[ [link removed] ]A Black person with glasses stands in front of a black, yellow, and
purple background. Blue and white text reads: "THE BLACK TECH AGENDA.TECH
POLICY + RACIAL JUSTICE."

John,

Technology has seeped into every facet of our lives. Every action you take
on the internet is monitored, fueling algorithms that can determine if
you’ll get a job, be approved for a loan, or be subjected to increased
police surveillance. Google and Apple use their market dominance to
determine which smaller apps succeed and which fail through acquire, copy
and kill strategies.^1 And telecom giants like Comcast and Verizon get to
charge whatever they want for us to connect to the internet while often
failing to provide reliable service, capping our data arbitrarily, and
choosing which traffic gets through based on the highest bidder. The Big
Tech and telecom corporations would have us believe that this is the way
it must be, all while chasing profits no matter the cost to the rest of
us. 

[ [link removed] ]I SUPPORT AN INTERNET WHERE BLACK PEOPLE THRIVE! 

It doesn’t have to be this way. We can create an internet where Black
people thrive. That’s why we created the Black Tech Agenda — to provide a
roadmap for policymakers to ensure racial equity in tech regulation. The
agenda offers real solutions that will help us to counter the fake
solutions offered by Big Tech intended to preserve their profits at our
expense. 

The Black Tech Agenda focuses on six pillars to ensure a safe and fruitful
online experience for Black people:^2

Antitrust

* Big Tech companies have a stranglehold on different sectors of the
digital economy. By creating fair markets where Black businesses can
compete, Black workers can thrive and Black customers will have more
choices while shopping.

Privacy

* We never know who has our data. By banning companies from using
harmful data collection practices that invade privacy and ending the
use of biometric surveillance technology by law enforcement agencies,
Black people will be safer online and in their daily lives. 

Algorithmic Accountability

* Algorithms, or the automated processes by which decisions for things
like which online ads are sent to someone browsing the internet, are
often racist and lead to adverse real-world outcomes for Black people.
By forcing companies to undergo independent audits, tech companies can
address discrimination in their decision-making and repair the harm
that algorithmic bias has done to Black communities regarding
equitable access to housing, health care, employment, education,
credit, and insurance.

Broadband Access

* The internet is a human right. When policymakers ensure that every
person has access to high-quality, affordable internet, Black people
can fully participate in all facets of the virtual world and access
online employment and educational opportunities.

Net neutrality

* Giving control of the internet to just a few tech mega-corporations
increases unequal access to the online world. By putting the Federal
Communications Commission in charge of regulating the internet,
traffic will be treated more equally and Black people will have
better, more guaranteed access to the virtual world. And it would
ensure Internet Service Providers cannot block access to sites for
racial justice groups such as  Color Of Change. 

Addressing Misinformation and Disinformation

* Misinformation and disinformation are dangerous and lead to real-world
harm. By regulating optimization algorithms and reducing monopoly
power, we can change incentives that allow companies to profit from
harm. We can make the internet and our physical world safer for Black
people. These policies would help increase Black civic participation,
improve public health in Black communities and limit the spread of
white nationalism and other threats to our safety.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey is on board. When asked about the
Black Tech Agenda, he said:

“From facial recognition systems that open the door to unchecked
government surveillance of marginalized communities, to algorithms that
contain implicit biases, new technologies have often perpetuated
deep-seated racial inequities in society. We need to implement privacy
safeguards and robust racial justice provisions to ensure Black people and
their personal information are protected digitally, and I am proud to
partner on this campaign to advance equity and justice in the tech space.”

Having the support of tech justice champion Sen. Booker is great, yet it
would be so powerful if thousands of Color Of Change members like you
stood up and declared your support for this groundbreaking agenda. With
your help, John, we can make the virtual world a safer place
for everyone. Will you join us?

[ [link removed] ]Join us in OUR FIGHT FOR a virtual world that is safe for Black PEOPLE!

Until justice is real, 
—COC's Tech Accountability Team

 

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References: 

 1. Color Of Change, “#BeingBlackOnline: Acquire, Copy, Kill,” YouTube,
March 24, 2022, [ [link removed] ][link removed]

 2. Color of Change, "The Black Tech Agenda," September 13,
2022, [ [link removed] ][link removed]



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