Topic: HP Camera 'Can't See' Black Faces

[chorleydave]

A YouTube video suggesting that face recognition cameras installed in HP laptops cannot detect black faces has had over one million views.

The short movie, uploaded earlier this month, features "Black Desi" and his colleague "White Wanda".

When Wanda, a white woman, is in front of the screen, the camera zooms to her face and moves as she moves.

But when Desi, a black man, does the same, the camera does not respond by tracking him.

The clip is light-hearted in tone but is titled "HP computers are racist".

"HP has been informed of a potential issue with the facial-tracking software included on some of its systems, which appears to occur when insufficient foreground lighting is available," an HP spokesman told BBC News.

"We take this seriously and are looking into it with our partners."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8429634.stm

[Rik]

Straight technical problem, Dave, trust someone to politicise it. It was ever thus. Doing wedding photographer with a white & black mix was always a juggling act in terms of exposure, and getting it right for a black bride in a white dress was a nightmare.

[Simon]

Must be a slow news day. 

[Reno]

I was surprised how much even the news anchors were wanting to cry racism. They were saying on cnn that the hp staff had some sort of hidden agenda .

[GillE]

At least the camera will be able to detect the red faces at HP.

[Rik]

I wonder? It depends how deep a shade it is I suppose.