The training one receives when one becomes a technician, like a data scientist - we get trained in mathematics or computer science or statistics - is entirely separated from a discussion of ethics.

Occupy provided me a lens through which to see systemic discrimination.

There's less of a connection for a lot of people between the technical decisions we make and the ethical ramifications we are responsible for.

Most people don't have any association in their minds with what they do and with ethics. They think they somehow moved past the questions of morality or values or ethics, and that's something that I've never imagined to be true.

My fantasy is that there is a new regulatory body that is in charge of algorithmic auditing.

There are lots of different ways that algorithms can go wrong, and what we have now is a system in which we assume because it's shiny new technology with a mathematical aura that it's perfect and it doesn't require further vetting. Of course, we never have that assumption with other kinds of technology.

People are starting to be very skeptical of the Facebook algorithm and all kinds of data surveillance.