Why is AI a Social Justice Issue? | Buse Çetin | TEDxKonstanz

Summary

In a reflective narrative set in a Parisian nail salon, the speaker explores the intersections of personal heartbreak, social media algorithms, and the implications of artificial intelligence. After a conversation with the salon owner about why her photos aren't visible on Instagram, the speaker delves into how data collection shapes identities and perpetuates biases. Highlighting the need for algorithmic literacy, the speaker urges viewers to critically engage with their social media feeds while advocating for a deeper understanding of technology's societal impacts through the platform Dreaming Beyond AI.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker experiences heartbreak and seeks solace by getting 'revenge nails' at a Paris nail salon.
• 💡 Conversations about AI reveal a lack of understanding of how social media algorithms work, especially regarding visibility and engagement.
• 🔍 The Instagram algorithm categorizes users based on their interactions, creating profiles that can predict personal attributes like sexuality and beliefs.
• 🛑 Online privacy concerns arise from widespread data collection through user interactions, often accepted without much thought.
• 📊 Data collected from social media can be sold to third parties, leading to algorithmic profiling that may reinforce societal biases.
• 🚫 Algorithmic bias can result in unfair treatment in hiring practices, evidenced by Amazon's hiring tool favoring male candidates due to biased training data.
• 👩‍⚖️ Automated systems can perpetuate existing injustices across various domains, including education and criminal justice, impacting marginalized groups the most.
• 🤔 Understanding these algorithms is challenging due to corporate secrecy and the complexity of the systems involved.
• 🌍 The speaker encourages self-reflection on personal social media feeds to promote algorithmic literacy and awareness of biases.
• 🌟 Advocacy for the social implications of AI is essential, aiming for a better understanding of how technology affects individual lives and society as a whole.

Q & A

What prompted the speaker to investigate how the Instagram algorithm works?

The speaker felt dissatisfied after a conversation with Atanasia, the nail salon owner, who asked why her Instagram photos weren't shown to most followers. This prompted the speaker to research the algorithm.

How does the Instagram algorithm categorize users?

The Instagram algorithm categorizes users based on their interactions, such as likes, shares, and content production, which create a digital profile reflecting user behavior and preferences.

What is the significance of cookies in the context of data collection?

Cookies track user activity across the web, allowing companies to gather information about users, which is then sold to third parties like advertisers, influencing how social media platforms operate.

What concerns does the speaker raise about privacy on social media?

The speaker highlights that while users may feel they have nothing to hide, the vast amount of data collected can be used to create detailed profiles, making it easy to predict personal characteristics like sexuality and political beliefs.

How do algorithms potentially lead to discrimination in hiring practices?

Algorithms can inadvertently be biased, as seen with Amazon's AI tool that favored male candidates due to its training on historical data, leading to systemic discrimination against women and other marginalized groups.

What does the speaker mean by 'algorithmic harm'?

Algorithmic harm refers to the negative impacts caused by biased algorithms, which can result in unfair treatment in areas such as hiring, education, and criminal justice based on race, gender, and socioeconomic status.

What steps does the speaker suggest for individuals to better understand their online presence?

The speaker encourages individuals to critically engage with their social media feeds, reflect on the content they see, and consider how it represents their identity, fostering 'algorithmic literacy.'

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of understanding social identities and labels?

Understanding social identities and labels is crucial for recognizing how power dynamics operate in society, which can affect how individuals are treated and categorized by algorithms.

What is the speaker's personal connection to the topic discussed?

The speaker shares their experience of feeling judged based on appearance and background after moving from Turkey to France, highlighting the importance of self-perception and societal perceptions.

What initiative did the speaker co-found, and what is its purpose?

The speaker co-founded 'Dreaming Beyond AI,' a research advocacy and art platform aimed at exploring the social implications of artificial intelligence and promoting awareness about its impacts.