…for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
When Mighty Well, an adaptive clothing company, tried to place an ad for a hoodie with the message “I am immunocompromised — Please give me space” on its Facebook page, “The algorithms that are the gatekeepers to the commercial side of Facebook (as well as Instagram, which is owned by Facebook) routinely misidentify adaptive fashion products [as medical devices] and block them from their platforms”, reported The New York Times. In AI, “the standard human” model does not include disability, so the algorithms in control often shut out the ads placed by small business owners who manufacture and sell fashion items for people with disabilities despite the fact that social media companies are vocal in their support of diversity and small business. While social media companies have responded to advocates’ concerns, algoritrms are often handling the appearls process as well.
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