Cyberfeminism

 Thinking Activity: Cyberfeminism 

Hello Readers! This blog is a response to a task assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad from the Department of English, MKBU. The focus of this blog is on the concept of Cyberfeminism. If you want to know more about the assigned task, Click Here . In this blog, I will share my insights and understanding of the topic of Cyberfeminism. 

What is Cyberfeminism ?

Cyberfeminism  is a feminist approach which foregrounds the relationship between cyberspace, the Internet, and technology. It can be used to refer to a philosophy, methodology or community.[1] The term was coined in the early 1990s to describe the work of feminists interested in theorizing, critiquing, exploring and re-making the Internet, cyberspace and new-media technologies in general. The foundational catalyst for the formation of cyberfeminist thought is attributed to Donna Haraway's "A Cyborg Manifesto", third wave feminism, post-structuralist feminism, riot grrrl culture and the feminist critique of the alleged erasure of women within discussions of technology.

While technology is a tool that should, in theory, work for everyone, cyberfeminists highlight a historical bias where technology has often been perceived as a predominantly masculine creation. This raises a crucial question: Is technology truly bias-free?

Cyberfeminism is a woman-centered perspective that promotes the use of new information and communication technologies for women's empowerment. It perceives these technologies as liberatory and envisions their development as a means to end male superiority. Coined in the late 1980s and early 1990s, cyberfeminism explicitly connects gender and information technology. It sees technology as a tool for deconstructing gender stereotypes.

Cyberfeminism leverages the possibilities of the online media era, utilizing cyberspace and the internet as virtual realms for expansive opportunities and global sharing of visions. It doesn't oppose ideologies but challenges the structures that give rise to them. The internet provides a platform to explore alternative paths and escape power structures that may restrict identity.

What does Cyberfeminists do? 

Cyberfeminists focused on analyzing and critiquing the internet and new media technologies from a feminist perspective.

Cyberfeminism traces its roots to Donna Haraway, a professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz, whose essay "A Manifesto for Cyborgs" was pivotal for feminists. Haraway argued that women should embrace technology to challenge inequitable systems. Other feminists active on the internet see it as a crucial space for women to leverage technology for societal advancement. Cyberfeminists have established websites, discussion groups, and online resources to empower women with technological knowledge, aiming to create more opportunities for them in tech-related fields.

Bruce Grenville, in "The Uncanny: Experiments in Cyborg Culture," discusses the dominant Cyberfeminist perspective, which envisions cyberspace and the internet as a utopian realm free from societal constructs like gender, sex differences, and race. The concept involves a struggle to recognize the influence of new technologies on women's lives and combat the subtle gendering of technoculture in daily existence.

The virtual world, including AI and technology, is a reflection of the real world, shaped by the perspectives, biases, and values of its creators. Unconscious biases of AI coders can indeed seep into the technologies they develop, highlighting the importance of awareness and efforts to address these biases to ensure fair and equitable systems.

 The inheritable biases in AI systems, often derived from historical data, can perpetuate and even exacerbate existing gender inequalities. Cyberfeminism, by focusing on the intersection of gender and technology, highlights the critical need to address these biases in AI algorithms. It's essential to be mindful of the data used to train AI systems and to actively work towards developing technologies that are fair, unbiased, and promote inclusivity, rather than reinforcing existing disparities. The role of algorithms in decision-making underscores the importance of ethical considerations in the development and deployment of AI technologies.

What does cyberfeminism do? ( Prompt: Generated by ChatGPT)

Cyberfeminists engage in various activities to address the intersection of gender and technology and to promote a more inclusive and equitable digital landscape. Some key actions and initiatives undertaken by cyberfeminists include:

1. Critical Analysis: Cyberfeminists critically analyze the impact of technology on gender roles and inequalities. They examine how digital spaces and tools can either challenge or reinforce existing gender norms.

2. Theorizing Technology: Cyberfeminists contribute to theoretical frameworks that explore the relationship between technology and gender. They seek to understand how technology can be a tool for empowerment or a source of oppression.

3. Online Activism: Many cyberfeminists are involved in online activism, using digital platforms to raise awareness about gender issues, challenge stereotypes, and advocate for positive change. This may involve creating and sharing content on social media, blogs, or other online forums.

4. Educational Initiatives: Cyberfeminists work to bridge the gender gap in technology-related fields. They may organize workshops, training sessions, or educational programs aimed at encouraging women and gender minorities to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

5. Community Building:Cyberfeminists build communities to provide support, share experiences, and amplify the voices of women and marginalized genders in the tech industry. This involves creating online spaces for networking and collaboration.

6. Policy Advocacy: Some cyberfeminists engage in advocacy for policies that promote diversity and inclusion in the tech sector. This may include pushing for equal opportunities, fair representation, and measures to counteract gender-based discrimination in technology companies.

7. Art and Creativity: Cyberfeminists often express their ideas and critiques through artistic endeavors. This may involve creating digital art, interactive installations, or other creative projects that explore themes related to gender and technology.

Overall, cyberfeminists work towards dismantling gender biases in the digital realm and fostering an environment where technology contributes to positive social change for all genders.

Ted Talks:-

Here are two interesting TED talks  which are based on AI. Kirti Sharma discusses "How to keep human bias out of AI?" while Robin Hauser explores "Can we protect AI from our biases?" Both speakers share insightful observations on the topic, shedding light on the challenges and possibilities related to human biases in artificial intelligence.

Talk 1 :- 

Kirti Sharma: How to keep human bias out of AI? 

In Kirti Sharma's TED talk, she highlights a significant concern regarding AI - the reinforcement of existing human biases within the sector. Drawing on her personal experiences and expertise in computer science, Sharma discusses how biases, often related to appearance and gender, can shape assumptions about individuals. She emphasizes the pervasive use of algorithms in making decisions about people, raising important questions about fairness and inclusivity in AI systems.

Kirti Sharma underscores how biases extend to the genders assigned to AI-powered devices. She points out examples like Siri and Alexa, AI technologies predominantly featuring female voices that users are accustomed to giving commands. In contrast, more powerful programs like Watson are often designated as "male," contributing to gender-related biases within AI systems.

Kirti Sharma then delves into the impact of these biases on children growing up in today's AI-driven world. She emphasizes the positive aspect that AI is entirely within our control, offering an opportunity to instill the right values and ethics. To achieve this, she proposes three actionable steps that everyone can take.

 1. We can be aware of our own biases and the bias in machine around us. 

2. We can make sure that diverse teams are building this technology.  

3. We have to give it diverse experiences to learn from. 

During her talk, Kirti Sharma provides examples of how AI can perpetuate biases. For instance, if historical data indicates that men dominate the field of programming, an algorithm designed for recruitment might wrongly assume that male applicants are more suitable, potentially leading to the exclusion of female candidates.

In her Ted Talk, Kirti Sharma sheds light on the gender biases embedded in Artificial Intelligence. She emphasizes that AI, being a product of human creation, inherits and perpetuates unconscious gender biases and stereotypes.

Talk 2 :-

 Robin Hauser : Can we Protect AI from our biases? 

In her Ted Talk, Robin Hauser delves into the inherent biases present in humans and explores the challenge of keeping biases out of the algorithms we create. As a documentary filmmaker, she emphasizes the need for a conversation on how AI should be governed and advocates for a discussion about the responsibility of overseeing the ethical standards of these powerful computing systems. Hauser supports her points with real-life examples, illustrating the foundations of artificial intelligence and its inherent biases.

Robin Hauser underscores in her talk that artificial intelligence technologies are crafted by individuals, making the very foundation on which they operate reflective of the goals, ambitions, and conscious or unconscious biases of their developers. She emphasizes the significance of comprehending and addressing these biases to ensure the development of fair and effective solutions. Hauser discusses the need to recognize and confront biases while avoiding skewed data, which could potentially prejudice automated decisions and undermine the integrity of deep learning networks.

In her talk, Robin Hauser shares her experiences working with AI and highlights the biases that can emerge when humans teach machines. She discusses strategies to avoid these biases while creating algorithms, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations and responsible governance in the development of artificial intelligence.

Key Points from these talk :- 

• Unconscious bias, a complex aspect of human nature, has the potential to impact our interactions and result in quick judgments or assumptions.
• Humans introduce bias into artificial intelligence through various means, such as inadvertent oversights, intentional manipulation, skewed data, and the inadvertent incorporation of personal biases into algorithms.
• AI systems heavily rely on the data they are trained on, underscoring the significance of ensuring diverse and unbiased datasets to prevent the reinforcement of biases in AI.
• Word embedding in machines can contribute to the perpetuation of stereotypical biases, emphasizing the necessity of addressing and mitigating these biases within AI systems.
• A crucial question arises: Should artificial intelligence reflect the biases present in today's society, or should it strive to contribute to an ideal and equitable society in the future?

Conclusion:-

In conclusion, protecting AI from human biases demands a comprehensive approach involving various techniques. Through these efforts, we can collectively contribute to the development of AI systems that are fair, equitable, and less prone to perpetuating harmful biases.

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