UK: Home Office drops 'racist' algorithm from visa decisions

[webfact]

Home Office drops 'racist' algorithm from visa decisions

 

@Reuters

 

The Home Office has agreed to stop using a computer algorithm to help decide visa applications after allegations that it contained "entrenched racism".

 

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) and digital rights group Foxglove launched a legal challenge against the system.

 

Foxglove characterised it as "speedy boarding for white people". The Home Office, however, said it did not accept that description.

 

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53650758

 

-- © Copyright BBC 2020-08-07

 

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[mrfill]

Doesn't matter if they don't accept the description. Is it true? Yes or no.

 

Quite difficult options for the incumbents.

[rupert the bear]

about time too.get rid of VFS smug racist scum bags they are,even better the schengen crew could adopt a none racist attitude as well but that might be asking too much.its shameful there should be some type of public enquiry into the whole procedure but brussels doesnt do that at least londons taken a step forward

[Muhendis]

42 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Doesn't matter if they don't accept the description. Is it true? Yes or no.

 

Quite difficult options for the incumbents.

The fact that the "algorithm" has been dropped makes the description ("speedy boarding for white people") true. The home office won't accept the description because they are sensitive to being blamed for anything and everything.

[JusticeGB]

Married 16 years to a Thai wife with a 15 year old daughter. Just enough money to meet the minimum requirements but impossible to get a Visa for my wife. Don't need a Visa for my daughter as she has both a UK and a Thai passport. 

Edited August 7, 2020 by JusticeGB
Spelling mistake

[Chelseafan]

4 hours ago, Muhendis said:

The fact that the "algorithm" has been dropped makes the description ("speedy boarding for white people") true.

 

No it doesn't. It says

"The controversy centred over an applicant's nationality being used as a part of the automatic system", not race, colour or creed. If the system has a bias of white tourists over black tourists from South Africa for example then I would consider it racist

 

 

[theoldgit]

Unhelpful troll post removed.

[theoldgit]

17 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

Married 16 years to a Thai wife with a 15 year old daughter. Just enough money to meet the minimum requirements but impossible to get a Visa for my wife. Don't need a Visa for my daughter as she has both a UK and a Thai passport. 

What sort of visa was your wife applying for, you mention minimum requirements, I assume you mean financial requirements, a Settlement Visa is they only class they apply?
 

Just enough money is sufficient, did she meet the other requirements, language and tb tests and accommodation, if so why was she refused?

[Logosone]

I've never experienced any racism when entering the UK.

 

Nor would I say boarding has been more speedy in the UK.

 

I have had unpleasant immigration experiences in Cuba, Jamaica and the US though.

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, Logosone said:

I've never experienced any racism when entering the UK.

Nor would I say boarding has been more speedy in the UK.

I have had unpleasant immigration experiences in Cuba, Jamaica and the US though.

I did,

Came back from holiday in the USA where I'd been ski-ing with a black pal (around 1995 Gatwick).

We came through immigration OK, then a guy followed us and started questioning my pal.

I had to intervene and tell him to f$%# off and leave my pal alone.

Showed him my ID card from a major Media corporation, and he walked away.

Edited August 7, 2020 by BritManToo

[DrTuner]

That's VFS? Never had any trouble with them, got few Schengen visas and an Oz visa for wife (one of them wasn't VFS if I remember correctly?), but have to say their premises in BKK are pretty nasty when compared to embassies. 

[7by7]

On 8/7/2020 at 1:47 AM, rupert the bear said:

about time too.get rid of VFS smug racist scum bags they are,even better the schengen crew could adopt a none racist attitude as well but that might be asking too much.its shameful there should be some type of public enquiry into the whole procedure but brussels doesnt do that at least londons taken a step forward

 This is an accusation levelled at UK Visas and Immigration, which is an executive agency of the Home Office.

 

VFS are an agency who collect applications and fees on behalf of UKVI and forward same to UKVI decision makers. VFS play no part in the decision making process. If you have cause for complain about VFS, their service or staff members you should first address that complaint to the manager of the particular office.

 

The UK is not, and never has been, in the Schengen area so whoever you mean by "the Schengen crew" they have nothing to do with this subject. Neither does Brussels; this is a UK government matter, nothing to do with the EU.

 

 

 

[Tony M]

Well, here it is, published today. The amazing, new, non-algorithmic guidance to decision-makers.  For some reason, the Home Office has redacted some of the contents. Now, why would they do that ?

interim-workflow-routing-visitor-student-odw-v1.0.pdf