The main point seems to be that photography was made by whites for whites, and thus discriminates against non-whites.
What I don't understand is how the article seems to imply that there's something wrong with that. Consider that
- Photography was invented and for the longest time mostly used in a majority white area.
- It makes a lot of sense that, in predominantly white cultural spaces, lighter skin is preferred, as it historically indicated that a person didn't need to work in the open, which implied some degree of wealth.
- Most importantly, it seems to not understand how light works. Dark surfaces reflect less light, so there's less contrast between strongly lit areas and shadows, meaning it's both harder to make a photo look clear and for an AI to analyze it.
What I don't understand is how the article seems to imply that there's something wrong with that. Consider that
- Photography was invented and for the longest time mostly used in a majority white area. - It makes a lot of sense that, in predominantly white cultural spaces, lighter skin is preferred, as it historically indicated that a person didn't need to work in the open, which implied some degree of wealth. - Most importantly, it seems to not understand how light works. Dark surfaces reflect less light, so there's less contrast between strongly lit areas and shadows, meaning it's both harder to make a photo look clear and for an AI to analyze it.