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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.

Featured

Proposals for the Biden Administration to Address Technology’s Role in Discrimination

Harlan Yu, Aaron Rieke, and Natasha Duarte

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.

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Latest work in this issue area

All work in this issue area
Comments on OSTP's Biometrics Technologies RFI

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

Amicus Brief in Henderson v. Source for Public Data

This amicus brief urges the Fourth Circuit to preserve critical and longstanding obligations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that require consumer reporting agencies to ensure the accuracy of records used to make decisions about people’s access to housing, employment, credit, and other basic needs.

Aaron Rieke, Natasha Duarte, Urmila Janardan, and Logan Koepke

Why Facebook's Ad Platform shouldn't be fully immunized by Section 230

We filed a legal brief arguing that Section 230 should not fully immunize Facebook’s Ad Platform from liability under a California antidiscrimination law. We describe how Facebook itself, independently of its advertisers, participates in the targeting and delivery of insurance ads based on gender and age.

Aaron Rieke, Natasha Duarte, and Logan Koepke

Amicus brief on the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act

This brief argues that the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act should not criminalize violations of computer use policies, like terms of service.

Aaron Rieke, Natasha Duarte, Sarika Ram, and Logan Koepke

Selected press and events

WIRED Facebook’s Ad System Might Be Hard-Coded for Discrimination

WIRED covers Upturn’s research on how Facebook’s ad delivery system may perpetuate bias.

The Verge Facebook’s ad delivery could be inherently discriminatory, researchers say

Coverage from The Verge on Upturn’s research into how Facebook’s ad system can skew delivery outcomes.

Economist Facebook’s ad system seems to discriminate by race and gender

The Economist covers Upturn’s research on Facebook’s seemingly discriminatory ad system.

Reuters Facebook's ads system leans on stereotypes for housing, job ads: study

“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].”