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When an Algorithm is Your Boss
Gig workers around the world report directly to algorithms in precarious jobs created by secretive corporations. We take you to the streets of Quito, Ecuador where delivery workers are protesting against artificial intelligence, and we hear solutions from people in several countries on how to audit the algorithms and reclaim rights.
Who’s in this episode?
Eduardo Meneses is gearing up with allies to ‘audit the algorithms’ of delivery platforms in Ecuador as the global head of social change for Thoughtworks.
Dan Calacci at the Human Dynamics group of the MIT Media Lab is developing open source tools and systems that empower workers to take control of their data.
Aída Ponce Del Castillo is working on AI regulation to protect the rights of platform workers as a lawyer and senior researcher with the European Trade Union Institute in Brussels.
Yuly Ramirez is the general secretary of a coalition of digital platform workers in Ecuador and José Gonzalez is a delivery driver in Quito, Ecuador.
Further reading
Fairwork, Oxford Internet Institute
The Gig Workers Index, Rest of World
Mozilla’s Data Futures Lab
Unlock Data Power, Internet Health Report. 2020
About IRL
IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In this season that doubles as Mozilla’s 2022 Internet Health Report, our host Bridget Todd, shares stories of people who are building and regulating AI systems in more equitable ways.
Tell us what you think
We’d love to hear what ideas this year’s report sparked for you. Do you build or research AI? Do you work on AI policy? Which podcast episodes inspired you or challenged you? If you send us a comment in this form, we guarantee it will be read by a human.
