ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW AND ALGORITHMS: THE CHALLENGE OF RACISM ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS

Abstract

The advancement of digital technologies and the growing use of algorithms on online platforms have significantly transformed forms of social, economic, and political interaction. These systems, responsible for classifying, recommending, and organizing information, are important in mediating everyday practices, but they can also reproduce and intensify existing inequalities. When structured based on biased data or opaque criteria, algorithms can perpetuate discriminatory practices, disproportionately affecting racialized groups. In this context, anti-discrimination law presents itself as an essential field for assessing, preventing, and mitigating manifestations of racism in digital environments. The central objective of this research is to analyze the relationship between anti-discrimination law and the challenges posed by algorithmic racism on digital platforms, seeking to understand how legal instruments can respond to such problems. The choice of this topic is justified by the urgency of addressing the impacts of discrimination in virtual spaces, which have established themselves as central arenas of communication and sociability. The methodology adopted is qualitative, based on a literature review, encompassing doctrinal studies, scientific articles, national and international legislation, and institutional reports that address both anti-racism protection and digital systems governance. The aim is to provide a theoretical framework that allows for reflection on the limits and possibilities of legal action in the face of algorithmic racism, strengthening the debate on equality, technological regulation, and the protection of fundamental rights in the context of digital platforms.