Google to AI researchers: Don't be ethical
This week, in a special Sunday evening edition of Technical Difficulties: Google fires its ethical AI lead (again), gets accused of discrimination (again); Zuck gets caught tipping the scales in favor of far-right influencers (again); Congress continues advancing the case for antitrust action, and more...
DON’T BE EVIL ETHICAL?
For many years, Google’s famous “don’t be evil” motto was enshrined in their corporate code of conduct. These days, “don’t be ethical” feels more apt.
Last week, the tech giant axed its second top AI ethics researcher in three months. Margaret Mitchell had been under fire from Google executives since standing up for her co-lead, Dr. Timnit Gebru, who’d been pushed out for raising concerns about... unethical AI and Google’s discriminatory practices. In other words, both women were fired for doing their jobs.
TechCrunch: Google fires top AI ethics researcher Margaret Mitchell
Google asserted that Mitchell violated the aforementioned code of conduct, in particular via the “exfiltration of confidential business-sensitive documents” – an apparent reference to Mitchell running automated scripts through corporate emails for evidence of discriminatory treatment of Dr. Gebru. Which, again, seems like a pretty… ethical use of AI.
Mitchell also released the email she sent to colleagues before being fired detailing the dual impact of Google’s “underpinnings of racism and sexism” on their corporate culture and AI systems.
“Please know I tried to use my position to raise concerns to Google about race and gender inequity, and to speak up about Google’s deeply problematic firing of Dr. Gebru. To now be fired has been devastating.”
— Google AI ethics founder, Margaret Mitchell
Google executives have been facing both internal and external outrage over their handling of this whole ordeal, and seem to know they have a problem on their hands. While they’ve refused to release the results of an investigation into Dr. Gebru’s firing, they did announce new policies to ostensibly address the underlying failures. We’ll see how that goes...
Reuters: Google pledges changes to research oversight after internal revolt
Axios: Google tweaks diversity, research policies following inquiry
Fast Company: ‘This is bigger than just Timnit’: How Google tried to silence a critic and ignited a movement
ZUCK’S RULE
In case you missed it, last week, BuzzFeed’s Craig Silverman and Ryan Mac broke yet another incredibly damning story on the extent to which Mark Zuckerberg and Brooks-Brothers-Rioter-Turned-Facebook-Policy-Chief Joel Kaplan have bent the rules to accommodate influential right-wingers – in this case, seeding the ground for insurrectionists.
BuzzFeed: "Mark Changed The Rules": How Facebook Went Easy On Alex Jones And Other Right-Wing Figures
“Zuckerberg didn’t consider the Infowars founder to be a hate figure, according to a person familiar with the decision, so he overruled his own internal experts and opened a gaping loophole: Facebook would permanently ban Jones and his company — but would not touch posts of praise and support for them from other Facebook users. This meant that Jones’ legions of followers could continue to share his lies across the world’s largest social network.”
“Internal documents obtained by BuzzFeed News and interviews with 14 current and former employees show how the company’s policy team — guided by Joel Kaplan, the vice president of global public policy, and Zuckerberg’s whims — has exerted outsize influence while obstructing content moderation decisions, stymieing product rollouts, and intervening on behalf of popular conservative figures who have violated Facebook’s rules.”
There are a bunch of eye-popping (and infuriating) new details included in the full report, and I could go on and on about how this debacle underscores the need for fundamental, structural reforms to Big Tech. But instead, I’ll leave you with the poignant thoughts of Lenny Pozner, father to a six year-old child who was murdered in the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012—one of the many shootings Alex Jones repeatedly claimed ever happened:
“At some point, Zuckerberg has to be held responsible for his role in allowing his platform to be weaponized and for ensuring that the ludicrous and the dangerous are given equal importance as the factual.”
— Lenny Pozner, father of Sandy Hook victim
COMPETITIVE MOMENTUM
Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee questioned witnesses in the tech world about their mistreatment by Big Tech and the harmful consolidation of power by ‘gatekeeper’ tech companies like Facebook, Apple, Amazon, and Google.
The Verge’s Makena Kelly had a great summary of lawmakers’ three major areas of focus, so I’m just gonna quote that directly here, rather than writing my own less helpful version:
Data interoperability and portability: Users should be able to take their data elsewhere with ease. Example: Think about how you can move your phone number between carriers. Before the 1996 Telecommunications Act, that wasn’t always an option!
Nondiscrimination: Basically, a dominant platform shouldn’t be able to preference its own products over those of its competitors.
Structural remedies: Breaking apart different lines of business or platforms under one company.
This was the first in a series of tech antitrust hearings the House plans to conduct early this year as they work toward updating U.S. competition policy. And on the other side of Capitol Hill, Sen. Amy Klobuchar – chair of the pertinent subcommittee – has already introduced a sweeping bill to overhaul our antitrust laws.
Axios: House begins brewing new tech antitrust laws
CNET: House lawmakers argue to update antitrust laws to rein in tech giants
All of this comes as the European Union and other democracies worldwide pursue ambitious reforms to rein in Big Tech, and Facebook and Google navigate a slew of antitrust lawsuits in various courts. Suffice it to say, the global momentum for more accountability seems unlikely to dissipate anytime soon.
POTPOURRI
New York Times: Facebook Strikes Deal to Restore News Sharing in Australia
Recode: Bias, disrespect, and demotions: Black employees say Amazon has a race problem
Axios: The digital dollar is now high priority for the Fed
The Verge: Disinformation experts aren’t happy about the trailer for HBO’s QAnon series
BuzzFeed: New York Times Columnist David Brooks Blogged For Facebook's Corporate Site
New York Times (Sway): Sacha Baron Cohen has a message for Mark Zuckerberg
Politico: Is Twitter angling to become Big Tech?
Buzzfeed: Everything You Need To Know About Dispo: The New Social Media App That's "Anti-Instagram"
Axios: Facebook says it will pay news industry $1 billion over 3 years