Author: Richard Water
Publisher: Financial Times
Publication Year: 2021
Summary: The following article discusses how big tech companies are using “Dark Patterns” in order to nudge their userbase into certain patterns of behavior. In a “race to the bottom” for market share and profits, these algorithms are based on reinforcement learning which creates a feedback loop in order to increase the likelihood users take an action. These include count down timers and hiding fees. Google is under fire for dismissing Timnit Gebru an AI research head.
