Recent technological advancements have reshaped the American landscape ushering in novel civil rights issues. As technology is constantly evolving, it is important to be aware of both the positive and negative impacts these changes have on our everyday lives so that we can work to protect our civil rights in the digital age. While technology presents opportunities for accessibility and empowerment of marginalized communities, challenges surrounding privacy, biases, and inequality also arise. To ensure that our civil rights are protected and extended, it is essential to navigate these challenges through informed policies and regulations to uphold the principles of equality, fairness, and justice.
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Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil ISBN: 9780553418835 Publication Date: 2017 |
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Algorithms of Oppression by Safiya Umoja Noble ISBN: 9781479837243 Publication Date: 2018 |
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Race, Rhetoric, and Technology by Adam J. Banks ISBN: 9781135604813 Publication Date: 2006 |
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Race after Technology by Ruha Benjamin ISBN: 9781509526437 Publication Date: 2019 |
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While technological advancements have the potential to enhance accountability and transparency of police misconduct, they also raise critical concerns regarding implicit biases and invasions of privacy. Both the implementation of police body cameras and the prevalence of civilians' smartphones can provide vital evidence in cases of alleged misconduct. Additionally, these recordings of police misconduct are often posted to social media outlets raising awareness of systematic oppression.
The use of facial recognition technology by police forces raises significant civil rights concerns. In addition to the implicit concerns regarding invasion of privacy, errors in these systems can lead to false identifications, particularly among marginalized communities. Moreover, predictive policing algorithms which attempt to forecast crime patterns further marginalize already disadvantaged groups. By relying on historically biased criminal data, these algorithms can perpetuate discrimination against these communities.
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Predict and Surveil by Sarah Brayne ISBN: 9780190684112 Publication Date: 2020 |
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The Rise of Big Data Policing by Andrew Ferguson ISBN: 9781479892822 Publication Date: 2017 |
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The impact of advancing technologies regarding the workplace and civil rights is multifaceted. At the recruitment phase, many employers implement artificial intelligence technologies to screen applicants' resumes. In most cases, applicants are rejected from a position without a human actually reviewing their resume. By using these AI systems, employers may be discriminating against applicants without realizing because the program is built using implicitly biased data. This data can be built based on varying standards for preferred employees, but these preferences can further oppress already marginalized communities. For instance, an employer with a preference for employees who live closer to the business may be rejecting candidates based on socioeconomic status.
Another concern surrounding the advancements in technology centers around the displacement of jobs through automation of certain tasks. This automation eliminates certain jobs while also creating others. Often, the jobs that are lost are skill-based or blue collar jobs. These positions are then replaced by technology-focused positions. This shift negatively impacts already marginalized communities.
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The Future of Recruitment by Franziska Leutner; Reece Akhtar; Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic ISBN: 9781838675592 Publication Date: 2022 |
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Automation Anxiety by Cynthia Estlund ISBN: 9780197566121 Publication Date: 2021 |
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Given the explosion in electronics production in the recent past, the environmental impact of electronic waste (e-waste) poses significant risks to both humans and the the environment as a whole. The disposal of e-waste through incineration releases toxic chemicals into the environment negatively affecting surrounding communities. Likewise, e-waste recycling exposes workers to the same release of chemicals. Usually, the disposal of e-waste disproportionately impacts marginalized communities either working in or residing near e-waste disposal sites.
The implementation of artificial intelligence technology has attempted to address conservation and climate change issues by enhancing environmental management programs and policy decision making. By analyzing satellite and drone imaging, machine learning algorithms can analyze changes in ecosystems to better track ecological diminution.
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High Tech Trash by Elizabeth Grossman ISBN: 9781597263832 Publication Date: 2006 |
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AI in the Wild by Peter Dauvergne ISBN: 9780429619090 Publication Date: 2019 |
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The integration of artificial intelligence algorithms in healthcare, particularly in diagnostic and treatment decision-making processes, poses new concerns for patients' civil rights. Advancements in AI could potentially save lives through reducing medical error rates, diagnostic accuracy, and proactive disease outbreak detection. These systems, though beneficial, carry significant risks for already marginalized communities through the implicit biases of the data used. Additionally, access to these new technologies are generally available only to the affluent thus further exacerbating the socioeconomic digital divide.
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The Doctor and the Algorithm by Scott Graham ISBN: 9780197644461 Publication Date: 2022 |
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Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare by Parag Mahajan ISBN: 9781954612068 Publication Date: 2021 |
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Advancements in artificial intelligence technologies provide new tools for educators to facilitate personalized learning plans, bridge learning gaps, and determine the effectiveness of varying teaching methods. Specifically, these tools have supplemented curriculums for students with disabilities. Furthermore, AI models have been used in attempts to lower dropout rates by using predictive analysis of student performance to supply proper intervention for at-risk students.
These tools, while beneficial on their face, also present civil rights challenges. At its surface, access to these technologies are often available only to the affluent creating a socioeconomic digital divide. Additionally, the data used by these AI systems may further exacerbate inequity due to algorithmic bias within the datasets. Finally, the integration of AI software in learning has the potential to displace teacher and administrative jobs through task automation. As such, these advancements should be closely monitored and proactively designed to counter implicit biases.
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Technology Segregation by Miriam Tager ISBN: 9781498584449 Publication Date: 2019 |
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Black, Brown, Bruised by Ebony McGee ISBN: 9781682535370 Publication Date: 2021 |
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