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Recently I was looking a video posted to YouTube. In there, two co-workers, one white and one black, tried out the web cam face-tracking software on an HP MediaSmart computer. The software is supposed to follow users as they move, but it fails to recognize Desi, a black man. When his co-worker Wanda, who is white, enters the frame, it immediately recognizes her and follows her in the frame.By the way this guy bought the computer for his wife as a present but, he finds out that the computer software does not works with him.

He says,

"As soon as my blackness enters the frame ... it stopped," Desi said. "As soon as white Wanda appears, the camera moves. Black Desi gets in there? Nope, no facial recognition anymore, buddy. I'm going on record and I'm saying it. Hewlett-Packard computers are racist."

HP responded on its blog.

"We are working with our partners to learn more," HP said. "The technology we use is built on standard algorithms that measure the difference in intensity of contrast between the eyes and the upper cheek and nose. We believe that the camera might have difficulty 'seeing' contrast in conditions where there is insufficient foreground lighting."

"Everything we do is focused on ensuring that we provide a high-quality experience for all our customers, who are ethnically diverse and live and work around the world," HP continued. "That's why when issues surface, we take them seriously and work hard to understand the root causes."