Cyberfeminism: Unconscious Biases in Artificial Intelligence
This blog is a response to the assigned task on Cyberfeminism by Prof. Dilip Barad. In this blog, I will discuss Cyberfeminism and how feminism is a concern not just for the world of human beings but also for the world (simulation) that we name it. virtual reality and artificial intelligence bring the same risks and issues as people do.
Cyberfeminism and the Future of Net-based Activism
Cyberfeminism is a school of thought that combines the ideas of feminism and cybernetics. It emerged in the 1990s as an online discourse on the intersection of technology, gender, and society. Cyberfeminist thinkers believe that digital technology has transformed our lives in ways that are inherently gendered. They argue that new media technologies such as computers, video games, and the internet have masculinized digital culture while marginalizing women as users and producers of information technology. This article explores what cyberfeminism is, how it can be found in different cultures around the world, its main tenets and some examples of cyberfeminist theories and practices.
What is Cyberfeminism?
Cyberfeminism is both a school of thought and an online discourse on the intersection of technology, gender, and society. Cyberfeminist thinkers believe that digital technology has transformed our lives in ways that are inherently gendered. They argue that new media technologies such as computers, video games, and the internet have masculinized digital culture while marginalizing women as users and producers of information technology. The prefix cyber- is derived from the Greek word kybernetes, meaning "steersman," and is often associated with concepts such as control and regulation.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines cyberfeminism as "the conjunction of feminism and cybernetics or computer theory." It is a term that has been used since the 1990s to describe the intersection of feminism and digital technology and the ways in which these two areas are interconnected.
Origin of Cyberfeminism: The Internet
Cyberfeminism began in the late 1990s, when many women were drawn to the internet due to its gender-neutral design and lack of censorship. The term cyberfeminism was coined by feminist activist and activist groups such as the Feminist Web, a collective of women who use the web to advocate for gender equality. Cyberfeminism is meant to be an online discourse that addresses both cultural issues related to gender and concerns about digital technology. Cyberfeminists argue that digital technology has feminized our lives and have marginalized women as users and producers of information technology. The prefix cyber- is derived from cyberspace, meaning "wired," "networked," or "connected." It is often associated with concepts such as control and regulation.
The Internet has created new opportunities for women in media production, including video game journalism; a trend that is paralleled by other social media sites like Tumblr and Twitter. The feminist blogs at Jezebel have been credited with contributing to this trend. Currently, there are more than 2 million blogs on Tumblr alone. In general, it has been argued that growing numbers of people are accessing online content through various forms of media—including video games. Online communities formed around these technologies have been credited with increasing access for women in traditional circles.
In addition to these online communities, there are also a number of public forums on social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter where people can express their opinions on issues related to feminism
How Is Cyberfeminism Different from Feminism?
While cyberfeminism and feminism are related, there are key differences between the two ideologies. First, cyberfeminism is a subset of feminism. This means that cyberfeminism uses the same theoretical framework as feminism, but focuses on the role of technology in society. Second, cyberfeminism analyzes the impact that technology has on women's lives, whereas feminism is concerned with all genders. Finally, cyberfeminism is focused on the Internet and other digital technologies, whereas feminism is more general and broad in scope. Cyberfeminism is not a new form of feminism, and the two terms should not be used interchangeably. Cyberfeminism is related to feminism, but it differs in important ways.
Core Tenets of Cyberfeminism
There is no unified theory of cyberfeminism, but there are some key themes that appear across different scholars and writings. - Digital technology is gendered - This idea is central to cyberfeminist thinking; cyberfeminists argue that digital technology has been designed and manufactured in ways that are inherently gendered. New media technologies such as computers, video games, and the internet have been designed with a masculine user in mind and have actively marginalized women. - Digital technology can be liberating for women - Not all technology has been designed to marginalize women. Cyberfeminists believe that digital technology can also give women more agency, freedom, and power than they had before. - New technologies can be used to subvert existing gender dynamics - Cyberfeminists believe that technology can be used to challenge, disrupt, and subvert patriarchal social structures. - Digital technology is not inherently liberating for women - Digital technology is not inherently liberating for women, but it can be if it is designed in a non-sexist way.
Examples of cyberfeminist practices and theories
Cyberfeminist practices include thinking critically about how technology influences our lives, creating digital art, and exploring how to use digital technology for social change. Here are some examples of cyberfeminist theories: - Technological determinism: This theory examines the ways in which technology influences society and culture. It argues that technology is active rather than passive and that technology has agency. - Cyborg feminism: This theory explores how humans and technology are becoming increasingly interconnected and changing our bodies and daily lives. - Gender and technology: This area of study examines the role of gender in the design, use, and regulation of technology. It looks at the ways in which technology reflects gender relations in society, and it explores how the internet and digital technologies have been shaped by gender. - Virtual worlds: Virtual worlds, such as online games, have been shaped by gender and have created a masculine culture. Cyberfeminists have explored how these virtual communities can be transformed for the better.
Can we keep AI out of gender biases?
The simple answer is Yes, because artificial intelligence and virtual reality are created by humans and operate on algorithms or commands, so whatever command we give Ai will work as expected.
Another way to look at this notion is that Ai is so powerful that it can learn things on its own and will feed information to us based on our interests. It will be difficult to transform Ai, which is learning from humans, as long as the world is gender biassed.
Conclusion
Cyberfeminism is a school of thought that combines the ideas of feminism and cybernetics. It emerged in the 1990s as an online discourse on the intersection of technology, gender, and society. Cyberfeminist thinkers believe that digital technology has transformed our lives in ways that are inherently gendered. They argue that new media technologies such as computers, video games, and the internet have masculinized digital culture while marginalizing women as users and producers of information technology. Cyberfeminism is both a school of thought and an online discourse on the intersection of technology, gender, and society. Cyberfeminist thinkers believe that digital technology has transformed our lives in ways that are inherently gendered. They argue that new media technologies such as computers, video games, and the internet have been designed in ways that are inherently gendered and have actively marginalized women as users and producers of information technology.
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