Avoiding Bias in Computers: Nothing more than an Ideal

Just how far should a software developer go to eliminate bias from their work? A better question would be just how far can a developer go to reduce bias in his code without risking unemployment? One of the few points brought up in the reading, Bias in Computers that I could agree with was that "freedom from bias should be held out as an ideal,"; that it "might be difficult if not impossible to achieve."

Out of the many who speak outwardly about eliminating bias from computer systems, I would be interested in knowing how many of them have actually participated in a development cycle for software in a professional environment. Speaking from personal experience after working on software development at two large companies, Scholastic and Lockheed Martin, I can attest to the lack of control software developers have over what goes into their products. Many government projects like the ones touched upon by the Bias in Computers reading, are awarded to the government contractor who can make an effective product for the least amount of money. Money equals times; the greater the amount of time spent on the project, the more it costs and since getting the code working takes precedence over anything else, there is usually very little extra time to spend on reducing bias.

Additionally, the ability for a developer to control what is in their product is minuscule when working at a large corporation. Requirements for the project are determined between the clients and the project leads; unless you are a developer that is high up on the food chain, which most software developers are not, you will have very little say in what goes into the program. Disagree with something that goes into the project and your supervisor will usually either tell you to deal with it or will find someone else who can to take your place.

While I agree bias in computing systems is a problem, it is not as large of one as most people would like us to believe, at least, not at the price tag that would come with fixing it. The way most companies work now, software developers are often at the very bottom of the company hierarchy with little say in what they work on. And, yes, freedom from bias is a wonderful dream, however considering the situations of the majority of computing software developers, it would be more prudent to keep it as is, nothing more than an ideal.