Colorism in Tech
While there are talented engineers, coders, and designers of color working to change this narrative as we speak, today’s technology and artificial intelligence has a colorism and gender bias.
The fact is, machines are not neutral.
The code and algorithms they rely on to function take into account the creators biases and practices. This means that technology which utilizes pigmentation and gender cues is designed with whiteness and masculinity in mind. The landmark “Gender Shades” project by Joy Buolamwini demonstrated that big tech’s facial recognition algorithms performed the worst when it came to darker skinned women.
The effects of darker skin not being “seen” by technology and AI trickle through the products
we encounter every day.
THINK — Wearable technology misreporting data, motion sensors not registering, facial recognition misidentifying. This is why we emphasize colorism as a system that actively works against those with darker skin tones. It impacts quality of life.
As more people become aware of how colorism and gender biases affect who is able to use technology, the greater the call is for change.
Google recently introduced the Monk Scale
Inspired by a decade of research on skin and the effects of colorism from Dr. Ellis Monk – designed to make technology more inclusive of the diverse range of skin tones that exist.