Understanding Algorithms and Bias in Modernity

Welcome to our Tech Talk Series! A series of presentation-style workshops that focus on tech-adjacent topics to ensure greater tech literacy for UW-Madison scholars!

Algorithms are a daily part of our lives; they detail a set of steps to complete some tasks. As big data algorithms penetrate deeper into our lives, bias finds its way into these algorithms which has huge societal implications. In this workshop, we will cover an introduction to algorithms, bias, and the ways they intersect and present within our society. How do famous social media algorithms perpetuate bias? How does bias even find its way into big data algorithms? Interactive examples will help further your understanding of these phenomenons in order to help mitigate the harms that persist from them.