A new campaign is taking on pressing social issues affecting the tech industry in a social-media-friendly format.
The Institute of Coding, a U.K.-based educational outreach org, released a three-part series of documentary-style shorts on IGTV this week, spanning bias in artificial intelligence, gaming accessibility and sustainable fashion. Produced in partnership with Accenture Interactive-owned agency Karmarama, the “404 Not Found” video campaign aims to promote diversity and inclusion in digital education and careers.
The project also includes a virtual coding club for quarantine-bound young people to learn programming basics.
“At a time when more people are exploring online learning and digital skills, it is important that we showcase the best talent within the industry to inspire a larger and more diverse group of people to consider digital courses,” Institute of Coding director Rachid Hourizi wrote in a statement.
An all-female team at Girls in Film handled the video production, and featured interviewees include journalists and tech diversity advocates like esports producer Frankie Ward, artist Sadie Clayton and Charlene Prempeh—the founder of a technology group for creatives of color, A Vibe Called Tech.
The campaign is tapping a growing cultural shift in digital industries. As tech like facial recognition and algorithms play an ever-growing role in people’s daily lives, academics, activists and technologists have sought to apply a more cross-disciplinary lens to studying technology’s impact on society.
“The series is about confronting uncomfortable societal truths,” said Jamie Mancini, a creative director at Karmarama. “The tech world is just as much a part of our culture as Marmite or Brexit and throws up the same heated debates. We didn’t shy away from the issues but tackled them head on, hearing the voices of the people on the front line within those spaces who are changing things for the better.”
