Automated decision-making
Automated decision-making is when a computer system makes or recommends a decision about a person — approving a benefit, flagging a tax return, ranking a job applicant — with little or no human judgement. Some Canadian laws and policies set rules for it.
In one line, for a 12-year-old
Automated decision-making is when a computer, not a person, decides something about you.
An example
The federal Directive on Automated Decision-Making requires federal departments to assess the impact of such systems and give people notice and recourse.
Why it matters to people
You can ask whether a decision about you was automated, what it was based on and how to appeal. In Québec, Law 25 makes some of that a legal right.