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Bill Would Force The Department of Veterans Affairs to Overhaul Suicide Prevention Algorithm That Favors White Men. (themarkup.org)

submitted 3 weeks ago by Dot@feddit.org to c/technology@lemmy.world

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[–] Jackthelad@lemmy.world 22 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Headline leaning into the culture wars a bit there, isn't it?

I'd fully expect a program like this to favour white men given they make up the majority of the armed forces. It's called maths. Or "math" I guess, in America.

[–] GetOffMyLan@programming.dev 23 points 3 weeks ago

It shouldn't favour anyone. It should treat each person as an individual and figure out what they need based on their characteristics. If it's been designed to only work well for white men it's been designed poorly.

[–] sensibilidades@lemmy.world 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If the algorithm is more likely to help a white servicemember than a black one, that would be a problem, no?

[–] Jackthelad@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It would be, but is that what's happening?

The article seemed to mention men and women, but nothing to do with race apart from the headline.

[–] GetOffMyLan@programming.dev 13 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

after an investigation by The Fuller Project and The Markup found the department’s algorithm prioritized White, male veterans. It also gave preference to veterans who are “divorced and male” and “widowed and male” but not to any group of female veterans.

[–] Nindelofocho@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Im really curious on how and why it prioritizes it at all. Im probably ignorant to this but shouldn’t it just be if you are a veteran and you need help, you get it? Anything less than that would be inequity ?

[–] GetOffMyLan@programming.dev 7 points 2 weeks ago

I'm guessing they have limited resources for direct intervention so use this to flag up people who have the most risk factors.

It doesn't sound like this is people asking for help but more trying to predict who might need it.

[–] ContrarianTrail@lemm.ee 7 points 2 weeks ago

They also make up the majority of people commiting suicide. Not sure about 'white' but men that is.

[–] flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz 3 points 3 weeks ago

It's such a harmful aspect of American culture not just in this case - they treat White and Black people as fundamentally different and separate, and each must have it's own kind of healthcare.