Q&A: There is No Algorithm for Truth - with Tom Scott

How do you avoid bias when building an online platform? Is radicalisation driven by echo chambers or places with no regulations on free speech? Tom Scott answers audience questions following his talk.

Tom Scott is a British entertainer, educator, YouTuber, web developer and former presenter of 'Gadget Geeks' on Sky One. He graduated from the University of York with a degree in linguistics. He has a popular YouTube channel with over 1.6 million subscribers and more than 325 million video views as of June 2019.

This talk and Q&A was filmed in the Ri on 27 September 2019.

---
A very special thank you to our Patreon supporters who help make these videos happen, especially:
Andrew McGhee, Dave Ostler, David Lindo, David Schick, Erik Shepherd, Greg Nagel, Jan Bannister, Joe Godenzi, John C. Vesey, Kellas Lowery, Lasse T. Stendan, Lester Su, Osian Gwyn Williams, Paul Brown, Radu Tizu, Rebecca Pan, Robert Hillier, Robert Reinecke and Roger Baker.
---

[TomScottGo]

I wish my answers were a bit less hedged here -- but nevertheless, thank you to the lovely audience at the RI!

[AndrewFullerton]

I really respect the fact that Tom can and will say something like "I don't know" or "I'm sure the information is available, I'm just not aware of it". Thank you for practicing what you preach and keeping things truthful!

[mattwinward]

But at the end there, when everyone claps, are they thanking Tom? Or are they thanking Tom's Work?

[ledzep]

The algorithm got it right.. Tom Scott in a RI vid about algorithms..Clickbait for my social group...

[imaytag]

The danger of deep fakes as I see it is not that it will be easier to convince people of lies. But rather that it will be more difficult to convince people of the truth.

[BeCurieUs]

Jesus, these are some great audience questions!

[goobydooby]

Tom in the full talk: Mostly serious, mildly indimidating, science talk
Tom in the Q&A: A small man sitting on a huge ass desk and talking

[zealot]

Matt Parker tosses coins and spills water on Faraday's desk and now Tom is sitting on it?
The worlds gone mad!

Love you really Tom

[ancbi]

Did I ever see someone sit on that table before? I don't think so. But I forgive him, must be draining enough to go without red T-shirt.

[symphonymelody]

“I don’t have the data to know weather that’s a good idea or not. I think the data is probably out there, I’m just not familiar with it” - amazing, most people I see on YouTube will probably just spat out their opinion regardless because they feel that’s what people want, if they get asked a question then the audience expects an answer. They want so blindly to please the audience that they forget to think about what effect it will have. To be clear, I don’t think they do it out of malicious intent, they simply do what they think the audience wants. Tom (or rather Tom’s work) is a gem on YouTube and I really hope he keeps it up for years to come

[fredhubbard]

One of the problems with YouTube is that they actually punish producers that make satisfying material. This was a great video, and now I want to do other things... if I turn it off, it will make it less likely for YouTube to recommend others like it when I return.

[voodootrois]

Indeed it has been when Tom exhibits his inordinate depth of thought that I find his work most interesting and inspiring.

[zakintha]

This just might be the best, and most most troubling, RI talk I've watched to date. You paint a frightening picture, but one it's better to be aware of. Thank-you.

[Android]

Good public speaking skills are impressive to me

[fat_vegan_slim]

Watching this 4 years later, and Tom Scott explaining what the clock app is is very odd. It's so well known now that I didn't even name it and you still know what I mean!

[rosslmccallum]

This really nicely covers how the spread of information and authority works online. Felt like I learnt a lot! As a content creator with an audience online I have to be careful to not create unhealthy "parasocial relationships". This means focusing on helping people become a fan of my work more than just a fan of me.

[bartsola]

3:56 love how he's talking about tiktok like this brand new, never-seen-before little app.

[howdyhamster]

"If there is a user ID attached to a user, a discussion tends to become a criticizing game. On the other hand, under the anonymous system, even though your opinion/information is criticized, you don't know with whom to be upset. Also with a user ID, those who participate in the site for a long time tend to have authority, and it becomes difficult for a user to disagree with them. Under a perfectly anonymous system, 'it's boring', you can say, if it is actually boring. All information is treated equally; only an accurate argument will work." --Hiroyuki Nishimura

[davidioanhedges]

The algorithm isn't working - Tom Scott, who I follow, doing a Q&A after a talk at the RI ....took 4 years to be recommended to me ...

[jarnMod]

And then, with that Brexit example, Scott ended the talk. Now that's a nice ending, surely UK felt the chill.