{"id":242132,"date":"2021-05-04T21:31:20","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T18:31:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/campaigners-call-for-spotify-to-disavow-dangerous-speech-recognition-patent\/"},"modified":"2021-05-04T21:31:20","modified_gmt":"2021-05-04T18:31:20","slug":"campaigners-call-for-spotify-to-disavow-dangerous-speech-recognition-patent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/campaigners-call-for-spotify-to-disavow-dangerous-speech-recognition-patent\/","title":{"rendered":"#Campaigners call for Spotify to disavow \u2018dangerous\u2019 speech recognition patent"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Campaigners call for Spotify to disavow \u2018dangerous\u2019 speech recognition patent<\/strong>”
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Campaigners today demanded that Spotify renounces a patent for speech recognition tech that recommends music based on someone\u2019s \u201cemotional state, gender, age, or accent.\u201d<\/p>\n

The patent, which was granted on\u00a0January 12, outlines a method of using audio signals picked up by a microphone to infer the user\u2019s mood and social<\/a> setting. It also details ways of identifying their age, accent, and gender by analyzing their voice.<\/p>\n

The campaigners say the tech is \u201cdangerous, a violation of privacy and other human rights, and should not be implemented by Spotify or any other company.\u201d<\/p>\n

[Read:\u00a03 new technologies ecommerce brands can use to connect better with customers]<\/em><\/p>\n

In an open letter<\/a>, the coalition of over\u00a0180 musicians and human rights organizations called for the streaming giant to publically commit to never use, license, sell, or monetize the system.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t rock out when you\u2019re under constant corporate surveillance,\u201d said Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine in a statement. \u201cSpotify needs to drop this right now and do right by musicians, music fans, and all music workers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The letter describes five major concerns around the tech: emotional manipulation, discrimination, privacy violations, data security, and the exacerbation of inequality in the music industry.<\/p>\n

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It’s impossible to infer gender w\/o discriminating against trans & non-binary people & others who don’t fit gender stereotypes. It’s also impossible to infer someone’s music taste based on accent, w\/o assuming there\u2019s a “normal” way of speaking or falling into racist stereotypes.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Access Now (@accessnow) May 4, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Spotify says it has no current plans to implement the patent, but the campaigners fear another entity could still deploy the tech.<\/p>\n

\u201cClaiming to be able to infer someone\u2019s taste in music based on their accent or detect their gender based on the sound of their voice is racist, transphobic, and just plain creepy,\u201d said Evan Greer, a musician and the director of Fight for the Future. \u201cIt\u2019s not enough for Spotify to say they\u2019re not planning on using this patent right now, they need to commit to killing this plan entirely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The campaigners asked the company\u00a0to publicly respond to their demands by May 18.<\/p>\n

Greetings Humanoids! Did you know we have a news<\/a>letter all about AI? You can subscribe to it right here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n