A UNESCO report criticizes the default use of female-sounding voice assistants, saying it reinforces gender stereotypes.
A report by UNESCO has suggested that the default use of female-sounding voice assistants in our smart home gadgets and smartphones perpetuates sexist attitudes towards women.
The report, titled I’d Blush if I Could, takes its name from Siri’s former default response to being called a bitch by users – and criticizes the fact that Apple’s Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Microsoft’s Cortana, are « exclusively female or female by default, both in name and in sound of voice ».
Why is this a problem? Well, according to the report, the default use of female-sounding voice assistants sends a signal to users that women are « obliging, docile and eager-to-please helpers, available at the touch of a button or with a blunt voice command like ‘hey’ or ‘OK’ ».
The report also highlights the fact that these voice assistants have « no power of agency beyond what the commander asks of it » and responds to queries « regardless of [the user’s] tone or hostility ».
According to the report, this has the effect of reinforcing « commonly held gender biases that women are subservient and tolerant of poor treatment ».
This subservience is particularly worrying when these female-sounding voice assistants give « deflecting, lackluster or apologetic responses to verbal sexual harassment ».
