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Krystal Kauffman

@krystalkauffman.bsky.social
1.9K followers 560 following 21 posts

Activist * Former Lead Organizer - Turkopticon * Research Fellow - Distributed AI Research (DAIR) Institute * Rising Stars in AI Ethics 2024 * Tech Crunch Women in AI 2024 * All opinions are my own

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Reposted by Krystal Kauffman
Ghost in the Machine @ghostdoc2026.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
We are THRILLED to announce DAIR x GHOST fundraiser: if you haven't seen the film - or if you have - May 10 - 13 pay what you can to rent GHOST IN THE MACHINE on Kinema, all proceeds go to the freshest research in the space! Register and rent: notaidoc.com/dairxghost
Starlings fly across a blue sky, text on the image reads "May 10 - 13 Fundraiser DAIR x GHOST pay what you can to rent on Kinema, all rental proceeds during these dates go to the Distributed AI Research Institute" A button to RSVP to the side.
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Arte es Ética @arteesetica.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
«La industria de la IA depende precisamente de los trabajadores a los que explota» 🎯 @karenhao.bsky.social Tremendo informe de @moreperfectunion.bsky.social sobre los «Talleres Clandestinos de IA» y el trabajo oculto de los dataworkers @krystalkauffman.bsky.social 🙌 www.youtube.com/watch?v=aooi...
youtube.com
I Tracked Down the Hidden Workers Secretly Powering ChatGPT
YouTube video by More Perfect Union
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Ghost in the Machine @ghostdoc2026.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Check out the trailer for GHOST IN THE MACHINE, coming soon to PBS and your screen! This feature documentary features 40 generous and brilliant AI experts, historians, philosophers, sociologists, journalists and thinkers discussing their work with @valerieveatch.bsky.social.
youtube.com
GHOST IN THE MACHINE (2026) OFFICIAL TRAILER
YouTube video by Ghost in the Machine
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Tech Policy Press @techpolicypress.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
The AI boom runs on invisible labor, writes Krystal Kauffman, a research fellow with the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR). Underpaid workers in Kenya, the US, and beyond are unknowingly training intelligence systems. This isn't just an ethics problem—it's a consent problem, she says.
techpolicy.press
Done Data Work? You Might Have Worked With the US Military Without Knowing.
As data workers organize around the world, they need to push for change on what appears to be a major ethical oversight, writes Krystal Kauffman.
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NE Ohio Regional Sewer District @neorsd.org · 06/02/2026
another year of us not running a super bowl ad
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Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 06/02/2026
According to an organizer, “all signatories are full-time employees, and nearly 30% are Google Cloud workers.”
businessinsider.com
800 Google employees demand an end to any cloud contracts with ICE and CBP
The petition also called for executives to protect vulnerable Google employees, "from cafeteria workers to data center employees."
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
New Inquiry!!! Have you ever found yourself trying to explain an issue to a chatbot, only to wish you could speak to a human? What if I told you the chatbot you were talking to was actually a human pretending to be a chatbot? Read Clara and B's short comic art the link below 👇
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Ghost in the Machine @ghostdoc2026.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
To hopefully do justice to this issue, we're bringing together @dairinstitute.bsky.social's @milamiceli.bsky.social & @krystalkauffman.bsky.social with @mophatokinyi.bsky.social & Richard Mathenge, cofounders of the Techworker Community Africa and former content moderators. We hope you'll join us!
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Data Workers’ Inquiry @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
🚨 NEW INQUIRY!! A Brazilian former TikTok moderator, pseudonymized as Lúcio, analyzes the systems designed to extract ever-growing productivity from content moderators and how they operate to harm workers. Download and read the report at data-workers.org/lucio/
Illustration of a silhouette struggling to lift a large, cracked TikTok logo, symbolizing the burden of content moderation. Background with faded TikTok logos, title "Behind the For You" at the top.
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The Maybe @themaybe.org · 22/01/2026
@alixdunn.com and @valerieveatch.bsky.social will chat through questions of AI power with @shengokai.blacksky.app, @krystalkauffman.bsky.social, @milamiceli.bsky.social, @mophatokinyi.bsky.social, @drtanksley.bsky.social, Thema Monroe-White, and Richard Mathenge. Anyone can tune in online!
collab.sundance.org
Tackling the Ethics of AI through the Making of GHOST IN THE MACHINE with Valerie Veatch
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Milagros Miceli @milamiceli.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
📣New paper! Thrilled to share the methodological recipe for @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social in this article co-authored with @adiod.bsky.social @krystalkauffman.bsky.social Camilla Salim Wagner, Laurenz Sachenbacher @alexhanna.bsky.social & @timnitgebru.bsky.social 👉 ojs.aaai.org/index.php/AI...
Proceedings of the Eighth AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society (AIES2025)

Methodological Considerations for Centering Workers’ Epistemic Authority in AIResearchMilagros Miceli1, 2, 3, Adio-Adet Dinika1, Krystal Kauffman1, Camilla Salim Wagner2, 3,Laurenz Sachenbacher2, 3, Alex Hanna1, Timnit Gebru11The Distributed AI Research Institute2Weizenbaum-Institute3Technische Universit ̈at Berlinmila@dair-institute.org, adio@dair-institute.org, krystal@dair-institute.org, camilla.salim.wagner@tu-berlin.de,l.sachenbacher@tu-berlin.de, alex@dair-institute.org, timnit@dair-institute.org
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Data Workers’ Inquiry @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
TikTok management wants to lay off over 160 workers in Berlin as easily and cheaply as possible. After the first meeting of the conciliation committee, employees could be DISMISSED IMMEDIATELY. www.heise.de/en/news/Berl...
heise.de
Berlin: Tiktok-employees going on strike against massive job cuts
German Tiktok censors have trained an AI that is now taking their jobs. Verdi wants to talk, Tiktok doesn't. There was a warning strike on Wednesday.
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Christian Strippel @strippel.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Over the past months, I had the privilege to be part of a great team of scholars, practitioners, and data workers who developed ethical principles for academic data work requesters. These principles have now been published @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social: www.weizenbaum-institut.de/publikatione...
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Milagros Miceli @milamiceli.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
🚨NEW INQUIRY! @joan1k.bsky.social from @datalabelers.bsky.social discusses beginnings, gratitude, and partnerships in this piece. @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social is an active partner of the DLA, and we remain united in the fight for the rights of data workers worldwide! data-workers.org/DLA/
data-workers.org
Organizing Across Borders, by Joan Kinyua
The Data Labelers Association is developing mutual support structures and fighting for better working conditions. This inquiry recounts our path to founding it and acknowledges our ongoing partnership...
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
New Inquiry!!
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Milagros Miceli @milamiceli.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
Caught up this week with @krystalkauffman.bsky.social and @adiod.bsky.social to plot what’s next for @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social: new inquiries, new events, and some big ideas in the works. More soon!
Krystal Kauffman, Adio Dinika and Milagros Miceli take a selfie outdoors
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
New Inquiry is live! Our co-researchers have identified the problems in data work. Now it is time to create solutions. Read on below!
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
Live right now!!
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
🚨New Inquiry!! Today, we present Kauna’s mental healthcare proposal tailored specifically to data workers - addressing PTSD, burnout, depression, and more. Her plan delivers a way forward for those affected and a call for change. data-workers.org/kauna/ #MentalHealthInTech #DataWorkersInquiry
data-workers.org
A Mental Health Intervention for Data Workers, by Kauna Ibrahim Malgwi
A scalable mental health intervention designed for data workers, grounded in hands‑on insight and evidence‑based practice from my dual perspective as a former content moderator and a registered clinic...
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The Distributed AI Research (DAIR) Institute @dairinstitute.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
🔇🔇🔇Join us for an honest conversation with some of the people forging a better digital future. Event will be recorded for those who can't make it. ⏰ Thursday May 30th at 10am PDT/1pm EDT ➡️ Register at www.eventbrite.com/e/imagining-... More info on our amazing speakers below🧵
A flyer of with headshots of the featured speakers. Cat Small, product designer, game maker. Rudy Fraser founder, Blacksky
Ra'il I'Nasah Kiam, indi scholar, artist. Roland X. Pulliam. Founder, heuristic instruments.
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
Follow the Data Labelers Association here 👉 @datalabelers.bsky.social
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Visit www.data-workers.org to view Sakine's contribution to the Data Workers' Inquiry. While you're there, check out the whole repository!
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Data Workers’ Inquiry @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social · 27/04/2025
Wilington Shitawa is a former data worker and quality analyst who has worked at Cloud Factory and Sama in Nairobi, Kenya. Drawing from his personal experiences and interviews with fellow workers Andrea, Derrick, and Edwin, he created the comic „Click Captives: The Unseen Struggle of Data Workers“.
Wilington Shitawa, drawing from his personal experiences and interviews with fellow workers Andrea, Derrick, and Edwin, created the comic „Click Captives: The Unseen Struggle of Data Workers“.Wilington Shitawa
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Data Workers’ Inquiry @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
“Safe data work demands better pay, better working conditions, and a safe, supportive environment that helps workers deal with the emotional toll of the job.” Fasica Berhane Gebrekidan, data worker and DWI community researcher
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Data Workers’ Inquiry @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
In her report “If I Had Another Job, I Would Not Accept Data Annotation Tasks,” Roukaya al-Hammada highlights the precarious working conditions of Syrian refugees in Lebanon involved in data annotation.
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Data Workers’ Inquiry @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
In “The Impact of Gift Card Payments on MTurk Workers”, Alexis Chávez reveals how many MTurk workers —depending on where they live— are only paid in Amazon gift cards deposited into their Amazon.com balance.
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Today I'm announcing my departure from Turkopticon, where I've been the lead organizer for the last few years. I'll be dedicating my time to research and advocacy with DAIR, pushing boundaries in ways that are personally and professionally fulfilling. Thanks to all who have supported me!
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
Happy to join @gleemie.bsky.social on this list! I see a lot of brilliant women here - congrats to all! womeninaiethics.org/the-list/of-...
womeninaiethics.org
2025 | Women in AI Ethics™
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The Distributed AI Research (DAIR) Institute @dairinstitute.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
"Generative AI will always need humans"...says @krystalkauffman.bsky.social. Dylan Baker agrees: “It’s a well-crafted marketing strategy on the part of the platforms to claim that one day AI will no longer need humans.” voxeurop.eu/en/artificia...
voxeurop.eu
Not-so-artificial intelligence: the human workers who power AI
Invisible, isolated from one another, and with little income security – such is the lot of data workers. And yet without them, there'd be no ChatGPT, Midjourney or Gemini.
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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
NEW — OMB temporarily pauses all agency grants and loans programs. Per copy of memo: "The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve."
SUBJECT:
Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs
'The American people elected Donald J. Trump to be President of the United States and gave him a mandate to increase the impact of every federal taxpayer dollar. In Fiscal Year 2024. of the nearly $10 trillion that the Federal Government spent, more than $3 trillion was Federal financial assistance, such as grants and loans. Career and political appointees in the Executive Branch have a duty to align Federal spending and action with the will of the American people as expressed through Presidential priorities. Financial assistance should be dedicated to advancing Administration priorities, focusing taxpayer dollars to advance a stronger and safer America, eliminating the financial burden of inflation for citizens, unleashing American energy and manufacturing, ending wokeness" and the weaponization of government, promoting efficiency in government, and Making America Healthy Again. The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.
This memorandum requires Federal agencies to identify and review all Federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with the President's policies and requirements. For example, during the initial days of his Administration, President Donald J Trump issued a series of executive orders to protect the American people and safeguard valuable taxpayer resources, including Protecting the American People Against Invasion (Jan. 20, 2025).
Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid (Jan 20, 2025), Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements (Jan. 20, 2025). Unleashing American Energy (Jan. 20.
2025). Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing (Jan. 20.ent these orders, each agency must complete a comprehensive analysis of all jal assistance programs to identify programs, projects, and activities that any of the President's executive orders. In the interian, to the extent applicable law, Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency nay be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial
surice tot foreign nongovernmental organizations, DEL woke gender ideology, and the
pause will provide the Administration time to review agency programs of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the he temporary pause will become effective on January 28, 2025, at 5:00
rehensive analysis. Federal agencies must immediately deadlines for assistance programs arising while the les must report this information to OMB along with an directs Federal agencies to pause all activities associated
conducting merit review panels
No later than Febrar
- 10. 2025, agencies shail submit to OMB detailed information on
any programs projects or activities subject to this pause. Each agency must pause. (i) issuance of disbursement of Federal funds under all open awards, and (il) other relevant
has reviewed provided guidance to your agency with respect to the information
act
recordin
grant and ptions allowing Federal agencies to issue new awards or take other case basis.
To the extent required by law, Federal agencies may continue nistrative actions. such as closeout of Federal awards (2 CFR 200.344), or expressly required by law
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
Put this on your calendar - We're looking forward to seeing you on Feb 13!
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
I'm in an Uber (I know, but there was no other option) and I see this in the door. Not only is this my first ever female driver, but I've never seen this in cars driven by men.
A can of defense spray in the side of a car door.
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
Thank you, @sklovig.bsky.social, for sharing this piece again. I stand by what I said now more than ever!
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Timnit Gebru @timnitgebru.blacksky.app · 07/01/2025
We're hoping to organize a hopeful virtual event to get us to think our possible technological futures, and have a creative workshop. Stay tuned. In the mean time, read our Possible Futures Series. If you have thoughts on what you'd like to see from the event, comment below.
Two Black women and a Black man floating in space with planets and other circular objects. The background is purple and their clothing is in yellow and brown.
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404 Media @404media.co · 08/01/2025
Facebook is censoring 404 Media stories about Facebook's censorship 🔗 www.404media.co/facebook-is-...
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
Wonderful interview with Dr. Milagros Miceli! morningexpress.in/milagros-mic...
morningexpress.in
Milagros Miceli, researcher: “It is a lie that AI is going to automate everything. “It needs the manual and precarious work of millions of people”
Artificial intelligence (AI) is not as automatic as it is preached. This technology works thanks to powerful computers that execute calculations on extensive
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
Waymo? More like Way-NO www.instagram.com/reel/DEhgF7y...
instagram.com
Login • Instagram
Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.
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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
On this International Day of Migrants, I dream of a future where we use technology to heal wounds instead of creating new ones. A future where we use our advancements to address one of the most heart-wrenching aspects of forced displacement. www.dair-institute.org/blog/eritrea...
dair-institute.org
Closure for Families of the Missing
The Distributed AI Research Institute is a space for independent, community-rooted AI research, free from Big Tech’s pervasive influence.
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
Please read more about stories like the one below here: www.data-workers.org www.theguardian.com/media/2024/d...
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Turkopticon @turkopticon.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
Sign up here: blog.turkopticon.net?page_id=653
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Alex Hanna @alexhanna.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
Pre-order alert, cover, and website reveal for our book, THE AI CON! (with @emilymbender.bsky.social) It's out for release on May 13, 2025! thecon.ai
thecon.ai
THE AI CON
How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want
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Turkopticon @turkopticon.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
Our original campaign and a fight we will never give up on, mass rejections. Read our latest newsletter article delving a little into our battle with Amazon. blog.turkopticon.net?p=3845
blog.turkopticon.net
Mass rejections are still very real - Turkopticon
Mass rejections remain a significant and frustrating issue for many workers in online platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk. Have you ever experienced a situation at work where an issue spanned multip...
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Krystal Kauffman @krystalkauffman.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
Looking forward to seeing data workers on 12/17!
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The Distributed AI Research (DAIR) Institute @dairinstitute.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
We'll still be busting AI hype as we wind down in December. Join @alexhanna.bsky.social & @emilymbender.bsky.social in the next iteration of Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 this Monday December 9 at 12pm pacific. Live Stream: www.twitch.tv/dair_institute Past Episodes: www.dair-institute.org/maiht3k/
Mystery AI Hype Theater 30000 written in white with purple background.
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WIRED @wired.com · 03/12/2024
Signal is famous for knowing as little about its users as possible. The app isn’t hoarding metadata, tracking you, or showing you ads. President @meredithmeredith.bsky.social sees a shift underway as the monoliths of big tech lose popularity and the old economics of Silicon Valley become brittle.
wired.com
With Threats to Encryption Looming, Signal’s Meredith Whittaker Says ‘We’re Not Changing’
At WIRED’s The Big Interview event, the president of the Signal Foundation talked about secure communications as critical infrastructure and the need for a new funding paradigm for tech.
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Turkopticon @turkopticon.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Turkopticon was honored to be referenced and represented in EU Parliament, we encourage data workers to watch the recording at the link below and see how organizations are pushing for protections through policy. diplab.eu/data-workers...
diplab.eu
Data Workers Meet Policymakers: DiPLab’s Journey in Helping Shape EU AI Policy – DiPLab
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Alabama's 42 @cbs42.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Amazons workers across 20 countries, including the United States, are striking against what the organizing labor union calls anti-worker and anti-democratic practices.
cbs42.com
Amazon workers on strike from Black Friday to Cyber Monday
(WFXR) – Amazons workers across 20 countries, including the United States, are striking against what the organizing labor union calls anti-worker and anti-democratic practices.
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Turkopticon @turkopticon.bsky.social · 01/12/2024
We represent data workers and the mistreatment they get working on the platforms that make your tech work. We are always happy to speak at conferences and in spaces where people are willing to listen to our battles. The Color of Surveillance was a recent conference we were excited to participate in.
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Arte es Ética @arteesetica.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
"A pesar de que trabajamos para estas grandes empresas, somos la mano de obra barata y descartable para ellos": Oskarina Fuentes frente al Parlamento Europeo junto a @milamiceli.bsky.social hablando sobre la extrema precariedad de los trabajadores de datos de la industria de la IA 📢 #dataworkers
conference: “(Un)Artificial Intelligence: Workers Behind the Machine”

Artificial Intelligence, before answering all our questions and even driving our cars, needs to be trained by real humans. These people, called microworkers, constitute an unknown  behind-the-scenes workforce. These microworkers will come from all over the world (including Syria, Colombia, the US, Spain and Italy), to give testimony to the European Parliament on their working conditions and provide us with valuable insights into the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and the labour force behind it, highlighting the voices of data workers across Europe and beyond.

This event is co-organised with esteemed researcher Antonio Casilli, Professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Paris and author of the notable publication En attendant les robots. Enquête sur le travail du clic.

https://www.youtube.com/live/U4692ygg6l4

Oskarina Fuentes desde Colombia plantea los problemas estructurales exacerbados por las crisis económicas y políticas en América Latina: trabajadores de plataformas enfrentándose a horarios irregulares, incertidumbre, bajos salarios y tiempo no remunerado
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