Hewlett-Packard computers are racist

'Hewlett-Packard computers are racist' 

Published on Wed 23rd Dec 2009 13:10:46

Melbourne, Dec 23: Software giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) has admitted that its new face-tracking webcam has "issues" with black users.

The issue attracted worldwide attention this month, when a US man known as "Black Desi" posted a YouTube video that showed his HP webcam - built in to its new computers - refusing to track his face.

According to news.com.au, the webcam was developed to enhance live conversations and is supposed to follow the user in all directions and zoom in and out.

Titled "HP computers are racist", the YouTube video quickly attracted some 500,000 hits and showed Black Desi''s webcam working as it should when his work colleague "White Wanda" stepped in front of the camera, but when “Black Desi” got in front, no face recognition took place.

The video, which was part tongue-in-cheek, has sparked worldwide debate in the online community, with websites and forums split between discrediting the clip - claiming it''s a lighting issue - or attacking HP for "inherent racism".

In Case you wanna see the video I am talking about. Here it is : 

and HP's response:

For the backstory, watch this video that shows how HP’s new webcams discriminate against those with dark skin. Interesting, eh? HP no doubt got a bunch of emails over the last couple days and issued a response that basically says it was caused by the algorithm not properly measuring the light between the eyes and upper cheek. HP’s solution: “try to increase the light to the face while decreasing the amount of light in the background.”

Posted in: Hewlett-Packard, Information