Favoriting Techtonic with Mark Hurst: Playlist from September 16, 2019 Favoriting

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Conversations with creators and thinkers who are charting the way forward in a tech-saturated society. In our shift to a digital future, we need alternatives to Big Tech. Homepage: techtonic.fm

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Favoriting September 16, 2019: Sarah T. Roberts, author of "Behind the Screen," on content moderators

Listen to this show: Pop-up listen Pop-up player!

This week: Prof. Sarah T. Roberts, author, "Behind the Screen: Content Moderation in the Shadows of Social Media."



Pointers:

Behind the Screen: Content Moderation in the Shadows of Social Media (book). See also the New Yorker review and the Verge's review.

@ubiquity75 (Sarah T. Roberts on Twitter)

The Illusion of Volition (blog)

The Cleaners (documentary that features Sarah) - previously shown on PBS

More to read:

My comments on Apple's "commercial day" last week.

Left Fetishists, Prepping and the Abandonment of Earth by Sarah T. Roberts and Mél Hogan (August 21)

'A white-collar sweatshop': Google Assistant contractors allege wage theft by Julia Carrie Wong (Guardian, June 25)

At Facebook’s worst-performing content moderation site in North America, one contractor has died, and others say they fear for their lives, by Casey Newton (The Verge, June 19). See also Vicki Boykis's comment (June 24). Vicki was the guest of the second Techtonic episode.

There Is No Tech Backlash. Worse, we think there is one, by Rob Walker (NYT, Sept 14).

Amazon will let anyone answer your Alexa questions now. The Alexa Answers crowdsourcing platform is now open to everyone in the United States. (Fast Company, Sept 12). See past guest Chris Gilliard's comment.

- - -

Check out techtonic.fm for recent Techtonic interviews and Little Slice of Tech Pie segments.

PODCAST: Subscribe to the Techtonic podcast

Artist Track Album Comments Images Approx. start time
  On content moderation: Prof. Sarah T. Roberts discusses her book "Behind the Screen" about the invisible, and often exploited, human moderators of Big Tech social media.
Tomaš Dvořák  Game Boy Tune   Favoriting Machinarium Soundtrack   
Favoriting
 
  Mark's intro      
Favoriting
 
  Interview with Sarah T. Roberts      
Favoriting
0:06:58 (Pop-up)
  Your comments      
Favoriting
0:37:01 (Pop-up)
Sen. Josh Hawley and Google's Karan Bhatia  Remix of EDM Detection Mode by Kevin Macleod   Favoriting   Music from filmmusic.io "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod License: CC BY    0:55:47 (Pop-up)


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Listener comments!

Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:00pm
ultradamno:

Hello Mark! Techtonerodderators!
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:01pm
listener james from westwood:

Evening, Mark and all! Glad to hear Prof. Roberts tonight!
  6:01pm
John from Florham park:

Hello fellow technoids
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:02pm
Webhamster Henry:

Hello Friends! Looks like Alexa and Amazon Mechanical Turk have joined forces.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:02pm
chresti:

Hi Mark and technods
Avatar 🤖 6:02pm
herb.nyc:

Hi, did you know that Bruce sang about a "Hurst on the floor"?
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:02pm
dale:

are we continuing the shortwave chat? maybe we could talk about the cuban numbers lady - that's a conspiracy.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:04pm
Fuzzy:

That Zuck is a naughty duck!
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:04pm
chresti:

numbers as in lottery?
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:04pm
EG_Astro:

So excited for Sarah's interview!
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:05pm
EG_Astro:

Thank you Mark for having her on your show!
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:05pm
chresti:

That'd be a swell job
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:06pm
chresti:

sounds like an entry level job
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:06pm
Dave in Vermont:

I saw a documentary about this last year at the VT Film Fest.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:07pm
brycepunk1:

Great to catch your show live again Mark. Love it.
  6:07pm
Dave Miss:

Howdy from BK
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:07pm
Dave in Vermont:

The Cleaners
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:08pm
chris:

hi, Mark and folks. that Verge article was as shocking as it was heartbreaking.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:09pm
EG_Astro:

Saw the Cleaners also @dave
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:10pm
ultradamno:

If one thinks imagery such as violent video games can inspire violence IRL, then it would follow mental health services for mods should be mandatory.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:11pm
Mark Hurst:

Hi everyone! Yes, @Dave, Sarah Roberts was featured in the documentary "The Cleaners."
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:11pm
chresti:

I imagine they have a checklist and if so many boxes get checked, it get's sent to a senior moderator, etc and so on, like QC
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:12pm
Mark Hurst:

Ultra, James, John, Webham, Chresti, herb, Dale, Fuzzy, EG_Astro, Dave, Bryce, Dave Miss... HI TO ALL. Thanks for joining!
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:16pm
EG_Astro:

Individual moderators are responsible to not post content or not, it doesn't go to a senior moderator usually
Avatar 6:17pm
Bic Lighter:

I got googled
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:17pm
EG_Astro:

sorry *to post, or not post.
  6:18pm
Sam:

They can’t use the climbing wall?? Oh the humanity!
  6:18pm
John from Florham park:

This is a very interesting interview
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:19pm
ultradamno:

Sin is not so bad, with some hot sauce.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:20pm
dale:

that was an episode of night gallery. except the sin eater ate the entrails of the deceased.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:24pm
Mark Hurst:

Thanks, John!
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:25pm
EG_Astro:

@John her thesis is great and am pretty sure it's available online. It's very readable and accessible.
  6:26pm
Sam:

They should go on strike for better wages. Google would have to fold once all the horrific shit started getting through.
  6:27pm
John from Florham park:

@EGA going to give it. Read later right now I am in the car listening to this
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:28pm
Webhamster Henry:

The story is "they" are trying to use Machine Learning to screen for hate posts, but it kept knocking out "legitimate" Republican voices.
  6:28pm
Listener Robert:

I think the reason they can get away with paying these screeners so little is that there are a lot of people who'd do it for free.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:28pm
EG_Astro:

@John if you can't find it let me know. I have it and would be happy to share.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:29pm
EG_Astro:

People wouldn't do this for free.
  6:30pm
Listener Robert:

See, regardless of how you bring up awful content, there are people who would WANT to see exactly that. Others are just curious about how unfiltered content would look, and being the filter would be the way to see it. Plus, there are people who seek power over others; being a screener gives them the power to let content thru or not.
  6:32pm
John from Florham park:

@EG thanks very much
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:33pm
EG_Astro:

People see unfiltered content very easily on line if they want to. It's already out there and readily available.
  6:36pm
Listener Robert:

Ah, but they want to see the unfiltered content THAT'S SUBMITTED TO some of the major hosts.

I said my opinion back to the radio, and my friend Bob listening here with me said he thought I was right.

Those who are being erased even here, welcome to the club!
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:36pm
EG_Astro:

@NP John
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:38pm
EG_Astro:

damnit, @John no problem
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:38pm
dale:

the companies don't serve us. we serve them and their profit.
  6:39pm
John from Florham park:

@EGA it happens to me too don’t worry about it
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:39pm
EG_Astro:

Thank you Mark!
  6:40pm
Nellies:

What a tremendous interview, thank you!
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:40pm
chresti:

Doesn't the FCC monitor?
  6:41pm
phillippe bastille:

hey Mark and everyone
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:42pm
chresti:

*communications
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:42pm
EG_Astro:

the Cleaners is on Kanopy
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:43pm
ultradamno:

Cleaners trailer and follow up vid www.pbs.org...
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:44pm
Ken From Hyde Park:

Turks Harm
Murk Trash
Hark Strum
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:45pm
diciassette:

Thanks, EG_Astro. I was wondering..
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:45pm
chresti:

Thanks Mark
  6:46pm
John from Florham park:

@EGA I have Kanopy on my iPhone will watch it tonight
  6:46pm
tak:

alexa is people
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:46pm
chresti:

crowd sourced by e-mail, too, amazon answers
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:47pm
EG_Astro:

@John Cool! Would love to hear what you think of it - I research CCM also but in a little different context and was very influenced by Robert's work.
  6:47pm
Listener Robert:

Consider that most of the hosts that monetize are turning what amounts to others' volunteer work into money. Quora.com makes that pretty obvious, but everybody else is doing it too.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:47pm
diciassette:

re Kanopy: it might depend on your library (I don't see it, but I am hooked up to the SF public library)
  6:48pm
dano59:

Dear Techtonic: where can i find a weather app for an older iPod Touch / iPhone?
  6:48pm
John from Florham park:

@EGA will do
  6:49pm
Sam:

Funny to hear a volunteer on Wfmu complaining about people working for free
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:49pm
chresti:

so they want ai for customer service, speaking of low level jobs
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:49pm
crateslinger:

What company was ever set up to benefit it’s users?
  6:50pm
dano59:

... Or its workers?
Avatar 6:50pm
Fredericks:

This was in our local paper recently. The job has terrible effects on the workers' mental health. www.tampabay.com...
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:51pm
crateslinger:

zackly
  6:51pm
Listener Robert:

Exactly, Sam. It's just that WFMU has an artist's ethic that's difficult to maintain. The temptation to make money off it must be huge, but balanced by the fear that that would corrupt the art.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:51pm
chresti:

xactly dano
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:52pm
chresti:

ahh crateslinger!
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:53pm
EG_Astro:

thanks for sharing that Fredericks
  6:53pm
JakeGould:

@Sam: WFMU is not a for profit entity. People who volunteer do so of their own choice and not for economic reasons.
  6:53pm
Sam:

I know I was kidding.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:53pm
chresti:

ai to replace the pissed off workers
  6:54pm
Listener Robert:

Ever try to engage Station Manager Ken in a discussion about the edges of the not-for-profit "religion" of Auricle? He gets uncomfortable quickly, and I feel very strongly for him, because it must be hard.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:54pm
chresti:

That bobble head is great
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:54pm
Webhamster Henry:

WFMU is super not for profit - thanks for contributing to the fund raisers (October's is going to be great!)
Avatar 6:54pm
Fredericks:

Welcome EG
Avatar 6:55pm
northguineahills:

Thanks, Mark!
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:56pm
chresti:

Have not seen the billboards
  6:56pm
dano59:

We are already slaves to new tech (is part of the answer)
Simplify, simplify
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:57pm
chresti:

My gizmo is evil and useful
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:57pm
listener 126464:

Thanks again Mark
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:57pm
chris:

thanks, Mark! great interview, show and discussion.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:57pm
dale:

but sam makes the point that people want to answer your questions or review hotels or restaurants or products for free because they want to be heard. profit has nothing to do with it.
Avatar 6:57pm
Fredericks:

While maybe some of the WFMU music is a bit off sometimes. It's not like looking at dead babies and worse all day long.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:58pm
EG_Astro:

But profit always has something to do with it.
  6:58pm
Sam:

If millions of Alexas were thrown into the sea her cold cold heart would stop the warming of the oceans in its tracks.
  6:58pm
John from Florham park:

@Jakegould Thanks a lot of DJs on here do this out of love for music not fir the money
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:58pm
EG_Astro:

Someone is always profiting off of free labor. That you "enjoy"
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:59pm
ultradamno:

They were able to stop flagging Battlebots as dogfights, so not recommending your vacation videos to perverts shouldn't be that hard.
  6:59pm
John from Florham park:

@Listener Robert then why do you continue to listen to this station if it bothers you so much
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 7:00pm
Ken From Hyde Park:

In a similar vein, I'd like to know about the jobs of internet fact checkers. Are they paid well / at all? How do they avoid personal bias? Many more questions.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 7:00pm
chresti:

I get amazon answers e-mail about this speaker I got about 5 years ago, I responded that it had died a swift death
  7:00pm
Listener Robert:

It doesn't bother ME because I don't have to helm it! If I did have Ken's job I'd break down and cry every day.
  7:00pm
JakeGould:

I get paid handsomely for every informative link I post on the WFMU comment chat thing.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 7:01pm
EG_Astro:

Those are the same answeres (bias/context/etc) that should be applied to moderators. ANd fact checkers are paid better. It's considered reputable work
Avatar 7:01pm
Fredericks:

Justifiably, Jake.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 7:02pm
chresti:

Sam, that's what big tech has to do, save the world instead of escape it with loads of cash
Avatar Swag For Life Member 7:02pm
Mark Hurst:

Thanks, everyone
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