Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today I, along with my colleague Senator Booker of New Jersey, are introducing the Algorithmic Accountability Act. This bill is a critical first step to address the use of biased or discriminatory algorithmic decisions impacting American consumers. It is a bicameral effort, led in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, vice chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Today's biggest companies are increasingly using algorithms to make decisions about consumers. The use by companies of algorithms can often benefit consumers, and these technologies have been critical in the creation of thousands of American companies. Alongside this beneficial proliferation, algorithms have become entrenched in the most life- changing of decisions. Algorithms can now determine whether Americans are hired for a dream job, are approved for a home mortgage, or even sent to jail. But, as history has shown, a win for the corporation is not always a win for the consumer. And, in this case, when consumers lose, all too often they are a woman or an American of color. Though an innovation critical for future growth, algorithms can be as discriminatory as the humans they have begun to replace. The issue is a simple one: While algorithms come to conclusions based on calculations, these calculations are created by humans or use data collected and supplied by humans.…”