Digital redlining

Redlining is an American concept, which refers to the discriminatory practice of denying services, either directly, or through selectively raising prices to residents of certain areas based on racial or ethnic composition of those areas. In other words, making it extremely difficult for residents of poor neighbourhoods to borrow money or gain access to other financial services.

Historically, examples include refusing or limiting loans, mortgages and insurances within specified geographical areas, or in the case of retail, locating supermarkets impractically far from residents of the redlined area. Redlining comes from the red lines that were drawn on physical maps to designate targeted areas.

Media

Watch this short historical documentary on redlining published by Discriminology.


Definition

Digital redlining

Digital redlining refers to technology policies, practices, pedagogies and investment decisions that reinforce class and race boundaries (Gilliard 2016)[1].

Optional podcast

For more information, you can listen to the podcast: Digital redlining and privacy, with Chris Gilliard published by Teaching in HigherEd. Chris Gilliard is a Professor of English at Macomb Community College. His scholarship concentrates on privacy, institutional technology policy, digital redlining, and the re-inventions of discriminatory practices through data mining and algorithmic decision-making, especially as these apply to college students.


Annotation - Examples of digital redlining

Racial and gender bias in Google search

Read the following article and add or reply to annotations using Hypothes.is. Remember to tag your posts using the course code: lida102

Redlining in higher education

Choose one of the following readings and add or reply to annotations using Hypothes.is. Remember to tag your posts using the course code: lida102.


References
  1. Gilliard, C. (2016). Digital redlining and privacy with Chris Gilliard, Teaching in HigherEd Podcast

Last modified: Tuesday, March 6, 2018, 12:47 PM