One of the major flaws of artificial intelligence (AI) is that it can reinforce racial bias. As CNN reported, the technology is based on data fed by humans, which can mean the data can be racist and biased. “Remember: AI is just software that learns by example,” Reid Blackman, author of the book, “Ethical Machines,” told CNN. “So if you give it examples that contain or reflect certain kinds of biases or discriminatory attitudes … you’re going to get outputs that resemble that.” The impact of its racial bias continues to disproportionately affect the Black community , including when it comes to resume screening. “And many employers now use AI-driven tools to interview and screen job seekers, many of which pose enormous risks for discrimination against people with disabilities and other protected groups,” the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) wrote in a 2021 report on how AI can worsen racial and economic inequities. Now, a recent research paper has shown another area where AI...

Racial discrimination in hiring is a barrier that many Black applicants face, especially those who don’t have “white-sounding” names. A TikToker by the name of Dee Realz is one of a few from the growing group who has stepped forward to share her experience. @dee.realz has any melanated individuals experienced this? #jobs #jobinterview #fyp ♬ original sound – Dee Realz

A Texas telecom company just lost a $70 million federal discrimination lawsuit. Atlanta Black Star reports that Glow Networks Inc. and its parent company, CSS Corp, exposed nine Black employees — and one white employee who advocated on behalf of his Black co-workers — to what can only be summarized as a hostile work environment tinged with more than a bit of racism. And based on the facts of the case, that’s the height of understatement. “Court documents reveal there were originally fourteen members in the group suing Glow Networks, Inc., alleging that they had ‘both tangible actions, such as terminations and denials of promotions, and on the alleged creation of a hostile work environment,'” reports the outlet. Initially, fourteen employees brought the federal discrimination suit against the telecom company. However, only ten employees ultimately were awarded damages — the other four’s claims were dismissed by the court. For Yarbrough, though, it was the principle of the matter. “We...

Meanwhile, in white America, these are the type of court cases that see the light of day. Recently a man filed a lawsuit claiming he was fired from a hospital system because he was a white man. According to NBC News, a jury awarded him $10 million for his claims. David Duvall was an employee at Novant Health, located in Winston-Salem, and, per the suit, says he was fired without cause “as a part of an intentional campaign to promote diversity in its management ranks.” And, according to him, he was fired due to both his sex and gender. On the other hand, Novant Health says that Duvall was fired for “deficient performance and the delegation of critical duties to subordinates.” “We are extremely disappointed in the verdict, as we believe it is not supported by the evidence presented at trial, which includes our reason for Mr. Duvall’s termination,” said a Novant Health spokesperson in an official statement. “We will pursue all legal options, including appeal.” Duvall, who was hired...

Tech companies such as Uber recently took a public stand against systemic racism and called out police brutality through their app’s new features, TODAY reports . However, the company’s values along with another ride-hailing company, Lyft, are being called into question after a new study showed the two companies’ algorithms charge higher rates for customers traveling to non-white neighborhoods, Salon reports . The study’s research showed a data set of over 100 million trips taken in Chicago, IL between November 2018 and December 2019 that proved while “demand and speed” have the highest correlation with ride fares, Complex reports , various forms of social bias are also present for riders traveling to and from certain neighborhoods. According to the study — conducted by researchers Aylin Caliskan and Akshat Pandey at George Washington University in Washington D.C. — research showed that the ride-hailing companies charged a higher price per mile for trips where the destination or...

The fight continues for Byron Allen’s lawsuit against media and communications giant, Comcast. On Monday, the Supreme Court dismissed a lower court case that would allow Allen to advance one step further in his $20 billion racial bias lawsuit against the media company, The New York Times reports. Allen, a former comedian turned businessman and entertainment media mogul filed a lawsuit against Comcast in 2015 , after the company refused to carry any channels controlled by Allen’s Entertainment Studios. The grounds of Allen’s suit are based on the Civil Rights Act of 1866, a law that prohibits racial discrimination in business contracts. Despite the legitimacy behind Allen’s claims the nine justices unanimously threw out the ruling. As a result, the case was handed back over to the San Francisco-based Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal to make the decision on whether Allen’s claims that Comcast’s refusal to carry Entertainment Studios’ channels was solely based on him being Black. The...

The heat has been turned up on a lawsuit involving telecommunications giant Comcast and media mogul Byron Allen.  This week, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer contacted the telecom company — one of the largest cable and broadcast companies in the world — encouraging it to settle the suit with Allen. Black Enterprise reported that “ 9 million Comcast shares worth an estimated $423 million ” are part of New York City pension fund investments . Stringer has a vested interest in ensuring that the financial magnitude of the case does not weigh heavily on long-term investors. The comptroller has another interest as well. He believes that the racial discrimination lawsuit could leave a bitter taste in the hearts and minds of many, adding to an ever-divisive national climate. Allen sued Comcast for $20 billion in 2015, citing racial discrimination when Comcast failed to include several of his networks in its programming. Allen affirmed that other white-owned networks appeared in...