[JCharante]

It's a design problem. If they tested it with POC they would have noted down "well, our primative algorithm works well for light skinned individuals but not others"

And hopefully someone wouldn't have said "hmm good enough for me, let's ship it!"

[NaturalPhallacy]

>algorithm

This just proves that you're assuming it's a software problem when it isn't.

This is basic GIGO. The light sensors feed poor quality data in for people with low contrast faces, so there's nothing the software can do about it.

[jahewson]

Here’s a link to an article from the time with an expert on the subject explaining that it’s not a contrast problem:

https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-mtblog-2009-12-hp_racist_web...

[Thorrez]

Couldn't it brighten the image in some way?

My webcam has an advanced option panel that lets me edit both the brightness and the exposure time. I can turn it up so bright that you can't even make out any of my facial features, and I'm in a somewhat dark room lit by a single floor lamp.