The Mute Calculus of Distant Algorithms
- Keren Weitzberg
- Aug 27, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 29, 2020
This blog post is based on research for a forthcoming piece in Coda Story.
What kind of work does a credit score do in the world? And what does it mean to give previously “credit invisible” people a digitally generated financial scorecard?
In countries like Kenya where residents have long been excluded from formal banking, people are now receiving credit scores through the culling of mobile data. This has largely been enabled through the advent of digital credit. Millions of cash-strapped Kenyans have turned to the seductive ease of mobile lending, which was first introduced to the country in 2012. Download an app, fill in some basic personal data, agree to the terms and conditions, and money will appear almost instantaneously in your M-Pesa mobile money wallet.
Companies ranging from multinational telecoms, like Safaricom, to Silicon Valley-based startups, like Tala and Branch, are lining up to offer Kenyans loans at the touch of a button. They have also developed novel ways of assessing people’s credit worthiness.
These algorithms prize various kinds of data: Does this person call their mother? How often do they buy phone credit? Do they make frequent payments with their M-Pesa account? How many followers do they have on Twitter? In a feature on Tala, TechCrunch explains that the company "looks at a customer’s texts and calls logs, merchant transactions, overall app usage and other behavioral data....Based on these pieces of information, its machine learning algorithms evaluate the individual risk and provide instant loans in the range of $10 to $500 to customers."
Proponents argue that such methods enable companies to provide non-collateral loans and offer credit to the "unbanked"--those long excluded from financial services. But talk of financial inclusion tends to silence the background noise: the quiet operations that make these digital apps function.
Mobile technology is not only enabling greater and, in many ways, unprecedented state and corporate surveillance of Kenyan consumer habits in the absence of robust data protection laws. It is also opening people up to the mute calculus of distant algorithms.
Financial inclusion, which rests on the larger fetish for choice and freedom, has opened people up to the depersonalized logic of the algorithm.
Digital lending companies claim to "know" a customer through the use of fine-grained personal details gleaned from their mobile phones. But customers are also made legible to fintech through a set of highly depersonalized and statistical assumptions. One assumption is that the lendee is, in fact, the person they claim to be.
Mandatory SIM card registration laws in force throughout Africa have made it easier for mobile credit providers to digitally identify their customers and appear compliant with Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. But the reliance on digital and biometric IDs is often highly performative, creating avenues for fraud and mimicry within bureaucracies of verification. The speed and ease of mobile transactions have greatly accelerated the problem of identity theft. In Kenya, it remains relatively easy to register a SIM card in another person's name using a forged or stolen ID. Consequently, many Kenyans have found themselves erroneously listed as defaulters with Credit Reference Bureaus with few avenues of redress available to them.

I would like to start off by saying I love a Pepsi bezel (always have, always will). The red & blue have so much personality and are, well, just fun! link I'm definitely going for the 1978 Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 1675 'Mark 3 link Radial Dial'. There is something so sweet link about a vintage Pepsi-- It's cool, it's colorful, & it's timeless. - Mary Wright, Associate Merchant
Add the immaculate finishing and the perfect pairing with the brown calfskin straps, and you will link understand why the new Daniel Roth link Tourbillon Rose Gold was one of the link most talked-about watches of Geneva Watch Days.
Many clinics provide convenient online resources, such as virtual consultations, appointment scheduling, and educational materials. These https://www.burloakcentredentistry.com/ tools enhance patient engagement and make it easier to stay informed and involved in personal oral care.
Bad breath, or halitosis, can result from poor oral hygiene, gum disease, or certain foods. Regular brushing, flossing, and staying hydrated adult braces near me help combat it. If persistent, it may signal an underlying issue, making a dental consultation necessary for proper treatment.
Appliance leaks from water heaters, washing machines, or dishwashers can cause unexpected water damage. A small unnoticed leak air duct cleaning lansing mi can soak into floors and walls over time. Once detected, water must be extracted and affected areas dried. Professionals assess for hidden moisture and repair structural components before mold can develop.