Themes (326)
Find narratives by ethical themes or by technologies.
FILTERreset filters-
- 7 min
- New York Times
- 2018
This article details the research of Joy Buolamwini on racial bias coded into algorithms, specifically facial recognition programs. When auditing facial recognition software from several large companies such as IBM and Face++, she found that they are far worse at properly identifying darker skinned faces. Overall, this reveals that facial analysis and recognition programs are in need of exterior systems of accountability.
- New York Times
- 2018
-
- 7 min
- New York Times
- 2018
Facial Recognition Is Accurate, if You’re a White Guy
This article details the research of Joy Buolamwini on racial bias coded into algorithms, specifically facial recognition programs. When auditing facial recognition software from several large companies such as IBM and Face++, she found that they are far worse at properly identifying darker skinned faces. Overall, this reveals that facial analysis and recognition programs are in need of exterior systems of accountability.
What does exterior accountability for facial recognition software look like, and what should it look like? How and why does racial bias get coded into technology, whether explicitly or implicitly?
-
- 7 min
- Wall Street Journal
- 2021
Google’s new Pixel 6 smartphone claims to have “the world’s most inclusive camera” based on its purported ability to more accurately reflect darker skin tones in photographs, a form of digital justice notably absent from previous iterations of computational photography across the phones of various tech monopolies.
- Wall Street Journal
- 2021
-
- 7 min
- Wall Street Journal
- 2021
Google Built the Pixel 6 Camera to Better Portray People With Darker Skin Tones. Does It?
Google’s new Pixel 6 smartphone claims to have “the world’s most inclusive camera” based on its purported ability to more accurately reflect darker skin tones in photographs, a form of digital justice notably absent from previous iterations of computational photography across the phones of various tech monopolies.
How can “arms races” between different tech monopolies potentially lead to positive innovations, especially those that center equity? Why did it take so long to have a more inclusive camera? How can a camera be exclusive?
-
- 10 min
- The Washington Post
- 2019
After prolonged discussion on the effect of “bots,” or automated accounts on social networks, interfering with the electoral process in America in 2016, many worries surfaced that something similar could happen in 2020. This article details the shifts in strategy for using bots to manipulate political conversations online, from techniques like Inorganic Coordinated Activity or hashtag hijacking. Overall, some bot manipulation in political discourse is to be expected, but when used effectively these algorithmic tools still have to power to shape conversations to the will of their deployers.
- The Washington Post
- 2019
-
- 10 min
- The Washington Post
- 2019
Are ‘bots’ manipulating the 2020 conversation? Here’s what’s changed since 2016.
After prolonged discussion on the effect of “bots,” or automated accounts on social networks, interfering with the electoral process in America in 2016, many worries surfaced that something similar could happen in 2020. This article details the shifts in strategy for using bots to manipulate political conversations online, from techniques like Inorganic Coordinated Activity or hashtag hijacking. Overall, some bot manipulation in political discourse is to be expected, but when used effectively these algorithmic tools still have to power to shape conversations to the will of their deployers.
How are social media networks architectures that can be manipulated to an individual’s agenda, and how could this be addressed? Should any kind of bot accounts be allowed on Twitter, or do they all have too much negative potential to be trusted? What affordances of social networks allow bad actors to redirect the traffic of these networks? Is the problem of “trends” or “cascades” inherent to social media?
-
- 10 min
- Gizmodo
- 2021
Physicist Brian Nord, who learned about deep learning algorithms through his research on the cosmos, warns against how developing algorithms without proper ethical sensibility can lead to these algorithms having more negative impacts than positive ones. Essentially, an “a priori” or proactive approach to instilling AI ethical sensibility, whether through review institutions or ethical education of developers, is needed to guard against privileged populations using algorithms to maintain hegemony.
- Gizmodo
- 2021
-
- 10 min
- Gizmodo
- 2021
Developing Algorithms That Might One Day Be Used Against You
Physicist Brian Nord, who learned about deep learning algorithms through his research on the cosmos, warns against how developing algorithms without proper ethical sensibility can lead to these algorithms having more negative impacts than positive ones. Essentially, an “a priori” or proactive approach to instilling AI ethical sensibility, whether through review institutions or ethical education of developers, is needed to guard against privileged populations using algorithms to maintain hegemony.
What would an ideal algorithmic accountability organization or process look like? What specific ethical regions should AI developers study before creating their algorithms? How can algorithms or other programs created for one context, such as scientific research or learning, be misused in other contexts?
-
- 5 min
- Inc
- 2021
On International Data Privacy Day, Apple CEO Tim Cook fired shots against Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook’s model of mining user data through platform analytics and web mining to serve up targeted ads to users. By contrast, Cook painted Apple as a privacy oriented company who wants to make technology work for its users by not collecting their data and manipulating them psychologically through advertising.
- Inc
- 2021
-
- 5 min
- Inc
- 2021
Tim Cook May Have Just Ended Facebook
On International Data Privacy Day, Apple CEO Tim Cook fired shots against Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook’s model of mining user data through platform analytics and web mining to serve up targeted ads to users. By contrast, Cook painted Apple as a privacy oriented company who wants to make technology work for its users by not collecting their data and manipulating them psychologically through advertising.
Are you convinced that Apple has a better business model than Facebook? Should users be responsible for taking steps to protect themselves against web mining, or should Facebook be responsible for adding in more guardrails? What are the consequences of both Facebook and Apple products being involved in larger architectures that extend beyond the singular digital artifact?
-
- 10 min
- Slate
- 2021
Using the tale of Art History Professor François-Marc Gagnon, whose video lectures were used to instruct students even after his death, this article raises questions about how technologies such as digital memory and data streaming for education in the time of coronavirus may ultimately undervalue the work of educators.
- Slate
- 2021
-
- 10 min
- Slate
- 2021
How a Dead Professor Is Teaching a University Art History Class
Using the tale of Art History Professor François-Marc Gagnon, whose video lectures were used to instruct students even after his death, this article raises questions about how technologies such as digital memory and data streaming for education in the time of coronavirus may ultimately undervalue the work of educators.
What are the largest possible detriments to automating teaching, both for students and for educators? If large amounts of data from a given course or discipline were used to train an AI to teach a course, what would such a program do well, and what aspects of education would be missed? How can educators have more personal control over the digital traces of their teaching? At what point might broader access to educational materials through digital networks actually harm certain groups of people?