Working in finance at the beginning of the 2008 financial crisis, mathematicianCathy O'Neil got a firsthand look at how much people trusted the software they were using. She moved to the tech industry even though she was sad.
O'Neil showed how historical data is trained to recognize patterns and how they can be broken down in damaging ways. Algorithms designed to predict the chance of re-arrest can unfairly burden people who are poor, live in the wrong neighborhood or have mental health issues.
She realized that shame was reinforcing the inequalities. Society has been making people feel bad for things they don't have a choice or voice in. Fighting back was the next step for O'Neill. The full story can be read.
Pedestrians are put first by traffic lights.
Pedestrians can navigate an obstacle course in a city. A new type of crossing is being tested by Transport for London to make it easier to get around the busy streets.
Is it possible that it works? Instead of waiting for the "green man" to signal to cross the road, pedestrians will see green as the default setting when they approach one of 18 crossing around the city. It's the first time in the UK that a sensor will change the light to red when it sees a vehicle. Is it received well? The data shows that there is virtually no impact on traffic, it saves pedestrians time, and it makes them comply with traffic signals. The full story can be read.
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People are using social media to explore their gender identity.
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