The Documentary: Coded Bias
The Director: Shalini Kantayya
The Story: An exploration of the fallout of MIT Media Lab researcher Joy
Buolamwini's startling discovery of racial bias in facial recognition
algorithms.
Director Interview:
The Review:
At this point in time, we all have a pretty good idea of just how extensively
racism is embedded into our history and culture and the impact it has on our
lives each and every day. What I never thought of before, and apparently most
people are right here with me on this, is how racism can be embedded into
actual computer code and specifically into facial recognition software and
algorithms that can determine whether or not we get a job interview or a
desirable interest rate.
Shalini Kantayya's documentary focuses on a very specific discovery
accidentally made by Joy Buolamwini, founder of the
Algorithmic Justice League, as she ran into
issues with a facial recognition program that wouldn't recognize her face
simply because of the color of her skin. From the moment of Buolamwini's
discovery, the story becomes an intense thriller that expands around the
globe, shows how governments are using the technology in some very eye opening
ways, and how software programs are negatively impacting women and
people of color. The director follows this trail from a small apartment all
the way to the hallowed hallways of our federal government.
You can tell by the pacing and urgency of the documentary that Kantayya really
wants people to get this and to understand the impact that facial recognition
software can have in just about every aspect of our lives. Governments are
using it, law enforcement is using it, business are using it and all of them
are finding ways to manipulate and control and influence entire populations
which is a very dangerous thought. As big as this story is, it's also
unfortunately one that is a piece of a very large puzzle of racism so
ingrained into the human experience that it's easy to miss that it's even
there.
Kantayya also shows the differences of how artificial intelligence, facial
recognition tech, and other algorithmic programs can be used and even accepted
by the people they have the most impact on. In China, we see how software
programs are ingrained in daily life from the government using a scoring
algorithm that some might consider oppressive and controlling all the way down
to using facial recognition to buy a beverage from a vending machine. A lot of
people in China see these things as normal parts of their daily lives and also
see a lot of benefits like how the scoring system can give people certain
freedoms and can also give insight into other people around them.
I feel like a lot of these things wouldn't fly here in the States as privacy,
or at least the last lingering illusions of privacy, is something that a lot
of people hold dear and as a whole, not something the country would be willing
to give up. Of course, Kantayya takes that idea and shows just how
manipulative and invasive social media and internet commerce already is and
also how it's basically the same implementation, it's just packaged in
different and more subversive ways. This begs the question of where do we draw
the line when it comes to what is acceptable in implementing programs that can
have automatic bias built into them and what are the first steps we can take
to recreate programs and algorithms so the biases don't exist.
The director raises a lot of questions and most of those questions do not have
answers just yet so she shows us people like Joy Buolamwini, Safiya
Noble, Zeynep Tufekci, and many others who are moving the conversations
forward while bringing awareness to the fundamental problems that exist in a
digitized world that has been largely controlled and created by white men.
Ultimately, this documentary introduces us to a roster of heroes who are
leading the fight against the racism, classism, and gender bias that
technology is constantly using against us.
The Verdict:
Coded Bias is a fascinating journey of discovery and a warning to the
world that our freedoms, our thoughts, and our beliefs are under attack by
programs and algorithms that are constantly dehumanizing the human experience.
Shalini Kantayya has created an essential documentary that puts a spotlight on
one of the most important and pivotal topics of our time.
Director Interview:
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