Saving Face: Investigating the Ethical Concerns of Facial Recognition Auditing

• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2001.00964
• Publication Date: 2020-01-01
• Authors: Inioluwa Deborah ...; Timnit Gebru; Margaret Mitchell; Joy Buolamwini; Joonseok Lee; Emily Denton
• Keywords: FOS: Computer and information sciences; Computer Science - Computers and Society; Computers and Society (cs.CY); 0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering; 02 engineering and technology

Although essential to revealing biased performance, well intentioned attempts at algorithmic auditing can have effects that may harm the very populations these measures are meant protect. This concern is even more salient while biometric systems such as facial recognition, where data sensitive and technology often used in ethically questionable manners. We demonstrate a set of five ethical concerns particular case commercial processing technology, highlighting additional design considerations tensions auditor needs be aware so not exacerbate or complement harms propagated by audited system. go further provide tangible illustrations concerns, conclude reflecting on what mean for role audit fundamental product limitations they reveal.