Data or diatribes

I went this week to the launch of the Royal Society's report on machine learning. 
It is a very interesting look at all the issues around the subject.
One questioner asked when we would reach the stage when algorithms will be able to do anything a human can do. None of the panel could put a date on it.
But by one yardstick, we are already there. 
Computer algorithms learn from the data they find to produce their outcomes. Just like scientists. 
An awful lot of humans base their outcomes on what Boris Johnson or Donald Trump says. 
Which do you think is better?

True, false, or hidden?

The Observer, which is celebrating its 225th birthday, has a long article today criticising Google and Facebook for publishing fake news.
The Observer, of course, publishes only true news. Its editor, who is not elected, decides what goes in and how it is presented. Some of this true news is opinion. The Observer follows a left of centre course, so maybe those of a right of centre persuasion may not agree that it is all true news.
Google does not follow a left or right course. Its unique selling proposition is that it give you everything there is. You have to decide which of it you believe as true and which you reject as false.
The Observer's view is that Google and Facebook should be controlled in some way so they show only the news which is acceptable to Observer readers.
Russia and China follow this line of thinking. They allow their people to see only the stuff their ruling party thinks acceptable.
The European Commission also thinks there should be controls on what Google and Facebook show. They have ordered that past misdeeds should be excluded from search results.
I prefer to live in a world in which I can see everything there is and make my own mind up about it. And I am happy that the loonies, on whichever left, right or religious extreme they dwell, also have this right.
We as a society and the politicians we elect will be stronger if we face up to these issues and debate them, rather than pretending they do not exist.

Rights and wrongs

I ain't lookin' to compete with you
Beat or cheat or mistreat you
Simplify you, classify you
Deny, defy or crucify you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you
        - Bob Dylan, All I really want to do

Fundamental beliefs are personal. In a civilised society, you can believe in anything you want. You must also accept that everyone else can believe in what they want.
If society is to remain civilised, we should not impose our beliefs on others, or deny others their beliefs. We should enjoy our differences and get along together in spite of those differences.
What we have seen in Paris is a bunch of journalists whose belief in freedom of speech made them think they should publish things which they knew would offend those with different beliefs. That is wrong.
They were killed by two extremists whose belief in the teachings of Islam made them think they should kill people who mock those beliefs. That is wrong, too.
Both factions think that their own belief allows them to attack others. It doesn't.
In uncivilised societies, the belief of those in control is imposed on those who are controlled. Those who think differently are punished.
In civilised societies, we have to control ourselves.