VIRTUAL: CODED BIAS film screening
07 May 2021, 6:30 pm–8:30 pm
When researcher Joy Buolamwini discovers that facial recognition does not see dark-skinned faces, she embarks on a journey to change the law
This event is free.
Event Information
Open to
- All
Availability
- Yes
Cost
- Free
Organiser
-
Sarah Parker Remond Centre / Black History Walksk.karhu@ucl.ac.uk
This event is organised by Black History Walks in collaboration with UCL's Sarah Parker Remond Centre
While conducting research on facial recognition technologies at the M.I.T. Media Lab, Joy Buolamwini, made the startling discovery that some algorithms could not detect dark-skinned faces or classify women with accuracy. This led to the harrowing realization that the very machine-learning algorithms intended to avoid prejudice are only as unbiased as the humans and historical data programming them. (watch trailer below)
Coded Bias follows Joy, along with data scientists, mathematicians, and watchdog groups from all over the world, as they fight to expose the discrimination within algorithms in employment, banking, insurance, dating, policing and social media.
Coded Bias documents the dramatic journey that follows, as Buolamwini goes public with her findings and creates a movement for accountability, including testifying before the US Congress to push for the first-ever legislation governing facial recognition in the United States and starting the Algorithmic Justice League.
Focusing on the voices of women leading the charge to ensure our civil rights are protected, Coded Bias asks two key questions: what is the impact of Artificial Intelligence’s increasing role in governing our liberties? And what are the consequences for people stuck in the crosshairs due to their race and gender?
The film also includes Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, who is monitoring the trial use of facial recognition technology by U.K. police; Virginia Eubanks, author of Automating Inequality; Ravi Naik, human rights lawyer and media commentator; Dr. Safiya Umoja Noble, author and expert on algorithmic discrimination and technology bias; and Zeynep Tufekci, author of Twitter and Teargas.
"Because of the power of these tools, left unregulated there is no recourse for abuse ... we need laws." Joy Buolamwini, Coded Bias
Official Selection, Sundance Film Festival, 2020