Politics
Ellie Abraham
Mar 16, 2022
Video
Nadine Dorries has absolutely baffled people after she asked Microsoft to “get rid” of algorithms.
Dorries became the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary last year and has since consistently demonstrated that she doesn’t fully understand the media landscape.
In one interview, Dorries claimed we have had the internet for ten years. Meanwhile, she said she was “amazed” to learn that young people watch TV with YouTube.
Now, her insistence that the multinational technology corporation Microsoft stop using algorithms has really blown people’s minds.
According to Politico, the culture secretary “arrived at a meeting with software giant Microsoft and immediately asked when they were going to get rid of algorithms”, adding, “she also raised the same issue in a separate stakeholder meeting”.
While she’s right to look at the problematic ways social media companies use algorithms, getting rid of them outright is not what campaigners and critics are asking for.
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SNP shadow culture secretary John Nicolson said: “When you see her before the select committee [of MPs], she's rarely able to answer a question on her own, she has to turn to the civil servants or the minister or whoever she's with.
“She's just not briefed, doesn't bother to brief herself, and doesn't seem to have much background knowledge on any of the subjects in her portfolio.”
Nicolson is not alone in his opinion, as many took this latest example to mock Dorries for her ineptitude.
One person mocked: “Nadine Dorries, stumbling into Dolmio and demanding to parlay with the Dolmio man: 'When are you going to stop making the pasta sauce like a mama used to make'".
Nadine Dorries, stumbling into Dolmio and demanding to parlay with the Dolmio man: \n\nWhen are you going to stop making the pasta sauce like a mama used to make-pic.twitter.com/LMSMC2Cyt2— James Felton (@James Felton) 1647421009
Someone else joked: “Nadine Dorries has asked Microsoft to get rid of algorithms and has asked if they can change control, Alt, delete to control, Alt right.
“She wrote them a letter in case she caught a virus.”
Nadine Dorries has asked Microsoft to get rid of algorithms and has asked if they can change control, Alt, delete to control, Alt right. \nShe wrote them a letter in case she caught a virus.— Sir Ziggy (for services to eating guinea pig shit) (@Sir Ziggy (for services to eating guinea pig shit)) 1647422723
Another asked: “So...do we know what Nadine Dorries thinks an algorithm is?”
So...do we know what Nadine Dorries thinks an algorithm is?— Sean Biggerstaff (@Sean Biggerstaff) 1647424636
One person said: “i'm so excited that nadine dorries is finally going to destroy algorithms once and for all, we can be free.”
i'm so excited that nadine dorries is finally going to destroy algorithms once and for all, we can be freepic.twitter.com/kDBEcG73QC— dan hett (@dan hett) 1647425685
Someone else simply used a gif to illustrate their thoughts on Dorries attempting to completely remove algorithms.
Nadine Dorries trying to remove the algorithms from the internet.pic.twitter.com/jaZXGCfq9c— J.R.Hartleys\u2019 Armchair (@J.R.Hartleys\u2019 Armchair) 1647425627
Another Twitter user made reference to the current sanctions being imposed on Russian oligarchs amid the war in Ukraine, saying that she was sanctioning algorithms.
Apparently @NadineDorries is working hard in sanctioning algorithms.pic.twitter.com/L6DHX3RLEa— JAMES FREDERICK (@JAMES FREDERICK) 1647423402
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