Why It Matters

How is this important?

Algorithms are increasingly becoming the gatekeeper of opportunity, and the current funding model fails to provide regulation or transparency to protect us from this asymmetrical power system which is posing a threat to the future of our democracy. Without a fiduciary model of some sort, this inequality will continue to grow and trouble will continue to follow.

The bias in AI that furthers oppression, such as in facial recognition technology or recidivism risk algorithms, is not just sitting on a shelf. It's actively being sold to law enforcement agencies and other powerful companies, and being put into practice in the United States and around the world. This isn’t a problem that is happening somewhere else - it’s not even happening in our backyard. It’s happening IN OUR HANDS.

Data collection and surveillance are determining persuasive patterns used to manipulate us. We have more data points than we will ever be able to know. This data isn't just affecting our attention spans or how long we spend scrolling on social media, but it's deciding elections and policies that shape our governments and our democracies.

We desperately need a shift in our digital infrastructure in order to protect the future of our democracy and our freedom.