Algorithms shape our modern world, determining everything from which ads we might see on Instagram to who is afforded access to credit. But what decisions go into the development of these algorithms? Professor Fanna Gamal, Assistant Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law, noticed that developers often exclude race and racial proxy variables as an input when creating machine learning algorithms.
Prof. Gamal's latest article in the California Law Review, "The Algorithmic Racial Proxy," discusses the difficulty of defining what a racial proxy is, and the implications of allowing those who develop machine learning algorithms to decide. today's episode, Prof. Gamal joins Source Collect to discuss her article. This episode was recorded in April 2026.
Host, Script, and Production: Davis Rich (Volume 115 Podcast Editor)
Soundtrack: Composed and performed by Carter Jansen (Volume 110 Technology Editor)
Introductory Quote: Judge Thelton E. Henderson
