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Essay

You have to wonder…

… about an algorithm that recommends your own book – the book that you have written – for you to buy!

How often are we told how clever are these algorithms? How they improve your online experience? Keep your children away from the stuff you wouldn’t want them to see?

I have an author page on Amazon and all of my books are linked to it. Wouldn’t you have thought that the algorithm would recognise the same name – Chris Armstrong – on both the product being recommended and the recipient of the recommendation… and if it was still in doubt, check for an author page for confirmation?

It doesn’t give me much hope for algorithms!

By Chris

Poet and writer: I have travelled the world in the Merchant Navy, worked on the farm where I now live, and re-invented myself as an information scientist. Born in Sussex, I moved to Swansea and have lived in the same farm cottage in mid-Wales for almost 50 years.

I have two collections of poems in print, Mostly Welsh and the recent Book of the Spirit. Although initially entirely focussed on poetry, my writing has branched into short stories and my first full length work of fiction, The Dark Trilogy and the collection of short stories - When I Am Not Writing Poetry - are also available.

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