5 ms·

What does this have to do with racist algorithms? I know that Ars is big on pushing whatever the latest progressive agenda is, but the connection is tenuous eve

What does this have to do with racist algorithms? I know that Ars is big on pushing whatever the latest progressive agenda is, but the connection is tenuous even considering that.

commandar 10y ago
As best I can tell, it's just a horribly mangled headline that has very little to do with the actual content of the article.
- dang 10y ago
  If anyone can suggest a better title (i.e. more accurate and neutral, preferably using representative language from the article), we can change it.
maldusiecle 10y ago
The article cites academics looking at "possible racial discrimination in online advertising for housing and employment." Since online advertising tends to be selected algorithmically, I think the connection is pretty clear.
- oldmanjay 10y ago
  I'm not comfortable assuming facts not covered in the article. Generally, it's the journalist's job to fill in such blanks. If your take is correct, then this is just poor craftsmanship on their part, although it will certainly achieve the emotional resonance they pursue.
- toehead2000 10y ago
  Unfortunately whatever algorithm computers come up with to assess creditworthiness is going to be "racist" by the broad disparate impact definition of racism that the government uses. Ironically, the algorithms will have to be made actually racist to correct for this.
michaelbuddy 10y ago
Thankfully lately Ars has been a little bit less biased than say Wired or Verge. One of the founders is a conservative, his piece on the open source nature of the AR-15 made hacker news the other day. Though I have detected some bias with Ars, It hasn't been near enough to dump them like I have wired and Verge. I'll keep my eye on it. Lately a lot of these now-biased news tech sites seem to justify publishing an agenda-driven political hit piece JUST because the candidate used twitter to make a point. Or by branding themsevles "Tech and 'Lifestyle'" they justify having biased political writers / editors on staff who parrot the progressive narrative like that on the actual political sites.
- ewzimm 10y ago
  That was a good article, but Jon Stokes hasn't written for Ars Technica for 5 years now. He published that on Medium. But the idea that supporting gun rights is a universally conservative position just goes to show how tribal and polarized everything is. Gun control has almost nothing to do with other liberal positions and yet it's packaged together in such a way that nearly every liberal comes out for increased gun control and every conservative comes out against it. It's very hard to find a person with individual opinions on issues.
  - michaelbuddy 10y ago
    You're right, I forgot about that. It was my thinking that Stokes must have some say in the direction Ars goes. I mean he's going to look at the site and give feedback, maybe even have say over who is hired and for what. If stories coming out of some department start getting too biased one might think Stokes would want to take action. Strange how he didn't put that story on Ars. It would have worked. Perhaps he wanted to keep it personal and keep even his own bias off the site. Which is a big plus IMO.
    - ewzimm 10y ago
      I think that you're right that he probably gives some feedback, but as far as I know he has no official involvement with it anymore. He sold it to Conde Nast and then later left the company, although being a founder must carry some weight with the staff still.

What does this have to do with racist algorithms? I know that Ars is big on pushing whatever the latest progressive agenda is, but the connection is tenuous even considering that.

commandar 10y ago

As best I can tell, it's just a horribly mangled headline that has very little to do with the actual content of the article.

dang 10y ago
If anyone can suggest a better title (i.e. more accurate and neutral, preferably using representative language from the article), we can change it.

maldusiecle 10y ago

The article cites academics looking at "possible racial discrimination in online advertising for housing and employment." Since online advertising tends to be selected algorithmically, I think the connection is pretty clear.

oldmanjay 10y ago
I'm not comfortable assuming facts not covered in the article. Generally, it's the journalist's job to fill in such blanks. If your take is correct, then this is just poor craftsmanship on their part, although it will certainly achieve the emotional resonance they pursue.
toehead2000 10y ago
Unfortunately whatever algorithm computers come up with to assess creditworthiness is going to be "racist" by the broad disparate impact definition of racism that the government uses. Ironically, the algorithms will have to be made actually racist to correct for this.

michaelbuddy 10y ago

Thankfully lately Ars has been a little bit less biased than say Wired or Verge. One of the founders is a conservative, his piece on the open source nature of the AR-15 made hacker news the other day. Though I have detected some bias with Ars, It hasn't been near enough to dump them like I have wired and Verge. I'll keep my eye on it. Lately a lot of these now-biased news tech sites seem to justify publishing an agenda-driven political hit piece JUST because the candidate used twitter to make a point. Or by branding themsevles "Tech and 'Lifestyle'" they justify having biased political writers / editors on staff who parrot the progressive narrative like that on the actual political sites.

ewzimm 10y ago
That was a good article, but Jon Stokes hasn't written for Ars Technica for 5 years now. He published that on Medium. But the idea that supporting gun rights is a universally conservative position just goes to show how tribal and polarized everything is. Gun control has almost nothing to do with other liberal positions and yet it's packaged together in such a way that nearly every liberal comes out for increased gun control and every conservative comes out against it. It's very hard to find a person with individual opinions on issues.
- michaelbuddy 10y ago
  You're right, I forgot about that. It was my thinking that Stokes must have some say in the direction Ars goes. I mean he's going to look at the site and give feedback, maybe even have say over who is hired and for what. If stories coming out of some department start getting too biased one might think Stokes would want to take action. Strange how he didn't put that story on Ars. It would have worked. Perhaps he wanted to keep it personal and keep even his own bias off the site. Which is a big plus IMO.
  - ewzimm 10y ago
    I think that you're right that he probably gives some feedback, but as far as I know he has no official involvement with it anymore. He sold it to Conde Nast and then later left the company, although being a founder must carry some weight with the staff still.