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AI tenant-screening tool SafeRent pays $2.28 million settlement for being massively racist (pivot-to-ai.com)

submitted 14 hours ago by ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

14 comments fedilink hide all child comments

SafeRent is a machine learning black box for landlords. It gives landlords a numerical rating of potential tenants and a yes/no result on whether to rent to them.

In May 2022, Massachusetts housing voucher recipients and the Community Action Agency of Somerville sued the company, claiming SafeRent gave Black and Hispanic rental applicants with housing vouchers disproportionately lower scores.

The tenants had no visibility into how the algorithm scored them. Appeals were rejected on the basis that this was what the computer output said.

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[–] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 13 hours ago (3 children)

How do you criminally charge an organization? Like who's reponsible? CEO? Stockholders? The Board of Directors?

[–] IcyToes@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 hours ago

Well stockholders don't have executive capabilities. The CEO is responsible. Could hold board responsible too if they knew.

[–] SeaJ@lemm.ee 4 points 7 hours ago

You could revoke their corporate charter.

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 30 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Here's an explanation from the Associated Press. The penalty is usually a fine, which impacts stockholders by making the stock less valuable and could lead them to remove board members or demand the termination of executives. It's rarely used, but there is a corporate death penalty.

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 19 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

The fact that I’ve never heard of the corporate death penalty until now, but they’re bringing back the actual death penalty says everything.

[–] mriguy@lemmy.world 10 points 8 hours ago

"I'll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one."