The 10 Algorithms That Dominate Our World

Very good read over there at io9.com

Google search, Amazon and the Facebook rank are obvious but also high frequency stock trading and file compressing like we have it in mp3. And even Auto-tune is based on algorithms.

–> “Along with Page Rank and Facebook’s Newsfeed, these algorithms are creating a so-called filter bubble, a phenomenon in which users become separated from information that disagrees with their viewpoints — effectively isolating them in their own culture of ideological “bubbles.” This could result in what Eli Pariser calls “information determinism” where our previous internet-browsing habits determine our future. ……

…. The importance of algorithms in our lives today cannot be overstated. They are used virtually everywhere, from financial institutions to dating sites. But some algorithms shape and control our world more than others — and these ten are the most significant…..

Just a quick refresher before we get started. Though there’s no formal definition, computer scientists describe algorithms as a set of rules that define a sequence of operations. They’re a series of instructions that tell a computer how it’s supposed to solve a problem or achieve a certain goal. A good way to think of algorithms is by visualizing a flowchart …..”