S.T.O.P. Warns NYC’s New AI Hiring Law Will Be ‘Civil Rights Disaster’

View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Warns NYC’s New AI Hiring Law Will Be ‘Civil Rights Disaster’ (New York, NY, 6/29/2023) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, warns that New York City’s upcoming implementation of it’s first-in-the-nation AI hiring and employment law will be a “civil rights disaster,” leaving New Yorkers vulnerable to AI discrimination. The law, which takes effect Wednesday, July 5th, requires companies to disclose and audit AI used in hiring. The civil rights group renewed its warning that the law’s required audits were “civil rights theater” and unlikely to provide any meaningful accountability. SEE: The New York Times - How New York Is Regulating A.I. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/22/nyregion/ai-regulation-nyc.html “NYC is rubber stamping AI when it should be fighting it,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “New York had a historic opportunity to set a national model for how to safeguard the public against AI bias and abuse. But instead of standing up to AI companies, we gave them a pass. This bill simply fails to impose any real accountability. Companies and AI auditing firms have free reign to claim that their technology passes whatever audits they invent. Instead of letting companies make up their own rules, we should have pressed pause on this technology with a full moratorium.” Earlier this year, comedian John Oliver cited Cahn during an episode of Last Week Tonight discussing the need to reign in newly AI-driven tools with sensitive uses like hiring. S.T.O.P. has previously written opinion pieces on the dangers of New York City’s AI law, calling on Mayor Adams to veto its passage. SEE: HBO - Artificial Intelligence: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqa8Zo2XWc4 Gotham Gazette - Mayor Must Veto Bill Passed by City Council That Will Only Make AI Bias Worse https://www.gothamgazette.com/130-opinion/10930-mayor-veto-city-council-bill-ai-bias-worse Fast Company - We don’t need weak laws governing AI in hiring—we need a ban https://www.fastcompany.com/90625587/new-york-city-ai-hiring-rules-ban When the A.I. law was debated by the City Council, the New York civil rights group lead a broad coalition opposed to the industry-friendly auditing model. These groups repeatedly called for an outright ban on A.I. in employment. SEE: 12 Civil Rights Groups Warn NYC Legislation May ‘Rubberstamp’ Biased A.I. https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2020/11/17/12-civil-rights-groups-warn-nyc-legislation-may-rubberstamp-biased-ai   https://www.stopspying.org/sign-on-letters/2021/4/22/letter-to-council-member-cumbo-on-intro-1984-2020-the-need-for-a-moratorium Letter to Council Member Cumbo on Amending Intro 1894-2020 https://www.stopspying.org/sign-on-letters/2021/4/22/letter-to-council-member-cumbo-on-intro-1984-2020-the-need-for-a-moratorium The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color. -- END -- CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn  .   Copyright © 2021 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.