A recent study published by a team of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University created a wave of sensational headlines decrying “sexist algorithms” after they uncovered that an ad for high-paying executive coaching services was served to men nearly six times as often as women. But targeted advertising is a feature, not a bug, write Amber Laxton and Daniel Castro in Real Clear Technology. And there are many possible explanations for the skewed results, none of which depend on the underlying ad-serving algorithm being sexist. Ultimately, the algorithm simply reflects real-world behaviors that highlight gender disparities in society. Blaming algorithms distracts from the real issue: discrimination continues to pervade the real world. It is not the algorithm that needs to be fixed, it is society. Not only are algorithms not the culprit, they can actually help reduce human biases in the employment process. The media needs to refocus attention on the underlying causes of gender inequality in society and embrace algorithms as part of the solution.
This piece is co-authored by Daniel Castro and Amber Laxton.
