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Warning
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Simple English definitions for legal terms
algorithm
Read a random definition: Video Privacy Protection Act
A quick definition of algorithm:
An algorithm is a set of rules or steps that a computer follows to solve a problem. It's like a recipe for a computer to follow. Algorithms are used to make decisions and solve problems, like predicting if someone might commit a crime or recognizing someone's face. As more things become automated, algorithms are becoming more important.
A more thorough explanation:
An algorithm is a set of rules or steps that a computer program follows to solve a specific problem. It's like a recipe for a computer to follow. Algorithms can be used for many things, like sorting data, making predictions, or recognizing patterns.
- Criminal risk assessments: Some algorithms are used to predict the likelihood that a person will commit a crime in the future. This information can be used to determine things like bail or parole.
- Predictive policing: Police departments use algorithms to analyze crime data and predict where crimes are likely to occur. This helps them allocate resources more effectively.
- Facial recognition technology: Some algorithms can recognize faces in photos or videos. This technology is used for things like security systems or unlocking phones.
These examples illustrate how algorithms can be used to solve specific problems. They take in data as input and use a set of rules to produce an output. Algorithms can be very powerful tools, but they can also be controversial. It's important to understand how they work and how they're being used.