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Google developing alternative method for classifying skin tones
- Monday | 21st June, 2021
(Reuters) – Alphabet Inc’s Google told Reuters this week it is developing an alternative to the industry-standard method for classifying skin tones, which a growing chorus of technology researchers and dermatologists says is inadequate for assessing whether products are biased against people of color. At issue is a six-color scale known as Fitzpatrick Skin Type (FST), which dermatologists have used since the 1970s. Tech companies now rely on it to categorize people and measure whether products such as facial recognition systems or smartwatch heart-rate sensors perform equally well across skin tones. “To look at my skin hue and say I am type V does me disservice.”Technology companies, until recently, were unconcerned. Apple said it tests on humans across skin tones using various measures, FST only at times among them.
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