5.3 Computing Bias Notes

Intentional or Purposeful bias (Crossover Group Up, 10 minutes)

  1. Google “What age groups use Facebook” vs “… TikTok”? What does the data say? Is there purposeful exclusion in these platforms? Is it harmful? Should it be corrected? Is it good business?

Facebook has a wider age demographic with the majority of users being over 25, while TikTok has a younger user base with the majority of users being under 30. There is evidence that some age groups are purposely excluded from certain platforms, but whether it is harmful is subjective and dependent on individual experiences. Correcting exclusion could potentially increase inclusivity, but it may not always align with a platform’s business goals. The decision to correct exclusion should be weighed against the potential benefits and drawbacks. Ultimately, the decision whether exclusion is good for business will depend on various factors such as the platform’s target audience and business strategy.

  1. Why do virtual assistants have female voices? Amazon, Alexa Google, Apple Siri. Was this purposeful? Is it harmful? Should it be corrected? Is it good business?

Virtual assistants commonly have female voices due to societal gender norms and assumptions about women being subservient and helpful. The choice was not necessarily made with the intention of causing harm, but it has been criticized for perpetuating gender stereotypes. The issue of whether virtual assistant voices should be corrected is debatable, with some arguing for more diverse and inclusive options and others not seeing it as a significant issue. The decision of whether to change the voice and whether it is good for business will depend on factors such as customer preferences and cultural attitudes, and weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks.

  1. Talk about an algorithm that influences your decisions, think about these companies (ie FAANG - Facebook, Amazon, Apple,Netflix, Google)

One common algorithm that influences many people’s decisions is the recommendation algorithm used by companies like Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube. These algorithms use data like past purchases, viewing history, and search history to suggest products or content they think the user may be interested in. The recommendations are generated by algorithms that analyze patterns in the data and make predictions using machine learning. While these algorithms can expose users to new things and be convenient, they can also limit exposure to diverse perspectives and reinforce biases. It’s important for individuals to be aware of these algorithms and their impact, and for companies to be transparent about how they work and accountable for the consequences.

Pairs Video (HP Computers)

  1. Does the owner of the computer think this was intentional?
    • Definitely not, he has a hint of sarcasm in his voice so you can tell hes joking. he probably understands that it was a problem with the face recognition software and not purposely implemented.
  2. How do you think this happened?
    • HP probably only tested white people or people with lighter skin tones, so they did not recognize that their software is racist.
  3. Is this harmful? Was it intended to be harmful or exclude?
    • This was not harmful, it was not supposed to work like this so exclude.
  4. Should it be corrected?
    • Most Definitely. Or else they are losing a large audience of buyers for their company.
  5. What would you or should you do to produce a better outcome?
    • Fix the software and refund people in exchange for their computer that they had already purchased.