Abstract
In Race After Technology, Ruha Benjamin coins the term New Jim Code, a phenomenon in a new era of technology. Inspired by Michelle Alexander’s 2010 book The New Jim Crow, Benjamin argues that new technology reflects and reproduces inequity although it appears to be progressive. She expands on the four dimensions of the New Jim Code – engineered inequity, default discrimination, coded exposure, and technological benevolence.
Inequity is engineered when social hierarchies are not considered when creating technology, leading to “racist robots.” Seemingly benign glitches in systems provide insight into a larger issue of algorithmic discrimination. Technology also uses visibility to determine who is watched, seen, or both.
As society becomes more advanced in our technology, we must be aware of the ways advancements claiming to “fix” racial problems just perpetuate them instead. Benjamin concludes that for technology to be used as a tool of solidarity and justice, it must deprioritize capitalism and center true empathy for each other.
Review
I really enjoyed reading this book because it highlights the many ways technology developers and companies are primarily concerned with making money. There were several examples where technology is presented as progressive tools, but the outcomes clearly show otherwise. That made me reflect on how social media does this as well.
As someone who works in digital marketing, I am aware how social media platforms – along with other third-party platforms – use user’s digital behavior to inform marketers the best way to sell products or services. From targeted ads to the ideal time to post, individual creators and brands rely on analytics to inform how they can use social media to maximize their income. Social media platforms and algorithms also include “suggested posts – user generate content from an account you don‘t follow that is not, to my knowledge, monetarily promoted.
Recently Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, made a video explaining the many algorithmic changes the platform has made after receiving backlash. The explanation he gave for why suggested posts show up in our feed is so small creators can get more visibility. I, however, believe it merely conditions us to rely on social media platforms to tell us what we want to see and in turn, what we want to purchase. At the end of the day, as Benjamin illustrates, new tech consistently presents a message to the public that they have our best interests at heart but below the surface many of these decisions lead to their economic gain.
I also appreciate Benjamin’s point about coded exposure and being watched but not seen in digital spaces. This resonates with me because it gives verbiage to the purpose of my project. I want to see how the Black Diaspora engages with each other and builds community online. Instead of being viewed as another income source for corporations and organizations, it is important that we are able to recognize the number of ways we exist simply as human beings.
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