David Hannson is a big deal in the technology community. The man behind the programming tool Ruby on Rails, called out Apple and Goldman Sach’s Group for the troubling result of their algorithm in determining the creditworthiness of a couple separately and significantly devaluing women.
In pointing out the problem, Hansson calls into question “black box algorithms” and how they can get things so incorrect that a couple filing joint tax returns, sharing joint accounts, can be assigned such incredibly different credit determinations.
Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak let it be known the same had happened in his household.
Both Apple and Goldman Sachs have indicated the algorithm assesses everyone individually which could result in the difference. This fingerpointing at a computer program, which has no ability to take responsibility, is part of the problem with big technology in addressing key issues. It is possible to say: there is an error within our algorithm and we need to look at how to fix it without simply pointing fingers.
The ability of big technology and banks to shift responsibility by simply saying “well, it is a program out of our control”, creates a new methodology for discriminatory practices which can be enforced with a shrug and a “it is not our fault” response.