Category: Civil Equality

Ethics committee raises alarm over ‘predictive policing’ tool | UK news | The Guardian

~ mcequality

A computer tool used by police to predict which people are likely to reoffend has come under scrutiny from one force’s ethics committee, who said there were a lot of “unanswered questions” and concerns about potential bias.

Amid mounting financial pressure, at least a dozen police forces are using or considering predictive analytics, despite warnings from campaigners that use of algorithms and “predictive policing” models risks locking discrimination into the criminal justice system.

West Midlands police are at the forefront, leading on a £4.5m project funded by the Home Office called National Data Analytics Solution (NDAS).

via Ethics committee raises alarm over ‘predictive policing’ tool | UK news | The Guardian

Do mapping apps need a ‘night-safe mode’ for women? | Guardian Careers | The Guardian

~ mcequality

It may just be another part of how we bid farewell at the end of the night. But it’s also a reminder of how, when we’re alone in a town or city at night, our safety is no guarantee.

While there’s much we can do to stay safe by taking sensible precautions, could our phones also help?

via Do mapping apps need a ‘night-safe mode’ for women? | Guardian Careers | The Guardian

House Republicans Describe Abortion as ‘Second Violent Act’ Experienced By Survivors of Rape and Incest

~ mcequality

A messaging document on Alabama’s abortion ban compiled by the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House, recommends that its members describe abortions people receive after being raped or in cases of incest as a “second violent act” that could “physically or psychologically wound her further.”

VICE News obtained the document, which was distributed to members of the RSC at a recent meeting. Calling the Alabama ban “bold new pro-life legislation,” the talking points in the document defend the near-total ban on abortion passed by the Republican-controlled state.

via House Republicans Describe Abortion as ‘Second Violent Act’ Experienced By Survivors of Rape and Incest

Facebook Pilots Anti-Hate Speech Moderation Team Because, Y’know, All the Nazis and Stuff

~ mcequality

Four million. That’s the number of pieces of content on Facebook that the platform claims it took action against for containing hate speech from January to March this year, according to its most recent transparency report. (And to put a fine point on it, that’s just the content it actually caught.) In a press briefing this afternoon, vice president of global operations Justin Osofsky teased a plan to pilot a subgroup of moderators who are specifically tasked with handling hate speech.

via Facebook Pilots Anti-Hate Speech Moderation Team Because, Y’know, All the Nazis and Stuff

Governors Can Succeed in Criminal Justice Reform Where Legislatures Fail | American Civil Liberties Union

~ mcequality

With legislative sessions winding down across the country, states have an opportunity to explore an often untapped resource for ending mass incarceration and addressing racism in the criminal justice system: the power of Governors.

The power of the executive presents significant and often untapped opportunities to shrink the jail and prison population. Unlike state legislation, policy decisions by a governor are less vulnerable to political infighting or trading. To address this problem, here are the top three ways a state’s governor should utilize their authority to end mass incarceration and address racism in the system.

via Governors Can Succeed in Criminal Justice Reform Where Legislatures Fail | American Civil Liberties Union

Immigrants’ Rights Aren’t Possible If We Don’t Stop Criminalizing Border Crossing | American Civil Liberties Union

~ mcequality

Last night’s Democratic presidential debate shined an unlikely spotlight on a little-known section of the federal code — 8. U.S.C. 1325. This law makes crossing the border without legal authorization a federal misdemeanor. Its counterpart, 8 U.S.C. 1326, makes re-crossing the border a felony. They are the laws the Trump administration has leveraged to take thousands of children from their parents at the border.

via Immigrants’ Rights Aren’t Possible If We Don’t Stop Criminalizing Border Crossing | American Civil Liberties Union

Leah Chase, Iconic Chef and Civil Rights Activist, Dies at 96

~ mcequality

Leah Chase, iconic executive chef, civil rights activist, and co-owner of the legendary Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans, died Saturday. She was 96 years old.

“Her daily joy was not simply cooking, but preparing meals to bring people together,” Chase’s family said in a written statement. “One of her most prized contributions was advocating for the Civil Rights Movement through feeding those on the front lines of the struggle for human dignity. She saw her role and that of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant to serve as a vehicle for social change during a difficult time in our country’s history.”

via Leah Chase, Iconic Chef and Civil Rights Activist, Dies at 96

YouTube Just Can’t Stop Mumbling Nonsense About Its Harassment and Hate Speech Policy

~ mcequality

YouTube has not had an easy go of it over the last 24 hours. Right in the middle of LGBT Pride Month, the platform responded to Vox Media host Carlos Maza’s claims that right-wing YouTube host Steven Crowder had repeatedly taunted him with racist, homophobic language including “lispy queer,” “token Vox gay atheist sprite,” “gay Mexican,” and “anchor baby” by… ruling that Crowder was not, in fact, in completely obvious violation of its anti-hate speech rules.

via YouTube Just Can’t Stop Mumbling Nonsense About Its Harassment and Hate Speech Policy

Britain risks heading to US levels of inequality, warns top economist | Inequality | The Guardian

~ mcequality

Rising inequality in Britain risks putting the country on the same path as the US to become one of the most unequal nations on earth, according to a Nobel-prize winning economist.

Sir Angus Deaton is leading a landmark review of inequality in the UK amid fears that the country is at a tipping point due to a decade of stagnant pay growth for British workers. The Institute for Fiscal Studies thinktank, which is working with Deaton on the study, said the British-born economist would “point to the risk of the UK following the US” which has extreme inequality levels in pay, wealth and health.

via Britain risks heading to US levels of inequality, warns top economist | Inequality | The Guardian