What people don't seem to mention in these discussions is that these algorithms give cops plausible deniability to harass anyone they wish.
"Sorry, ma'am, the computer told me to strip-search you. Yes, again."
This is the good old "the dog barked, I'm searching your car for weed" trick, except nobody can even see the dog.
You think this is far fetched? It's already happening[1]:
You have been selected for a random computer-generated inspection.
Yes, surely the computer randomly generates an inspection request for a black diplomat every other time she crossed the border. What are the chances, huh. What logs? There isn't a problem.
In a lengthy statement, CBP spokesman Matthew Dyman disputed Spears‘ account of her border crossings, saying that she was referred to secondary inspection during 12 of 43 crossings, and that “all referrals were system generated.“ The language of the statement did not make clear whether CBP keeps records of referrals to secondary inspection made for other reasons, such as an officer’s discretion.
What people don't seem to mention in these discussions is that these algorithms give cops plausible deniability to harass anyone they wish.
"Sorry, ma'am, the computer told me to strip-search you. Yes, again."
This is the good old "the dog barked, I'm searching your car for weed" trick, except nobody can even see the dog.
You think this is far fetched? It's already happening[1]:
You have been selected for a random computer-generated inspection.
Yes, surely the computer randomly generates an inspection request for a black diplomat every other time she crossed the border. What are the chances, huh. What logs? There isn't a problem.
In a lengthy statement, CBP spokesman Matthew Dyman disputed Spears‘ account of her border crossings, saying that she was referred to secondary inspection during 12 of 43 crossings, and that “all referrals were system generated.“ The language of the statement did not make clear whether CBP keeps records of referrals to secondary inspection made for other reasons, such as an officer’s discretion.
[1]https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/08/30/black-us-d...