No Change Recommended
This word list captures terms the Inclusive Naming Initiative and its partner organizations evaluated but did not recommend any changes for.
Black box
Recommendation from the IBM Inclusive IT Language Initiative Words Matter working group
Term
black box
Use context
An abstraction of a device or system in which only its externally visible behavior is considered and not its implementation or inner workings.
Recommendation
No change recommended. This term may be used without restriction.
Black box refers to opacity, such as details that aren’t visible or are not the focus. This term is not based on a good/bad binary where white is represented as good or black is represented as bad and so does not promote racial bias. Rationale for replacement
Blackout
Recommendation from the IBM Inclusive IT Language Initiative Words Matter working group
Term
blackout
Use context
A period of darkness, such as between acts in a play or during an electrical outage. Metaphorically, a period during which a service is unavailable.
Recommendation
No change recommended. This term may be used without restriction.
This term is not based on a good/bad binary where white is represented as good or black is represented as bad and so does not promote racial bias.
Disable, disabled
Term
Disable, disabled
Recommended replacement terms
Deactivate/activate
Unsuitable replacement terms
Use context
A feature that is deactivated or made unavailable.
Recommendation
Do not change.
The terms “disable” and “disabled” are valid in the context of technology, such as disabling an application or a network component.
In the context of talking about disabled people, however, follow the guidance around it from the AP Style Guide, the UK Government , the National Center for Disability and Journalism , or other sources. In most cases, the recommendation is to use the word “disabled” to refer to disabled people rather than alternate terms. The National Center for Disability and Journalism recommends to specify the disability where relevant, instead of grouping all people under the general term.
Fair hiring practice
Recommendation from the IBM Inclusive IT Language Initiative Words Matter working group
Term
fair hiring practice
Recommendation
No change recommended.
This term is not biased because it’s easy to distinguish “fair” in the sense of unbiased from “fair” in the sense of a light-skinned person in context.
Fellow
Recommendation from the IBM Inclusive IT Language Initiative Words Matter working group
Term
fellow
Recommendation
No change recommended.
Fellow refers to the most senior rank or title one can achieve on a technical career in certain companies or a member of a learned or professional society, or a person who has been awarded a grant for studies, typically in the field of scientific research, or a person who has earned a fellowship. A Fellow can be of any gender. This term does not promote gender bias.
Master inventor
Recommendation from the IBM Inclusive IT Language Initiative Words Matter working group
Term
master inventor
Recommendation
No change recommended.
This term does not fall under the criteria for replacing the term “master”. It refers to a level of skill rather than a dominant/subordinate relationship.
Mastermind
Recommendation from the IBM Inclusive IT Language Initiative Words Matter working group
Term
mastermind
Recommendation
No change recommended.
This term does not fall under the criteria for replacing the term “master”. It refers to a level of skill rather than a dominant/subordinate relationship.
Parent and child
Recommendation from the IBM Inclusive IT Language Initiative Words Matter working group
Term
parent/child
Use context
Used metaphorically to represent a dependent relationship, such as between a superior and dependent node.
Recommendation
No change recommended.
Although the relationship of parent and child is one of dependency, it is appropriate. Parents do have legal rights over children until a certain age, so it is a natural dependency relationship. Children falling victim to adult power is neither the main nor the intended result of this relationship, so this term does not typically represent an abuse of power.
Red team
Recommendation from the IBM Inclusive IT Language Initiative Words Matter working group
Term
Red team
Use context
Used in the military and security, a red team plays an attacker in a simulated attack while a blue team plays the defender.
Recommendation
No change recommended.
This use of “red” does not refer to Indigenous people and does not reinforce a negative stereotype.