Flaws in the algorithms that detect hate speech

[Popular algorithmic models that flag hate speech are biased against black people.]( A new study shows that leading academic models are 1.5 more likely to label tweets written by self-identified African American users as “offensive” compared to other tweets. Major social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are turning to automated tools to identify hateful speech at scale — so if those tools are racially biased, that’s a big issue for the industry at large. - A closer look: The study measured bias within publicly available data sets and models (and not the proprietary tools tech platforms use), but researchers say there’s reason to believe those biases exist more widely. They found evidence of it on Jigsaw’s PerspectiveAPI, an open source developer tool for detecting hate speech that shares underlying technology with Google. [[Shirin Ghaffary / Recode](] What even is a tech company, anyway? The coworking company WeWork’s recent public filings raise an existential question about what it means to be a tech company in 2019. But the question is bigger than just WeWork — it can also be applied to direct-to-consumer online brands like Away, or electric car companies like Tesla. Recode’s Rani Molla explains the expanding and complicated definition of “tech” as it becomes a bigger part of the global economy. - Okay, but give me some real criteria: The S&P Dow Jones Indices, which classifies companies into sectors, makes these calls based on the revenue of a company’s “principal business activity.” But some of the biggest companies we think of as “tech,” like Facebook and Google, are in a new sector: “Communications Services” (we told you it’s complicated). And WeWork’s category? Not defined yet. [Rani Molla / Recode] [Apply here with your name and Bitmoji, please](. Resumes are starting to look more like Instagram, according to a new Wall Street Journal piece. Younger applicants are increasingly putting their photos, personal interests — and yes, even bitmojis — on the traditionally “stodgiest of business documents.” - What do people think? Several HR managers reviewing such resumes said that the unconventional personalizations distract from candidates’ relevant qualifications, and can actually make it harder for recruiters to make objective decisions. There are probably some budding Gen Z future-social-media-marketing-gurus out there who disagree. [[Chip Cutter / WSJ](] [Baidu is no longer one of the top 5 most valuable Chinese companies.]( The search giant, which has been called China’s version of Google, has faced more competition from other companies in the region, like Tencent and ByteDance Inc, which owns the popular video sharing app TikTok. - Why it matters: Baidu’s slip is also reflective of pressure in the broader Chinese economy — which is facing a nationwide slowdown. [[Zheping Huang / Bloomberg](] [This fall](#) Join Recode’s Jason Del Rey and Kara Swisher at Code Commerce in New York in September. They'll sit down for in-depth, honest conversations with top commerce and tech executives about how innovation is transforming the way consumers choose to spend their money today. They'll dig into emerging trends and what they mean for your business, including automation, the reinvention of malls, how direct-to-consumer brands use tech, automated grocery checkouts, and the future of payments. [You can get your Code Commerce ticket here.]( [Insert alt text here] [The business behind Doomsday “survival condos.”]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( to receive fewer emails, or [unsubscribe]( to stop receiving all emails from Vox. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved.