ABSTRACT
Algorithmic processing is to stay and can be developed and managed ethically, provided that pre-programmed judgments are reached through a transparent process that reflects the interests of all relevant stakeholders. The potential benefits of processing systems accrue disproportionately to those who own them. The trolley is programmed, wittingly or unwittingly, to protect and empower the trolley-maker. The catechism supports the belief that algorithmic processing of data is more efficient and simply better than human judgment when it comes to making decisions about news to consume, legal decisions about crimes committed, and personal decisions about whom to date, to name but a few. The problem with how engineers and users alike think about data and algorithmic processing is that such questions are often considered irrelevant. The political contentiousness surrounding this issue underscores a key point: data and algorithmic processing are not neutral but are sites of cultural struggle.
