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The point isn't whether those things are correct. They are used as tools of surveillance and oppression. > These are ultimately surveillance systems that are b
by johnnyworker 3y ago
The point isn't whether those things are correct. They are used as tools of surveillance and oppression.
> These are ultimately surveillance systems that are being marketed to those who have power over us generally: our employers, governments, border control, etc., to make determinations and predictions that will shape our access to resources and opportunities.
And hey, the more arbitrary or even false something is, the more obedience you can demonstrate by going along with it just because computer said no, so that's another "bonus".
Here's a chilling real-life example:
https://www.politico.eu/article/dutch-scandal-serves-as-a-warning-for-europe-over-risks-of-using-algorithms/ https://www.politico.eu/article/dutch-scandal-serves-as-a-wa...
> In 2019 it was revealed that the Dutch tax authorities had used a self-learning algorithm to create risk profiles in an effort to spot child care benefits fraud.
> Authorities penalized families over a mere suspicion of fraud based on the system’s risk indicators. Tens of thousands of families — often with lower incomes or belonging to ethnic minorities — were pushed into poverty because of exorbitant debts to the tax agency. Some victims committed suicide. More than a thousand children were taken into foster care.
Let that sink in.
- mavhc 3y ago"Authorities penalized families over a mere suspicion of fraud based on the system’s risk indicators" Don't do that part, nothing to do with AI, it's about humans being lazy
- notRobot 3y agoAnd AI enables it to greater ex extents then ever before.
- mavhc 3y agoSo do computers, still the humans to blame
- pixl97 3y agoAnd technology changes the scale of the buy in of that single human you have to blame. Generally a country has to follow some terrible authoritarian leader before horrific things start to happen, but when software causes the problem, even the most open democracies give up and say "Well the software told me so"
- HourglassFR 3y agoHave you met humans?
- tomrod 3y agoWonderful, creative folks seeking fulfillment, yes.
- newswasboring 3y agoHave you? Humans can use anything as a form of oppression, they don't even need tools, they were oppressing the masses with "traditions" for millennia. I am not saying AI tools don't supercharge these things, but the solution to this problem is not crippling technology, it's to improve society. The printing press was used to both distribute hate speech and progressive manifestoes.
- johnnyworker 3y agoWho proposed "crippling" AI tools? Or "blaming" them? We're still at the step of raising awareness, and that is achieved by making it clear that the situation and the trends are really fucking bad, no ifs and buts and maybes about it. This tech as a body pillow stuff is really grating to me. Tech doesn't care about you, tech doesn't know you, tech doesn't need you -- other people (and arguably animals) do, right now.
- newswasboring 3y agoSeems like we are getting to different conclusion from the same premise. Both agree AI tech isn't the problem, the system we live in it is. So I don't understand why should AI take up so much space in public discourse while we should be talking about how to fix the larger societal issues.
- Maro 3y agoMore balanced explanation of the Dutch case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_childcare_benefits_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_childcare_benefits_scand...
- tomrod 3y ago>> Authorities penalized families over a mere suspicion of fraud based on the system’s risk indicators. Tens of thousands of families — often with lower incomes or belonging to ethnic minorities — were pushed into poverty because of exorbitant debts to the tax agency. Some victims committed suicide. More than a thousand children were taken into foster care. > Let that sink in. The need for governance is important. In this case, an automated (imperfect) labeling system was the arbiter for classification. That should never happen.
- sambull 3y agoWe love our black boxes; not just technology either. From 'experts' to devices like lie detectors and bomb divining rods.