Communications of the ACM
Most Tv Computer Scientists Are Still White Men; Google Wants to Change That
TV shows, such as HBO's Silicon Valley, perpetuate the notion of tech as a geeky boys club. The series recently introduced more women characters with input from Google.
Credit: HBO
Google is calling on Hollywood to give equal screen time to women and minorities after a new study the Internet giant funded found that most computer scientists on television shows and in the movies are played by white men.
Google says the way computer science is portrayed in popular culture can profoundly shape career choices. The hackneyed stereotype of the socially inept, hoodie-clad white male coder does not inspire underrepresented groups to pursue careers in computer science, says Daraiha Greene, Google CS in Media program manager, multicultural strategy.
"We are not trying to erase that image, but we want to diversify and show other people in these roles as well," Greene says.
More than three-quarters of characters engaged with computer science are men and more than two-thirds are white, while 17.2% are Asian and 15.5% are from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, according to the study from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Women of color are practically invisible in these roles.
From USA Today
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