HP Responds To Claim That Face-Tracking Software Is Racist

From CRN: Hewlett-Packard (HP) responded to claims that its facial-tracking software is racist, after a YouTube video appears to show a computer and webcam running the software ignoring a user who is black.

In the YouTube video, two co-workers " one black and one white " were using the face-tracking webcam on an HP MediaSmart computer. The face-tracking software is supposed to follow the users' faces as they move within the frame. The video shows that the software does not follow one user, a black man, but when that man's white co-worker enters the frame, the software immediately follows her.

In the video, the man, who identifies himself as Desi says: "I'm going on record and I'm saying it. Hewlett-Packard computers are racist."

In a blog post responding to the claim that its computers and its face-tracking software are racist, HP thanked Desi for calling the incident to its attention. HP also linked to Desi's video.

"Some of you may have seen or heard of a YouTube video in which the facial-tracking software didn't work for a customer," HP wrote. "We thank Desi, and the people who have seen and commented on his video, for bringing this subject to our attention."

HP said it will look into the problem.

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