Rounding Error? Close Enough for Horse Shoes in Michigan
June 9, 2020
Ah, Michigan. River Rouge, the bridge to Canada, and fresh, sparkling water. These cheerful thoughts diminished when I read “Government’s Use of Algorithm Serves Up False Fraud Charges.”
The write up describes a smart system. The smart system was not as smart as some expected. The article states:
While the agency still hasn’t publicly released details about the algorithm, class actions lawsuits allege that the system searched unemployment datasets and used flawed assumptions to flag people for fraud, such as deferring to an employer who said an employee had quit — and was thus ineligible for benefits — when they were really laid off.
Where did the system originate? A D student in the University of Michigan’s Introduction to Algorithms class? No. The article reports:
The state’s unemployment agency hired three private companies to develop MiDAS, as well as additional software. The new system was intended to replace one that was 30 years old and to consolidate data and functions that were previously spread over several platforms, according to the agency’s 2013 self-nomination for an award with the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. The contract to build the system was for more than $47 million. At the same time as the update, the agency also laid off hundreds of employees who had previously investigated fraud claims.
Cathy O’Neil may want to update her 2016 “Weapons of Math Destruction.” Michigan has produced some casualties. What other little algorithmic surprises are yet to be discovered? Will online learning generate professionals who sidestep these types of mathiness? Sure.
Stephen E Arnold, June 9, 2020
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