Whenever I think that the dehumanization of the world of work can hardly get any more dystopian, someone comes around the corner with a new surveillance technology and goes one better.
As the Washington Post reports, thanks to Corona there is a new, hair-raising combination of home office and facial recognition in the USA: lawyers who, as “gig workers” - that is, for a limited period of time for the respective job - view and inspect huge amounts of documents Preparing for use in processes could often do so in special offices with access controls before the pandemic. Not a glamorous job, but sometimes the only way for young professionals to pay off their student loans, the article says.
In pandemic times, this work can and should be done from the home office, monitored by software. On the one hand, understandable, because it is often about internal company information, e-mails and other sensitive documents that not everyone is allowed to see. On the other hand, it doesn't take a lot of imagination to imagine what a combination of the usual poor facial recognition software and cheap webcams can lead to. Exactly: to chicane, stress and discrimination.
For example with Camille Anidi, a black lawyer from Long Island, New York State.
If she looked to the left for too long, she was kicked out of the system and had to log in again, with a new scan of her face from three sides.
If her dog came into the room, the same thing happened.
If she wore her hair in Bantu knots instead of open, the software considered them to be prohibited recording devices and logged them out as well.
This happened up to 25 times a day.
Her supervisor dismissed this as a minor technical problem, but some of her lighter-skinned colleagues told her they didn't have such problems.
The Washington Post interviewed a total of 27 contractors who work under such circumstances.
Many of them have had similar bad experiences as Anidi.
Not only that the software punishes alleged inattentiveness and forces the already comparatively poorly paid gig workers to sit still and stare at the screen like a robot. Even a coffee cup in hand can lead to a log-out.
The discrimination against non-whites that has existed for years through image recognition software is even more problematic.
As early as 2015 - six years ago - Google and Flickr had to admit this problem.
In 2017, a similar weakness in the biometric system of New Zealand's passport authority became known.
In 2020 it was Microsoft's turn.
Studies have shown time and time again that many facial recognition systems are poor at recognizing people with dark skin - because they are mostly trained with images of whites.
Apparently, such unsuitable technology is still used today, that is the bitter realization from the article in the "Washington Post".
The only further development seems to be that you can now easily be discriminated against in the home office.
External links: three tips from other media
“This is how Amazon deliverers in Austria are monitored using a smartphone app” (4 reading minutes)
The “Futurezone” summarizes what a study on the app-controlled control of Amazon couriers has shown, including the following: Many employees do without because of the rigid requirements for food breaks and even for going to the toilet.
»Start-up Helsing: Spotify co-founder invests 100 million in military AI« (4 reading minutes)
The Munich start-up Helsing develops software that is intended to support the military in enemy reconnaissance and combat management.
Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek participates, his investment company Prima Materia wants to »help society to have a better future«.
“The internet is leaking” (6 minutes to read)
Sometimes it is not easy to illustrate the discrepancy between the world that tech companies promise us and the one in which we actually live.
Is the "reality check" just depressing?
Or kind of funny too?
Both, as Ryan Broderick proves in his report.
Have a good week, stay safe.
Patrick Beuth
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