Algorithms are sets of instructions that are followed to reach a certain result. When you multiply two times two — that is an algorithm. Similarly, a recipe is also an algorithm because you’re following a certain step-by-step procedure to get a certain outcome.
However, in the world of computer science, an algorithm is a sequence of instructions that tells a computer what to do. According to HowStuffWorks.com:
“To make a computer do anything, you have to write a computer program. To write a computer program, you have to tell the computer, step by step, exactly what you want it to do. The computer then ‘executes’ the program, following each step mechanically, to accomplish the end goal. When you are telling the computer what to do, you also get to choose how it’s going to do it. That’s where computer algorithms come in.”
Also, algorithms can be designed to learn by themselves, instead of only following step-by-step instructions. This is done by training the computer on large amounts of data. This allows the computer to learn a certain set of characteristics and recognize them over time. Machine learning can be very beneficial, but it also presents risks to multiple constitutional rights.
Stay tuned for more on how algorithms impact our constitutional rights.
