Percepção dos Profissionais da TI sobre o Racismo Algorítmico em Tecnologias de Reconhecimento Facial

This work presents a preliminary investigation on the perceptions of professionals in the Information Technology (IT) field regarding algorithmic racism in facial recognition technologies, and identifies, alongside these professionals, strategies to mitigate the discriminatory impacts of this technology. Using a mixed methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative analysis, 57 responses from IT professionals in the southeastern region of Brazil were analyzed through a questionnaire, revealing diverse perceptions: while the majority recognize the potential of algorithms to reproduce racial inequalities, conceptual gaps about the problem persist. Contradictions were also identified in the responses regarding the use of facial recognition: many participants support the technology, yet at the same time express concerns about its ethical risks, such as biases, errors, and lack of regulation. The mitigation suggestions varied according to professional profiles. The study contributes to the debate on algorithmic racism in Brazil and points to pathways for mitigating this issue.