Bias in Tech & Gendering in Tech
Guidelines
Students should respond to the following questions, using their own words and writing in complete sentences. Each question should warrant at least a two sentence response. This week’s discussion board covers March 12 and March 17 classes.
!!!READING YOU NEED TO COMPLETE:
1.Cecco, “Toronto van attack suspect says he was ‘radicalized’ online by ‘incels'”https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/27/alek-minassian-toronto-van-attack-interview-incels
2.Robertson, “Should We Treat Incels as Terrorists?”
March 12
- What did you learn from the Cecco and Robinson articles about incels?
- How does incel culture relate to bias in technology?
- Do you think social media culture operates differently for men and women? Why or why not?
- Are incels terrorists? Why or why not?
!!!READING YOU NEED TO COMPLETE:
1.Hsu, “These Influencers Aren’t Flesh and Blood, Yet Millions Follow Them”
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/17/business/media/miquela-virtual-influencer.html
2.Romano, “A group of YouTubers is trying to prove the site systematically demonetizes queer content”
3.Harwell, “Dating apps need women. Advertisers need diversity. AI companies offer a solution: Fake people”
March 17
- What are three things that the articles for 3/17 have in common?
- Explore http://www.whichfaceisreal.com, testing at least five faces. How accurate were you? How does your experience with the website inform your understanding of the Harwell article?
- What connections do you see between the developments describes in Harwell’s article and other themes we have explored in class?
- Why was queer content being demonetized on YouTube, according to the Romano reading?
- Are virtual influencers a beneficial or detrimental development? Why or why not?
- Is there a way for advertisers to use virtual face and persona-generating technologies responsibly? How might that be?
