Algorithms are everywhere on the web, but they’re often invisible. Algorithms learn from your behaviour, can limit the options made available to you online, and influence your choices. Through this process, you can end up stuck in a ‘preference bubble’: the algorithm starts to show you only the things it thinks you’ll like, restricting your view of the world.
Our kids are the ones who need to hear about this the most. They are emerging as digital citizens and future decision-makers in a world where they’ll need to learn how to protect their data and use technology responsibly.
Kids Code Jeunesse (KCJ) and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) partnered up to launch the Algorithm Literacy Project to raise awareness and educate kids about the presence of algorithms and how they influence our digital experiences — in other words, get algorithm literate. The goal is to empower kids to exercise critical thinking in how they engage online, and to become proactive, creative users and makers rather than passive consumers.
Algorithms are step-by-step plans or instructions to perform a task or solve a problem — you can think of them like recipes that coders use to take information and produce things that help us achieve certain results.
The best way to improve your algorithm literacy is to become informed (check ✓), and then continue to educate yourself by reading, listening, reflecting, and discussing (learning is more fun with others!). It’s essential to consider other perspectives, like how algorithms might affect people differently all around the world.
Let’s get started! Here’s a simple step-by-step algorithm to start you on your own journey to #GetAlgoLit
Kids Code Jeunesse (KCJ) is a bilingual Canadian charity determined to give every Canadian child access to digital skills education, with a focus on girls and underserved communities. KCJ teaches kids and their educators about artificial intelligence, code, digital citizenship and how these integrate with the Global Goals so that our kids have the confidence and creative tools they need to build a better future.
Media and Information Literacy is a priority for CCUNESCO due to its close connection to freedom of expression, freedom of information, and fighting disinformation. The Canadian Commission for UNESCO serves as a bridge between Canadians and the vital work of UNESCO—the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. By promoting UNESCO values, priorities and programs in Canada and by bringing the voices of Canadian experts to the international stage, the Commission contributes to a peaceful, equitable and sustainable future that leaves no one behind.