iPhone users across the world have the convenience of using Siri. From asking for additional information about a random project to helping to identify who sings a song you may have overheard at brunch; the digital assistant is there to provide the answers. With Siri being a core feature on all Apple products, its functionality is paramount to all users. However, did anyone ever conceptualize human attributes to Siri? Is it a Black person? Does the digital assistant identify with a gender?
Citizen–the crime tracker app that originated in New York City– announced in a blog post that it has expanded to Baltimore. The app allows users to receive real-time crime and emergency notifications in their communities. The app churns out nearly 2 million safety alerts each day to its users, and now with Baltimore added to its list of cities, those numbers are expected to grow. Citizen, formerly known as Vigilante, currently has 600,000 active users. Last year, the app took its talents to San Francisco. Although there have been instances where the app has helped people avoid danger and find missing family members, some are worried that the app will amplify racial biases, especially in the Baltimore area. Citizen works to prevent this by excluding information that would identify victims or complainants in notifications. When information in unconfirmed, Citizen notes the alerts as an “unconfirmed report.” The alert does not include generic suspect descriptions. “For example, Citizen...