Technically Wrong

Sexist Apps, Biased Algorithms, and Other Threats of Toxic Tech

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Pub Date 10 Oct 2017 | Archive Date 30 Sep 2017

Description

Buying groceries, tracking our health, finding a date: whatever we want to do, odds are that we can now do it online. But few of us ask why all these digital products are designed the way they are. It’s time we change that. Many of the services we rely on are full of oversights, biases, and downright ethical nightmares: Chatbots that harass women. Signup forms that fail anyone who’s not straight. Social media sites that send peppy messages about dead relatives. Algorithms that put more black people behind bars. Sara Wachter-Boettcher takes an unflinching look at the values, processes, and assumptions that lead to these and other problems. Technically Wrong demystifies the tech industry, leaving those of us on the other side of the screen better prepared to make informed choices about the services we use—and demand more from the companies behind them.

Buying groceries, tracking our health, finding a date: whatever we want to do, odds are that we can now do it online. But few of us ask why all these digital products are designed the way they are...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780393634631
PRICE $24.95 (USD)
PAGES 240

Average rating from 3 members


Featured Reviews

Exactly as the title says, this book outlines everything wrong with technology in today's society - namely our most used apps and social networking websites.

There is so much relevant information in this book - how Facebook and fake news impacted the 2016 US Election and how the quirky-cute approach you often see in apps can have a negative impact on some users.

However, the most pressing problem is the lack of diversity in big tech companies - especially Facebook and Twitter. They may release diversity reports claiming otherwise, but do they ever release solid numbers? No.

These tech companies are mainly young, white men. And what do these young, white men create? Products for the "average human" - products that reflect themselves.

For example:

Snapchat releasing whitewashing photo filters and filters that embrace "yellow-face" - you know the ones
Google Photo's algorithm tagging black people as "gorilla"
Twitter and Facebook's "report abuse" method being very difficult and annoying to put into practice. These white men would never need to use this function.
Why is this so?

Because the people at these companies have not thought to cater to the whole population and when caught out, blame it on these being "extreme cases". Is being black an "extreme case"? Hell no.

Until tech companies start hiring those in minority groups, new products and releases are going to be designed the exact same way.



But, these companies use the excuse that there are not enough minorities in the "pipeline" (graduating in this area) to actually hire them - although this may be the case sometimes, it is just another excuse.

"Potential employers spend their time looking for a culture fit - someone who neatly matches employees already in the company."


I highly recommend this book - especially for those who feel underrepresented and ignored by big companies. It is very important that people see why these products are designed in such a way and how we change possibly change that.

"Every detail can add to the culture we want - can make people a little safer, a little calmer, a little more hopeful."

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