Data & Society Resisting Predatory Data | Book Talk
7 snips
Apr 18, 2025 
Anita Say Chan, a scholar focused on feminist and decolonial tech, joins Timnit Gebru, founder of DARE and advocate for AI equity, and philosopher Émile P. Torres. They explore the disturbing ties between past eugenics and today's big data practices. The guests emphasize the dangers of technogenics, highlighting the need for ethical awareness and community solidarity in confronting data inequities. They advocate for reimagining technology narratives to prioritize social justice and inclusivity, promoting a future where marginalized voices shape the conversation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Techno-Eugenics: A New Extreme
- Eugenics is an eternal return, rooted in ancient philosophy and supported across multiple countries and eras.
- Today’s techno-eugenics seeks to replace humanity with superior digital beings, a more extreme evolution of past ideologies.
Timnit's Early Tech Eugenics Encounter
- Timnit Gebru recalls early encounters with effective altruists and Peter Thiel promoting AI as a rare altruistic focus.
- She struggled to name this eugenic revival despite recognizing inherent racial biases and faced attacks when calling it out.
Normalization and Public Distrust
- The normalization of eugenics ideas resurfaces constantly in education and policy debates.
- Public opinion deeply distrusts tech elites, highlighting a disconnect between techno-utopianism and societal realities.
