Talk:Netflix Algorithm

Peer Review by Annie Cooper

Length: This article is 1031 words long which is sufficient for the draft. To expand, I would recommend explaining what it means to be “the most successful engine” as well as expand and write out the bullet points. I would try to clarify and explain more how Netflix’s algorithms work. You only start to follow a new user's interaction with the algorithm, but you continue the step by step to keep the flow. You may also want to add how Netflix collects this data, how the search page works specifically, and maybe the specific row of content suggested for you based on other things you have watched.

Structure: There is an opening paragraph that summarizes Netfilx's algorithm but it does not talk about the ethical issues. I do not think you need to talk about the new users choosing titles in the introduction, but rather what Netflix’s algorithm is used for and why it may pose ethical issues. There is a body of the article with multiple sections. I think you can combine the first two sections to be something like “The History of Netflix’s algorithm” where you can explain how it started and how successful it has been. I think it is important to really break down what data Neflix’s algorithm uses and what it uses it for in the how algorithms work . I do not believe you need the FTC lessons. Make sure you go into more detail on personal data gathering because it is probably one of the major ethical issues. You need to explain more about how race is involved and why it is an ethical issue. Some of your claims are backed by reliable sources; but you do not seem to have many academic sources. Many of your claims have no sources at all.

Clarity: I somewhat understand that the issue is a breach of personal privacy. However, the connection to race is not clear. Even the part about privacy should be explained in much more depth. Make sure you explain why each of the ethical issues are in fact ethical issues and why it matters. It would also be helpful to name the main ethical issues in the introduction paragraph. You should also explain what a data sharing score and a data security score is.

Objectivity: The author remains mostly objective and does not argue anything, which is good. The only opinion would be where you describe Netflix as “over-the-top” - that should be eliminated. While you do not argue anything in particular, you also have many statements that are not backed up by my references as of right now.

Peer Review by Nikki Hess

Length

This article at the time of reading is approximately 2500 words, which is more than sufficient for the rough draft and the final draft.

Structure

The opening paragraph summarized what Netflix is for the reader and discussed ethics issues which would be addressed later in the article. The author cites many sources, though they may benefit from using reference names to use the same reference repeatedly. The usage of detailed section headers makes it clear exactly what is being talked about in each section. The sentence at the end of Netflix Terms of Use causes some confusion, as it says "...some concerns about privacy evaluation are as follows" and then leads into another section. I'm not sure if the following sections serve as the list of concerns about privacy evaluation (though it seems that way), so maybe that sentence should be changed or the list of concerns should be within the same section. The author cites reputable references, such as Harvard, Microsoft, and Common Sense Media. There are many statements made such as "When it comes to third-party data access, they are even authorized to access a user's personal information" that don't seem to have clear references.

Clarity

The issue at stake is clear: in particular, the article seems to focus on the Netflix algorithm and applying our understanding of ethics to that. The author is generally clear about the points they make. One great example is the usage of the "Netflix recommendation workflow" flow chart to help make clear how the Netflix algorithm works. I think it may be important to mention by whom Netflix was sued in 2009 in "Risk of User Data Leakage and Privacy." I think the author could also benefit from expanding the sections under "Privacy," as many of these sections only have two or three sentences. I think it's important to review your writing and make sure that sentences are complete. Under the "Netflix Terms of Use" section there are a couple errors with incomplete sentences and grammar such as "According to Common Sense Media... children" and the following sentence "They evaluated every each privacy rating."

Objectivity

Citing statistics and various objective sources, the author mostly reports objectively on Netflix and its algorithm. There is one statement I noticed regarding what businesses "should" do that appears unbacked by sources under "How Netflix Started Using Algorithms" stating, "It's conceivable... should prevent."