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Algorithms are integral to our environment and have been incorporated into many decision-making techniques. Computation and analysis – which are often linked to collections of data produced by consumers/citizens/users themselves – are powerful sources of genuine progress: better resource allocation, improvements in how products and services meet needs, and so on. However, algorithms remain human constructions and should be considered as such. Their biases must be understood, and their power and roles have to be assessed from a critical perspective. They need to be demystified.