Accused by an algorithm
If we want to fix the serious systemic failure that has benefited white men for centuries, we also need to make sure that technology does not widen the reach of those same inequalities.
Robert Julian-Borchak Williams is not known around the world. He is an American citizen of African descent who lives in the state of Michigan. One Thursday in January, Williams was arriving home from work and about to park when he was stopped by the police.
Two officers showed him an arrest warrant with his photo, handcuffed him in front of his wife and children and took him into custody at the station, where he spent the night. The police took his mugshot, collected DNA samples and took his fingerprints.
AI translation from the Portuguese. First published in ECO on 26 June 2020.