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I spoke with @ruchowdh, @CjColclough, @UpFromTheCracks, @sonia__katyal, @IfeomaOzoma, and @JasmineMcNealy for a story about how Google firing Timnit Gebru could influence policy. Quotes from @timnitGebru and @red_abebe are also included https://twitter.com/VentureBeat/status/1339259094365052930
Some lesser known or unreported facts included: Timnit Gebru recently said she is in favor of unionization as a way to protect ethics researchers, and Ifeoma Ozoma is working on initiatives to support tech whistleblowers with Omidyar Network
“What we should be concerned about is a world where all of the most talented researchers like her [Gebru] get hired at these places and then effectively muzzled from speaking. And when that happens, whistleblower protections become essential."
- @sonia__katyal
- @sonia__katyal
. @IfeomaOzoma on the impact of whistleblowers losing health care coverage: "It's not only a deterrent to people speaking up, but it’s a huge financial consequence of speaking up and sharing information that I believe is in the public interest."
"I think that if we are relying on private tech to police itself, we are doomed. And I think that lawmakers and policy developers have a responsibility to open up and fund a space for public interest technology.”
- @UpFromTheCracks
- @UpFromTheCracks
“Unless state legislators and governors say ‘We don’t necessarily like money coming from these kinds of organizations or people,’ I don’t think universities — particularly public universities — are going to stop taking money from organizations."
- @JasmineMcNealy on research $$
- @JasmineMcNealy on research $$
“I think just the collateral damage to literally everybody: Google, the industry of AI, of responsible AI … I don’t think they really understand what they’ve done. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have done it."
- @ruchowdh
- @ruchowdh
