Across the Field
Policymakers and advocates need stronger methods to challenge automated decisions.
We seek to lay a strong foundation to challenge automated decisions across our issues. We look for structural opportunities to improve how governments and companies measure racial disparities, and to support advocates by expanding both legal protections and access to the information necessary to produce independent analyses. This work also includes detailed investigations into specific platforms, such as Facebook’s role in driving discrimination using targeted online advertising.
Comments on the FTC's proposed rulemaking on commercial surveillance and data security
Logan Koepke, Harlan Yu, Mariah de Leon, and Natasha Duarte
We provided comments in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Commercial Surveillance and Data Security.
Read moreLatest work in this issue area
All work in this issue areaWe submitted testimony to DC Council on the Stop Discrimination by Algorithms Act of 2021.
Emily Paul, Natasha Duarte, and Urmila Janardan
Our empirical assessment of racial inference methodologies, using self-reported demographic information from Uber riders.
Aaron Rieke, Mingwei Hsu, Vincent Southerland, and Dan Svirsky
We sent a letter urging the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy to fully incorporate the Biden administration’s commitment to racial equity into its AI and technology priorities.
Harlan Yu, Aaron Rieke, and Natasha Duarte
We submitted comments in response to the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s request for information on public and private sector uses of biometric technologies.
Emily Paul and Harlan Yu
Selected press and events
WIRED covers Upturn’s research on how Facebook’s ad delivery system may perpetuate bias.
Coverage from The Verge on Upturn’s research into how Facebook’s ad system can skew delivery outcomes.
The Economist covers Upturn’s research on Facebook’s seemingly discriminatory ad system.
“Facebook’s algorithms, which match marketing messages with viewers, leans on stereotypes when it comes to housing and jobs, according to [Upturn’s empirical work].”