Fairness and Non-discrimination (56)
Find narratives by ethical themes or by technologies.
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- 5 min
- Kinolab
- 2016
Westworld, a western-themed amusement park, is populated by realistic robotic creatures known as “hosts” that are designed in a lab and constantly updated to seem as real and organic as possible. Dr. Ford, the park director, speaks to his employee Theresa about his hegemony over Westworld, and how he can rule it as a sort of empire thanks to the subservience of the robots and the data collected from guests.
- Kinolab
- 2016
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- 5 min
- Kinolab
- 2016
Stakeholders and Power in Digital Worlds
Westworld, a western-themed amusement park, is populated by realistic robotic creatures known as “hosts” that are designed in a lab and constantly updated to seem as real and organic as possible. Dr. Ford, the park director, speaks to his employee Theresa about his hegemony over Westworld, and how he can rule it as a sort of empire thanks to the subservience of the robots and the data collected from guests.
What is the relationship between the human ‘maker’ and AI? Do AI-based theme parks work on a similar business models as other theme parks, or does the ‘creator’ have more power? What are some real-world connections you can make between the power dynamic which Ford has over his employees, guests, and AI and the power of technological corporations?
Westworld: Ford and Theresa-
- 12 min
- Kinolab
- 2011
In this episode, Bing Madsen is one of many citizens who provide power to the digital world through spending each day on a stationery bike, which earns him “merits” to spend on both leisure activities and necessities. These laborers, along with all other classes, are constantly surrounded by screens in which their digital avatars can participate in virtual activities like biking on a road or being in a “live” studio audience. The reality competition show “Hot Shot” is one program streamed on these screens. In this narrative, Bing’s friend Abi auditions for the show as a singer, but is instead coerced by the mass audience into signing as a pornstar for one of the judge’s companies.
- Kinolab
- 2011
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- 12 min
- Kinolab
- 2011
Digital Media and the Commodification of Women’s Bodies
In this episode, Bing Madsen is one of many citizens who provide power to the digital world through spending each day on a stationery bike, which earns him “merits” to spend on both leisure activities and necessities. These laborers, along with all other classes, are constantly surrounded by screens in which their digital avatars can participate in virtual activities like biking on a road or being in a “live” studio audience. The reality competition show “Hot Shot” is one program streamed on these screens. In this narrative, Bing’s friend Abi auditions for the show as a singer, but is instead coerced by the mass audience into signing as a pornstar for one of the judge’s companies.
In what ways have digital technologies made sexual harassment worse, and how can this be solved? How does being digitally separated from others make people less empathetic and push them to engage in mob mentality? How do digital technologies like social networks sometimes deprive people of autonomy over their bodies? How can users of digital technologies ensure that any sexually explicit content they produce remains in their ownership and control? What problems arise from the pornography industry experiencing such growth in the digital age?
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- 8 min
- Kinolab
- 2016
In a world in which social media is constantly visible, and in which the averaged five star rating for each person based on every single one of their interactions with others are displayed, Lacie tries to move into the higher echelons of society. She does this by consistently keeping up saccharine appearances in real life and on her social media feed because everyone is constantly connected to this technology. Once she is spurred to up her rating, Lacie gets an invite to a high-profile wedding. However, after a few unfortunate events leave her seeming less desirable to others, thus lowering her rating, she finds her world far less accessible and kind. For further reading and real-life connections, see the narrative “Inside China’s Vast New Experiment in Social Ranking.”
- Kinolab
- 2016
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- 8 min
- Kinolab
- 2016
Lacie Part I: Translating Online Interactions and Social Quantification
In a world in which social media is constantly visible, and in which the averaged five star rating for each person based on every single one of their interactions with others are displayed, Lacie tries to move into the higher echelons of society. She does this by consistently keeping up saccharine appearances in real life and on her social media feed because everyone is constantly connected to this technology. Once she is spurred to up her rating, Lacie gets an invite to a high-profile wedding. However, after a few unfortunate events leave her seeming less desirable to others, thus lowering her rating, she finds her world far less accessible and kind. For further reading and real-life connections, see the narrative “Inside China’s Vast New Experiment in Social Ranking.”
How do digital platforms promote inauthenticity? Why do appearances matter more in the digital age? Can digital technologies ever truly perfectly mirror an in-person interaction? Do the shallower ways in which people communicate online translate well into the real world? How could digital social platforms do better at promoting longer connection instead of the instant gratification of likes or ratings? Should social media platforms be so focused on quantifying interactions, in terms of likes or comments or followers? How can this quantification be de-emphasized?
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- 9 min
- Kinolab
- 2017
Robert Daly is a programmer at the company Callister, which developed the immersive virtual reality game Infinity and its community for the entertainment of users. Daly is typically seen in the shadow of the co-founder of the company, the charismatic James Walton. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Daly possesses a personal modification of the Infinity game program, where he is able to upload sentient digital clones of his co-workers to take out his frustrations upon. In this narrative, Nannette Cole becomes his newest victim after her DNA is used to draw her into the virtual reality. After Daly’s sexist and violent treatment of her and the other crewmates, Nannette inspires a mutiny to escape Daly’s world. In order to help the team carry out the plan, she seduces Daly as a distraction.
- Kinolab
- 2017
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- 9 min
- Kinolab
- 2017
Virtual Vindictiveness and Simulated Clones Part II: Daly and Cole
Robert Daly is a programmer at the company Callister, which developed the immersive virtual reality game Infinity and its community for the entertainment of users. Daly is typically seen in the shadow of the co-founder of the company, the charismatic James Walton. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Daly possesses a personal modification of the Infinity game program, where he is able to upload sentient digital clones of his co-workers to take out his frustrations upon. In this narrative, Nannette Cole becomes his newest victim after her DNA is used to draw her into the virtual reality. After Daly’s sexist and violent treatment of her and the other crewmates, Nannette inspires a mutiny to escape Daly’s world. In order to help the team carry out the plan, she seduces Daly as a distraction.
What should the ethical boundaries be in terms of creating digital copies of real-life people to manipulate in virtual realities? How would this alter the perception of autonomy or entitlement? Should the capability to create exact digital likenesses of real people be created for any reason? If so, how should their autonomy be ensured, since they are technically a piece of programming? How can bias, and more specifically the objectification of women, be eliminated in such conceptualisations? Are digital copies of a person entitled to the same rights that their corporeal selves have?
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- 11 min
- Kinolab
- 2017
Museum curator Rolo shows off the exhibition of Clayton, a former death row inmate whose consciousness became digital during one of Rolo’s experiments. Despite evidence of his innocence, Clayton was put to death, and his digitally immortal consciousness was subjected to torture inside Rolo’s museum, with guests being able to simulate the electric chair shock on the holographic Clayton and eventually putting him in a conscious but vegetative state. Clayton’s daughter Nish shows up to settle the score, trapping Rolo in an eternal state of torture in a small digital device.
- Kinolab
- 2017
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- 11 min
- Kinolab
- 2017
Technological Tortures and Traps
Museum curator Rolo shows off the exhibition of Clayton, a former death row inmate whose consciousness became digital during one of Rolo’s experiments. Despite evidence of his innocence, Clayton was put to death, and his digitally immortal consciousness was subjected to torture inside Rolo’s museum, with guests being able to simulate the electric chair shock on the holographic Clayton and eventually putting him in a conscious but vegetative state. Clayton’s daughter Nish shows up to settle the score, trapping Rolo in an eternal state of torture in a small digital device.
How can one protect their digital consciousness after they pass away? Can anyone ever be fully trusted to handle codes or programs that represent someone else’s existence or consciousness? How does the existence of racial bias and violence make the concept of eternal digital consciousnesses far more harrowing?
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- 10 min
- Kinolab
- 2018
Cassius “Cash” Green is a telemarketer who is taught to harness his “white voice,” which essentially means to exude privilege, in order to reach success. While this does eventually earn him upward mobility within the corporation RegalView, an owner of the controversial labor-contracting company WorryFree, his new status begins to conflict with his friends’ unionized protest efforts against the corporation.
- Kinolab
- 2018
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- 10 min
- Kinolab
- 2018
Identity and Mobility in a Techno-capitalist Economy
Cassius “Cash” Green is a telemarketer who is taught to harness his “white voice,” which essentially means to exude privilege, in order to reach success. While this does eventually earn him upward mobility within the corporation RegalView, an owner of the controversial labor-contracting company WorryFree, his new status begins to conflict with his friends’ unionized protest efforts against the corporation.
Have corporations become more or less adept at image control in the digital age? Does the common laborer have any more of a voice than they did before digital communication channels? How might the “white voice” be interpreted as commentary on how digital communication channels allow one to act in a completely different identity, no matter how false it is?