There are few influential global leaders brave enough to talk about algorithms of justice and equity. Algorithms of equity and justice believe it or not are the civil rights issue of the 21st century. Many people who call themselves leaders are afraid to talk about this important subject. The truth offends the perpetrators. A thermostat sets the temperature or standard of what the temperature should be. Meghan and Harry are the thermostat, other royals are just thermometers.
Why do algorithms matter?
Tech believes that it is neutral. It was widely and incorrectly believed that technology would be the bridge that would bring equity and equality into the world. Technologists and tech companies believe they are neutral. This is not true. Algorithms are marketed as objective facts.
What is an algorithm?
According to Dr. Cathy O’ Neil an expert who conducted extensive research an algorithm is an opinion embedded in Math. In order to build an algorithm, one needs historical data and the definition of success. Success is defined by the writer or coder or the person who owns the business.
So, when you have historic negative articles based on toxic tabloids that says Meghan Markle is bad then the algorithm will define Meghan Markle as bad person, yet this is nothing but pure Nazi propaganda. It is constant negative articles about Meghan Markle which let her to be most trolled person of 2019.
I’m told that in 2019 I was the most trolled person in the entire world, male or female,” she said. “Now eight months of that, I wasn’t even visible. I was on maternity leave or with a baby. But what was able to just be manufactured and churned out, it’s almost unsurvivable. That’s so big, you can’t even think of what that feels like. Because I don’t care if you’re 15 or 25, if people are saying things about you that aren’t true, what that does to your mental and emotional health is so damaging
Meghan Duchess of Sussex speaking on Teenager Therapy Podcast Mental health day 2020
Trolling and toxic masculinity and bullying should have no place in our societies and social media and in media publications. British tabloids and mainstream women’s magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Vanity Fair create an echo chamber of hate and amplified breaking protocol false narratives from the Daily Mail. As a global community we must prize everyone’s emotional and mental health. In particular women and children. Its strong courageous leadership provided by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that will tackle this toxic behavior head on and build better communities.
World renowned professor Dr. Noble has done extensive research into algorithm teaches us that algorithms are about automated decisions. She wrote a book “Algorithms of Oppression” which is recommended reading. When she Googled black girls the first search results were porn sites and all sorts of social ills.
What is the effect of this misrepresentation?
The very definition of success is defined by the power structures. The values of the coder or writer are embedded into the algorithm. The system is designed to work for the builder which is why we need to build and rebuild. During the 1920s we did not have algorithms, but we had newspapers that defined the code of conduct. When fascism was spreading like wildfire newspapers such as the Daily Mail became mouth pieces for Hitler and Nazi propaganda.
Across the Commonwealth colonial structures in South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Barbados, Jamaica were built to benefit the minority Europeans, so it is with algorithms. Which begs the questions are algorithms the new form of colonialism built to reinforce white supremacy?
Why do algorithms matter?
Right now, algorithms are being created with bias to reinforce stereotypes. They are unregulated and non-inclusive. Even once respected institutions like the BBC portrayed Meghan Markle yielding a knife and called it satire.
They have never done that for any other member of the royal family. Furthermore, the BBC presenter referred to Archie Harrison as an ape. Meghan Markle was the most trolled person in 2019 yet most of the time she was on maternity leave.
According to Mikhaila Friel in Business Insider research show There were far less articles written about Middleton and Prince Andrew during that same period, with 96,460 on Middleton and 72,125 on Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew is wanted for questioning by the FBI in the US in connection with allegations of pedophilia.
Perhaps most puzzling of all was the lack of leadership from the head of State in UK. The so-called advocates of mental health Prince William and Kate Middleton also silent and said to be working with the tabloids to bully the pregnant Duchess Meghan. Kensington palace never denied or refuted the story that Prince William worked with the tabloids to discredit Meghan. Frameworks around social media should be built from compassion, trust, and well-being. The rise of an unchecked and divisive attention economy.
Self-driving cars technology
Another reason you must care about algorithms is because of self driving cars. Self-driving cars are the future and will become a reality in our lifetime. At the speed of technology may be in a few years self-driving cars with be mainstream. Whether you drive or not, you could be a person of African descent or a person of color minding your own business walking on the sidewalk. If the software does not see you then the car could run, you are over; simply because it does not see you. This is a matter of life and death.
Facial Recognition Used in Policing
Law enforcement is using facial recognition software to solve crimes. These systems have not been tested and are unaudited to remove bias or certify that they work. If the coder lacked cultural competency or holds white supremacist views, then the software will misidentify black people and people of color. This bias will be used to determine whether a person is innocent or guilty.
Meghan and Harry want to prioritize building better communities. This starts with having the courage to stand up for our values of justice and equity and democracy, trust and better mental health to build better communities.
I felt her when she said what she went through & i say still going through was & is unsurvibable, & just to know that William instigated the hate in the first place because of jealousy & envy is unbelievable & so evil, i say what an evil couple W & K!!! hope they repent before karma comes to bite.
It was heartbreaking to hear Meghan was painted as a villain while pregnant. There is a special place in hell for them, especially the women at Cosmopolitan and Kate Middleton and Katie Nicholls and Rebecca English, Ingrid Seward and Dan Wooten
The most annoying part is that majority of the trolls are white women with some women from ethnic minority who became associated with the media. I am happy that they are forging their own path and the truth is and will come out. The more people get to work with the couple they will start to see who they are and see the manipulation of the media and the royal family. We will continue to pray and support them.