  Context. Algorithmic racism is the term used to describe the behavior of
technological solutions that constrains users based on their ethnicity. Lately,
various data-driven software systems have been reported to discriminate against
Black people, either for the use of biased data sets or due to the prejudice
propagated by software professionals in their code. As a result, Black people
are experiencing disadvantages in accessing technology-based services, such as
housing, banking, and law enforcement. Goal. This study aims to explore
algorithmic racism from the perspective of software professionals. Method. A
survey questionnaire was applied to explore the understanding of software
practitioners on algorithmic racism, and data analysis was conducted using
descriptive statistics and coding techniques. Results. We obtained answers from
a sample of 73 software professionals discussing their understanding and
perspectives on algorithmic racism in software development. Our results
demonstrate that the effects of algorithmic racism are well-known among
practitioners. However, there is no consensus on how the problem can be
effectively addressed in software engineering. In this paper, some solutions to
the problem are proposed based on the professionals' narratives. Conclusion.
Combining technical and social strategies, including training on structural
racism for software professionals, is the most promising way to address the
algorithmic racism problem and its effects on the software solutions delivered
to our society.
