essential book, the opposite is true. The models in use today are opaque, unregulated, and unchallengeable, even when they are wrong. Most troublingly, they reinforce discrimination. Following the trajectory of a life, O'Neil uncovers the "black box" models that shape our future, both as individuals and as a society. These "weapons of math destruction" grade teachers and students, categorize resumes, grant or deny loans, evaluate workers, target voters, and monitor our health. O'Neil calls on modelers to take more responsibility for their algorithms and on politicians to regulate their use. However, in the end, it is up to us to become more informed about the models that govern our lives. This important book empowers us to ask tough questions, uncover the truth, and demand change.

Pages: 272, Dimensions: 13x13cm