Cathy O'Neil: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy

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10/05/16 • 58 min

Shorenstein Center Media and Politics Podcast

Cathy O’Neil, data scientist and author of the new book Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy, discussed how some algorithms can have an invisible, but important and destructive impact on people’s lives. Decisions about employment, criminal sentencing, and many other areas are now influenced by algorithms and big data. This is a serious problem, argues O’Neil, as there is little transparency about how these systems are constructed or used. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded October 4, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School.

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Patrick Ruffini: Trump and the Future of the Republican Party

Patrick Ruffini, co-founder and partner of Echelon Insights, a political research and analytics firm, discussed the September 26 presidential debate and the challenges facing the Republican Party in a conversation with Shorenstein Center director Nicco Mele. Ruffini, who was a digital strategist for George W. Bush’s 2004 campaign and the RNC in 2006, also discussed polling, the resiliency of the Republican Party in other races, voter expectations of Donald Trump, the effect of grassroots movements on political parties, and many other topics. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on September 27, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School.

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