1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910796590203321

Autore

Noble Safiya Umoja

Titolo

Algorithms of oppression : how search engines reinforce racism / / Safiya Umoja Noble

Pubbl/distr/stampa

New York, New York : , : New York University Press, , [2018]

©2018

ISBN

1-4798-3364-9

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xv, 229 pages) : illustrations

Classificazione

LB 31960

Disciplina

025.04252

Soggetti

Search engines - Sociological aspects

Discrimination

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1. A Society, Searching -- 2. Searching for Black Girls -- 3. Searching for People and Communities -- 4. Searching for Protections from Search Engines -- 5. The Future of Knowledge in the Public -- 6. The Future of Information Culture -- Conclusion -- Epilogue -- Notes -- References -- Index -- About the Author

Sommario/riassunto

A revealing look at how negative biases against women of color are embedded in search engine results and algorithms Run a Google search for “black girls”—what will you find? “Big Booty” and other sexually explicit terms are likely to come up as top search terms. But, if you type in “white girls,” the results are radically different. The suggested porn sites and un-moderated discussions about “why black women are so sassy” or “why black women are so angry” presents a disturbing portrait of black womanhood in modern society.In Algorithms of Oppression, Safiya Umoja Noble challenges the idea that search engines like Google offer an equal playing field for all forms of ideas, identities, and activities. Data discrimination is a real social problem; Noble argues that the combination of private interests in promoting certain sites, along with the monopoly status of a relatively small number of Internet search engines, leads to a biased set of search algorithms that privilege whiteness and discriminate against people of color, specifically women of color.Through an analysis of textual and



media searches as well as extensive research on paid online advertising, Noble exposes a culture of racism and sexism in the way discoverability is created online. As search engines and their related companies grow in importance—operating as a source for email, a major vehicle for primary and secondary school learning, and beyond—understanding and reversing these disquieting trends and discriminatory practices is of utmost importance.An original, surprising and, at times, disturbing account of bias on the internet, Algorithms of Oppression contributes to our understanding of how racism is created, maintained, and disseminated in the 21st century.