An algorithm is deciding certain criminal defendants should spend more time in prison. And that determination can’t be fully challenged because the code belongs to a private company which provides the software to the government.Eric Loomis was determined to be a “high risk” defendant, based on something called a “COMPAS score.” COMPAS — Criminal Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions — cranks out Presentence Investigation Reports for use in the courtroom, utilizing a number of factors to generate a score that lets judges know how likely the defendant is to re-offend.The problems with this system are numerous. For one, the code is proprietary, so defendants aren’t allowed to examine the factors that lead to this determination, unlike other sentencing guidelines created by the government, which are open to the public to examine.Another problem is that the algorithm engages in demographic profiling — generally considered to be a bad thing when it comes to determining criminal behavior.
Tag: USA
Anti-Piracy Group Reveals Personal Details of Counter-Notice Senders – TorrentFreak
In what appears to be a retaliatory move against DMCA notice archive Lumen Database, anti-piracy outfit Remove Your Media has launched a transparency report of its own. The report lists people who have sent the company DMCA counter-notices but it goes much further than Lumen by publishing their names, addresses, and telephone numbers.
Source: Anti-Piracy Group Reveals Personal Details of Counter-Notice Senders – TorrentFreak
Getty Makes Nonsensical Statement On Photographer Carol Highsmith’s Lawsuit For Falsely Claiming Copyright | Techdirt
We are reviewing the complaint. We believe it is based on a number of misconceptions, which we hope to rectify with the plaintiff as soon as possible. If that is not possible, we will defend ourselves vigorously. The content in question has been part of the public domain for many years. It is standard practice for image libraries to distribute and provide access to public domain content, and it is important to note that distributing and providing access to public domain content is different to asserting copyright ownership of it. LCS works on behalf of content creators and distributors to protect them against the unauthorized use of their work. In this instance, LCS pursued an infringement on behalf of its customer, Alamy. Any enquiries regarding that matter should be directed to Alamy; however, as soon as the plaintiff contacted LCS, LCS acted swiftly to cease its pursuit with respect to the image provided by Alamy and notified Alamy it would not pursue this content.
Dentist Sues Another Unhappy Patient; Offers To Let Journalist See Patients’ Private Files To Dispute Claims | Techdirt
Photographer sues Getty Images for selling photos she donated to public | Ars Technica
Firm demanded $120 from Carol Highsmith for alleged copyright violation of her own photo.
Source: Photographer sues Getty Images for selling photos she donated to public | Ars Technica
Anti-Vax Film Distributors Threaten Critic And Autistic Rights Advocate With Defamation | Techdirt
Fiona O’Leary has posted the threats, from Cinema Libre Studio CEO Philippe Diaz, on her Facebook profile:Wow you threaten to sue an Autistic Advocate and Mother to five children in West Cork! Why? Because I don’t want babies and children DYING from preventable diseases! Because I have had enough of your lies about Vaccines causing Autism! Because I am sick of how you exploit Autistic people! How dare you!
Source: Anti-Vax Film Distributors Threaten Critic And Autistic Rights Advocate With Defamation | Techdirt
CBP to Settle With Woman Forced to Pay Cost of Cavity Search | Lowering the Bar
And it’d be great if this were the only time that had ever happened … but no.
Source: CBP to Settle With Woman Forced to Pay Cost of Cavity Search | Lowering the Bar
North Miami police officer shot caretaker of autistic man on ground | Miami Herald
The caretaker of an autistic man was shot in the leg by a North Miami police officer Monday, after a 911 call warned of a suicidal man in the street with a gun. There was no indication that a weapon was found.
Source: North Miami police officer shot caretaker of autistic man on ground | Miami Herald
Cleveland Police Swarm Protestors Brandishing Tennis Balls
Police officers swarmed protestors from the activist group CodePink outside a main entrance to the RNC Tuesday – because they were holding tennis balls.
Source: Cleveland Police Swarm Protestors Brandishing Tennis Balls
Civilian Death Toll From Coalition Airstrikes in Syria Could Be Single Largest in U.S.-Led War on ISIS
Scores of civilians trapped in Islamic State-controlled territory in northern Syria were reportedly killed Tuesday by airstrikes from Western coalition aircraft.
