In the Algorithm We Trust

The path to Hugo's perfect life is simple. Wear his device, follow the demands of the Algorithm, and gather his data. But if he refuses, he risks a life of endless torture.

"Ginsberg’s frightening story is timely in an era when citizens of [a] divided United States are more than ready to blame ‘the other’ for the nation’s problems.”—Kirkus Reviews

Following the Siege of Washington, D.C., the power of the Algorithm is made absolute. Now, every left ear bears a Data Gathering Device, granting the Algorithm access to every thought and desire. Cameras surveil Americans' every move. Dissenters are publicly tortured. The history of pre-Algorithmic Times has been altered. And border walls keep all foreigners out and Americans in.

This is the America Hugo Rodríguez is born into. A Data Gathering Device is implanted at the moment of his birth, immediately beginning his process of indoctrination. Every moment of his life, even the moments he spends in his crib, is dedicated to gathering data for the Algorithm to then use in its customization of everything: his TV shows, his education, his friendships, his relationships, and his propaganda. But when Hugo visits his first zoo, where all dissenters are kept on public display and the Algorithm personalizes only their method of torture, he learns for the first time what is really at stake. Not just his perfect life. Not just his Perfect Match. But his freedom.

A chilling and provocative satire, In the Algorithm We Trust focuses not on rebellion and uprise, but instead the most critical element of any dystopia: those who just go along with the system, until they too become complicit.

Ryan David Ginsberg lives in California's Central Valley with his wife and three dogs. When he isn't writing, Ryan works as an educator, teaching students around the county to be empathetic, inquisitive, and thoughtful about the world around them. Either that, or he's posting online to TikTok or Instagram, where he shares his writing and commentary on politics, technology, and the state of modern society.