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TechEquity

@techequity.bsky.social
689 followers 196 following 3.1K posts

Tech's growth should benefit everyone. We're addressing how tech intersects with the most consequential areas of the economy: housing and labor.

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Reposted by TechEquity
Tim Newman @tnewmsblues.bsky.social · 14h
"Remote jobs such as content moderation & data annotation have been promoted as a win-win by UN agencies & global tech companies... But interviews with more than two dozen refugees in Kakuma show that only one side has clearly benefited." www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
theguardian.com
‘Someone else will do it for less’: Refugees in Kenya are powering tech for dwindling pay
Refugee gig workers for tech companies don’t know how much they’ll be paid – if AI hasn’t already taken their jobs
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 11h
It even includes a story layer where you can learn more about data workers' experiences!
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 11h
Cunyan Ma did just that with “Where are the data workers behind AI?”, which combines data from our Data Work Landscape with original data to visualize where workers involved in data work are located. techequity.us/2026/09/30/c...
techequity.us
Cunyan Ma is finding where the data workers are - TechEquity Collaborative
Everyday Californians can play a role in the government beyond voting. If you choose to accept, you can help pass a bill that may become law.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 11h
Across the world, tech companies in the AI industry rely on workers who develop, train, test, and maintain AI systems. But these workers are hidden away behind virtual marketplaces and labyrinthine supply chains. To hold these companies accountable, we need to bring this supply chain to light.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 11h
Unfortunately, Gene’s insurance provider's automated decision system determined he didn’t need some of that care, and his family ended up paying $150,000 in uncovered medical expenses. This is one of the many stories of AI impacting people’s lives. Learn more: techequity.us/2026/01/21/5...
techequity.us
5 stories of how the use of AI is impacting everyday life - TechEquity Collaborative
To underline the need for change and help you understand when AI might impact you, we rounded up five stories where AI was involved in harm.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 11h
In 2022, 91-year-old Gene Lokken fractured his hip and ankle as a result of a fall. He spent around six days in the hospital before being moved to hospice care for a month to recover from his injuries, followed by physical therapy.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 12h
So what’s really going on? Check out "AI and Jobs: Know the Story, Shape the Future," an interactive breakdown of what the research actually can and cannot confirm, so workers can understand how AI is affecting work and be better equipped to shape the future they want to see. aijobstory.org
aijobstory.org
AI & Jobs: Know the Story, Shape the Future
The research on AI and job displacement is more complicated than the headlines suggest. Here's what we found.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 12h
Is AI coming for your job? Researchers aren’t as certain as news headlines suggest. Some of the most expansive, rigorous research we read found it's unclear whether, when, or how AI will displace jobs, but these papers are less likely to be cited in the news. www.youtube.com/shorts/uTSem...
youtube.com
Is AI coming for your job? Researchers aren’t as certain as news headlines suggest.
YouTube video by TechEquity
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 12h
Meanwhile, Meta uses its data centers to avoid paying billions in federal taxes. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/t...
nytimes.com
How Meta Uses A.I. Data Centers to Avoid Billions in Federal Taxes
Meta is exploiting a lucrative tax break intended to support research and experimentation. Its own accountants say the gambit is risky.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 12h
Big Tech wants big data centers but doesn't seem willing to pay the big money that comes with them. Oracle recently cited “force majeure” to put off payments for a controversial data center in New Mexico. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
Oracle Cites ‘Force Majeure’ to Shield Itself on Controversial Data Center
Oracle Corp. is moving to shield itself from racking up expenses on a massive data center being built in New Mexico, adding a fresh wrinkle to a project beset by opposition and regulatory setbacks.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
TOMORROW: Managing Director @jonathanstein.bsky.social joins @eff.org to discuss the current state of election privacy and cybersecurity—find out more about what protects your vote after you submit your ballot. Register now: www.eff.org/event/effect...
eff.org
EFFecting Change: Protect the Vote
Voting is a right. But voting records are highly sensitive. Once you cast your vote, how does the technology in the voting booth and the policy of the country protect voting access and democracy? For ...
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Reposted by TechEquity
Tim Newman @tnewmsblues.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
"They are often low-level criminals, sometimes teens, who don’t know whom they’re working for & agree to take on a task for a fee in cryptocurrency... 'It appears that just as in other areas of the gig economy, benefits generally accrue to the employer." www.nytimes.com/2026/10/05/w...
nytimes.com
The Rise of Gig Economy Warfare
An incident at a British air base may demonstrate a new era of low-intensity conflict.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Countries in this region were the world's call centers, and a lot of IT work has been outsourced there. The existing business structure can be easily transformed into a data labeling industry. Meanwhile, many customers are located in Europe… also not surprising. techequity.us/2026/09/30/c...
techequity.us
Cunyan Ma is finding where the data workers are - TechEquity Collaborative
Everyday Californians can play a role in the government beyond voting. If you choose to accept, you can help pass a bill that may become law.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
When mapping where the workers behind AI are located, Cunyan Ma wasn’t surprised that traditional outsourcing centers, such as India and the Philippines, have a much more consistent distribution of workers. She thinks it has a lot to do with history.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
This is a powerful example of what can happen when everyday people come together to beat out a flood of tech money. But it also wasn’t a clean sweep for everyday Californians… techequity.us/2026/10/07/2...
techequity.us
A win for Californians: Gov. Newsom signs a slate of critical AI and economic fairness protections - TechEquity Collaborative
Everyday Californians can play a role in the government beyond voting. If you choose to accept, you can help pass a bill that may become law.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Getting these bills across the finish line wasn’t easy. Big Tech and other corporate interest groups spent big to weaken these bills as they went through the process. But workers, advocates, and small business owners mobilized and refused to back down.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
September 30, 2026, marked a winning moment for California families, workers, and small businesses. In addition to signing the COMPETE Act, @governor.ca.gov signed into law a package of bills that protect workers and consumers from AI systems.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
A Reuters report on McDonald’s AI pricing presents explicit evidence that they're using "willingness to pay" to increase prices. ow.ly/EKIP50ZVuUU
ow.ly
Inside McDonald’s push to have AI price your Big Mac
McDonald’s is increasingly using artificial intelligence to guide menu prices across the U.S. and some global markets, a plan that aims to boost headquarters’ profit but risks alienating customers and attracting antitrust scrutiny.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
In “The Political Dynamics of AI in California,” we show how this issue is impacting voters, their views on AI, and the way leadership can move forward with trust. Don’t have time to read the full memo? Here’s the TL;DR: techequity.us/2026/04/21/a...
techequity.us
Californians want AI legislation, but Big Tech is spending to push its own interests - TechEquity Collaborative
How are Californians supposed to trust that their leaders are acting in the people’s best interests when it comes to AI policy?
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Big Tech spent over $57.6 million on lobbying in California between 2023 and 2025. With those numbers, how can Californians trust that their leaders are acting in the people’s best interests?
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Check out our recent report to learn more: techequity.us/2026/09/09/2...
techequity.us
How Californians Feel About AI - Findings From the 2026 AI Compass - TechEquity Collaborative
Over a thousand Californians want stronger AI laws—but are legislators willing to act?
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
AI adoption is not an endorsement! Like Georgia, many Californians are excited to use AI to solve problems and start businesses. But to truly benefit us all, Georgia and 70% of Californians believe we need strict regulations around AI. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeHb...
youtube.com
Georgia is excited about AI—but only if there are regulations
YouTube video by TechEquity
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
But even with support from TechEquity’s Data Work Landscape, it was difficult to locate data workers, their employers, and data work customers. She theorizes that's by design. Learn more about her process for developing “Where are the data workers behind AI?”: techequity.us/2026/09/30/c...
techequity.us
Cunyan Ma is finding where the data workers are - TechEquity Collaborative
Everyday Californians can play a role in the government beyond voting. If you choose to accept, you can help pass a bill that may become law.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
AI is neither artificial nor all that intelligent. Thousands of workers worldwide train and maintain AI systems that make a few people billions while they earn as little as $2 per hour. Brown University student Cunyan Ma wanted to bring transparency to this network in support of these workers.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Despite protests, scandal, and lawsuits, OpenAI continues to push forward with its attempt at an initial public offering, targeting $30 billion in new funding and an initial $1.4 trillion valuation. ow.ly/OHG750ZV1PZ
bloomberg.com
OpenAI Targets $30 Billion in Funding at $1.4 Trillion Value
OpenAI aims to raise at least $30 billion from investors in a new round of funding, according to people familiar with the matter, after the artificial intelligence startup pushed back its plans for an initial public offering.
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Reposted by TechEquity
Tim Newman @tnewmsblues.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The way in which this segment feels like a personal attack to annoy me specifically… kidding, but also not. Instead what @moreperfectunion.bsky.social! youtu.be/aooiDA-AsNo?...
youtu.be
I Tracked Down the Hidden Workers Secretly Powering ChatGPT
YouTube video by More Perfect Union
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
But it doesn’t have to be this way. California leaders can support modernized copyright laws, protect unionizing efforts, and establish stronger workers’ rights around technology. Learn more: techequity.us/2026/04/01/a...
techequity.us
AI & California’s Labor Market - TechEquity Collaborative
How AI is displacing workers, enabling exploitation, and what California's leaders must do to ensure technology works for people.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Even successful entertainment workers now balance writing hours and gig work, acting auditions and coffee shop jobs like never before. Meanwhile, their work is being used to train the AI systems meant to replace them.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Record-breaking profits show that CEOs are certainly benefiting from AI. But what about workers? Especially those in the entertainment industry? Marissa says they’re feeling the pressure but not the profits. www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9cj...
youtube.com
Workers like Marissa are feeling the pressure from AI, but not the profits
YouTube video by TechEquity
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Like Stanford University, which has documented relationships with six different data work companies, more than any other university in our dataset. Find out what else we noticed in mapping the AI supply chain: techequity.us/2026/09/16/h...
techequity.us
Hidden in plain sight: What our data work landscape revealed - TechEquity Collaborative
Everyday Californians can play a role in the government beyond voting. If you choose to accept, you can help pass a bill that may become law.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
When many people imagine the AI data work industry, they may picture workers labeling images and text directly for Big Tech AI companies. But tech companies are far from the only ones relying on this labor.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The existential threat of AI is already here, with major companies using AI to decide whether people receive medical care. It may not be a species-extinction-level event, but it puts people’s lives on the line. ow.ly/TjmK50ZUzyL
ow.ly
AI is already deciding whether or not people receive medical care
Health insurers are deploying AI to deny claims — and putting people’s health at risk.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
That's it for this week. Leave your #TopFive in the comments, and follow us for more news about tech's impact on the economy.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
A new worker misclassification lawsuit, though, may at least ensure that AI data trainers like them get better pay and benefits in the future. @bloomberglaw.com news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-...
news.bloomberglaw.com
AI Data Trainers Suits Open New Misclassification Fight Frontier
A new crop of worker misclassification lawsuits brought by AI trainers will potentially benefit from a worker-friendly test forged in earlier gig economy battles and the data trails created by their w...
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
5) The human contractors reviewing Copilot AI prompts are not okay... @404media.co @josephcox.bsky.social www.404media.co/humans-readi...
404media.co
Humans Are Reading Copilot Prompts — And They're Horrified
Human contractors are reviewing Copilot users’ prompts and uploaded images, according to internal documents obtained by 404 Media. The contractors are also bombarded with users’ requests for sexual AI...
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
...while Meta uses its data centers to avoid paying billions in federal taxes. @nytimes.com @kashhill.bsky.social @mikeisaac.bsky.social @elitan.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/t...
nytimes.com
How Meta Uses A.I. Data Centers to Avoid Billions in Federal Taxes
Meta is exploiting a lucrative tax break intended to support research and experimentation. Its own accountants say the gambit is risky.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
4) Big Tech wants big data centers but doesn't seem to want to pay the big money associated with them. Oracle recently cited “force majeure” to put off payments for a controversial data center in New Mexico... @bloomberg.com @brodyford.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
Oracle Cites ‘Force Majeure’ to Shield Itself on Controversial Data Center
Oracle Corp. is moving to shield itself from racking up expenses on a massive data center being built in New Mexico, adding a fresh wrinkle to a project beset by opposition and regulatory setbacks.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Major companies usually say they don't use those factors and that they use consumer data to lower prices and offer discounts, but that claim is feeling less and less likely...
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
3) A new Reuters report on McDonald’s AI pricing presents explicit evidence that they're using "willingness to pay" to increase prices. @reuters.com @waylonwc.bsky.social www.reuters.com/business/ins...
reuters.com
Inside McDonald’s push to have AI price your Big Mac
McDonald’s is increasingly using artificial intelligence to guide menu prices across the U.S. and some global markets, a plan that aims to boost headquarters’ profit but risks alienating customers and...
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
2) Despite protests, scandal, and a new lawsuit, OpenAI continues to push forward with its attempt at an initial public offering, targeting $30 billion in new funding and an initial $1.4 trillion valuation. @bloomberg.com @shiringhaffary.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
OpenAI Targets $30 Billion in Funding at $1.4 Trillion Value
OpenAI aims to raise at least $30 billion from investors in a new round of funding, according to people familiar with the matter, after the artificial intelligence startup pushed back its plans for an...
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
1) The existential threat of AI is already here, with major companies using AI to decide whether people receive medical care. It may not be an extinction-level event, but it puts millions of people's lives at risk. Is that not enough? @vox.com @dylanlscott.bsky.social www.vox.com/good-medicin...
vox.com
AI is already deciding whether or not people receive medical care
Health insurers are deploying AI to deny claims — and putting people’s health at risk.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
It's Friday! Which means it's time for the #TopFive things you need to read this week to understand tech’s impact on our economy, with TechEquity Founder and CEO @catherinebracy.com:
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Reposted by TechEquity
Tim Newman @tnewmsblues.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Excellent new piece on data workers in the AI supply chain, and I swear I’m not just saying that because it cites almost all of our recent work on this topic @techequity.bsky.social, along with many friends and colleagues! www.thecairoreview.com/essays/ais-d...
thecairoreview.com
AI’s Dark Secrets: Inside the Global Exploitation of Data Workers
As the Global North continues to benefit from the AI boom, it is increasingly critical that multinational corporations provide protections of and be accountable for the wellbeing of data workers aroun...
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
A new study spanning 41 countries found that AI-adopting companies are hiring more experienced workers while cutting junior positions. This raises the question of how anyone becomes senior in the first place. ow.ly/9C9f50ZU0iy
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
They are also 21 points more likely to say it will cost jobs than to say it will create them. What else did we learn in our survey? Here are our top takeaways: techequity.us/2026/09/23/2...
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
AI is being used in ways that exacerbate our affordability crisis, and Californians are concerned. Of the more than 3,000 residents TechEquity surveyed, 58% said they fear AI will drive up the cost of basic necessities such as housing and electricity.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
What unravels is a story about power and place that feels all-too familiar… Check out our interview with Cunyan to learn more: techequity.us/2026/09/30/c...
techequity.us
Cunyan ma is finding where the data workers are - TechEquity Collaborative
Everyday Californians can play a role in the government beyond voting. If you choose to accept, you can help pass a bill that may become law.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Using data from the Data Work Landscape combined with original data, Cunyan Ma visualized the locations of workers involved in data work, the platforms that employ them, and the AI companies that contract with those platforms. www.ai-materiality-map.org/data-workers/
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Around the world, tech companies in the AI industry are powered by workers who develop, train, test, and maintain AI systems. But these workers are hidden away behind virtual marketplaces and labyrinthine supply chains.
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TechEquity @techequity.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
OpenAI has hired thousands of contractors to make ChatGPT sound more human. It turns out that some of them were using AI to do it and got fired for it. ow.ly/GpK150ZTAqB
404media.co
People Training OpenAI’s AI Fired for Using AI to Train the AI
OpenAI has thousands and thousands of contractors helping improve the company's AI models. Multiple contractors have been fired for using AI to train the AI.
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