Virtual film screening and debate: Coded Bias

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union, the Gunda Werner Institute and Superrr Lab have the pleasure to invite you to a virtual film screening of the award-winning documentary "Coded Bias". In light of the upcoming European legislative proposal on artificial intelligence (AI) and the work of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age (AIDA), we will discuss the relationship between technology like AI and the need for strong legal protections to tackle bias with director Shalini Kantayya and Green MEP Alexandra Geese.

The documentary "Coded Bias" will be available for a week, from Monday 15 March until Monday 22 March 2021 (until 16:30 CET).

The debate with the documentary's director Shalini Kantayya will take place via Zoom on Monday 22 March 2021 at 16:30 CET.

1. About "Coded Bias"

Synopsis: Modern society sits at the intersection of two crucial questions: What does it mean when artificial intelligence increasingly governs our liberties? And what are the consequences for the people AI is biased against? When MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini discovers that most facial-recognition software does not accurately identify darker-skinned faces and the faces of women, she delves into an investigation of widespread bias in algorithms. As it turns out, artificial intelligence is not neutral, and women are leading the charge to ensure our civil rights are protected.

Coded Bias premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, and follows researchers and advocates as they explore how algorithms encode and propagate bias.

Original language: English. Running time: 90 minutes. Watch the official trailer.

The film will be available for a week, from Monday 15 to Monday 22 March 2021 (until 16:30 CET).

2. Debate

Join the film debate on Monday 22 March 2021, at 16:30 CET, on Zoom. Agenda:

Welcome by Francesca Schmidt, Senior Programme Officer, Gunda Werner Institute, Zora Siebert, Head of EU Policy Programme, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union and Julia Kloiber, Managing Director, Superrr Lab

Followed by a debate with:

• Shalini Kantayya, Director, Coded Bias
• Alexandra Geese, Member of the European Parliament, The Greens/EFA Group, member of the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age

and Q&A with the audience.

Moderation: Tracey Gyateng, Freelancer consultant working with The Legal Education Foundation

Working language: English

If you have questions, please contact Anna Trzcinska.

Note: The panel discussion on 22 March 2021 at 16:30 CET will be hosted on Zoom. Please join the debate a few minutes before its start time. After registering for the event, our privacy policy applies. The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung is not liable for the Zoom software. The Zoom privacy policy is available here.