this post was submitted on 07 Aug 2023
505 points (97.7% liked)

Science

13222 readers
15 users here now

Subscribe to see new publications and popular science coverage of current research on your homepage


founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Was this AI trained on an unbalanced data set? (Only black folks?) Or has it only been used to identify photos of black people? I have so many questions: some technical, some on media sensationalism

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] nieceandtows@programming.dev 12 points 1 year ago (18 children)

I don’t think this is some systematic racism. Rather, it’s the technology itself that’s lacking. I remember even those motion activated bathroom sinks had problem working well with black hands. I think they’re just not good enough at differentiating between darkness and black skin.

[–] fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.uk 10 points 1 year ago (9 children)
[–] nieceandtows@programming.dev 1 points 1 year ago (8 children)

Just because it can be doesn’t mean that’s the first place we go to. Stupidity is more likely than maliciousness and all that.

[–] fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.uk 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@nieceandtows ::gestures at mankind's enormously long and complex history of systemic racism::

People are going to read your post and assume that you are apologising for the police *because* they are the police. You know, one of those "they must have done something wrong or the police wouldn't have arrested them" people.

I'm sure you're not one of those. Just saying how it looks.

[–] nieceandtows@programming.dev 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Eh. I have a loved one with some undiagnosed mental health issues, and it’s a constant struggle because they always assume the worst of anyone and everyone. Watching/living with them, I’ve learned that it’s always better to assume good about people than assuming bad about them. Assuming bad things without proof only ever ruins your happiness and relationships. People can read my comments and understand what I’m saying like you do. If they don’t and assume I’m racist, it only proves my point.

[–] fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.uk 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@nieceandtows Plenty of proof of systemic racism in the police if you want to see it.

[–] nieceandtows@programming.dev -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not talking about systemic racism in general. I know there's a lot of that. I'm talking about systemic racism causing this particular issue. I'm saying because there have been cases of motion sensors not detecting black hands because of technical issues. I'm not apologizing for anyone, just pointing out the fact that it has happened before due to technical deficiencies.

[–] fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.uk 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@nieceandtows The fact that there have been issues with sensors (which is true) does not disprove systemic racism (which exists). That's like saying that because I put vinegar in the dressing the lemon juice wasn't sour. It doesn't follow.

[–] nieceandtows@programming.dev -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Putting the same thing the other way around: The fact that there have been issues with systemic racism (which is true) does not disprove technical malfunction (which exists). That’s like saying that because the lemon juice is sour it means it has vinegar in it. It doesn’t follow. Lemon juice can be sour just because it has lemons in it, without need of any vinegar in it.

[–] fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.uk 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@nieceandtows But we know that there is systemic racism in the police. There *is* vinegar in it.

[–] nieceandtows@programming.dev 1 points 1 year ago

Again, I'm not disagreeing on systemic racism in the police at all. That is a big issue that needs to be solved. Just saying that this doesn't have to be related to it, because the technology itself has some issues like this. The vinegar is in the food, yes, but lemon is naturally sour. Even if there is no vinegar, it's gonna be sour. Attributing everything to vinegar wouldn't make food better. It would just make it difficult to identify issues with individual ingredients.

load more comments (6 replies)
load more comments (6 replies)
load more comments (14 replies)