Exclusive: Meta to study race of Instagram users – Axios

Facebook parent Meta plans to partner with an outside group to survey the race of Instagram customers in hopes of better understanding who is using its services, officials tell Axios.Why it matters: The company says it wants to make sure that its products and AI systems operate fairly across racial lines, but feels it can’t do that without better knowing its customers. By working with a third party it aims to both protect privacy and ensure customers are more comfortable sharing their information.How it works: Over the next few months people on Instagram in the United States may see a single-question prompt asking them about their race or ethnicity. Meta partnered with a firm called Oasis Labs to ensure Meta will have access to this information only at the aggregate level. The company is working with YouGov for data collection, with the collected information split among several partners. Neither Meta nor its partners  — Oasis, Northeastern University, University of Central Florida, and Texas Southern University — will have access to individual responses. The company has posted more detailed information on its methodology here.Meta said it will continue its policy of not directly collecting race information.What they’re saying: “For a long…
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