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Revenge of the Chickenized Reverse-Centaurs
Algorithms and worker power In AI circles, a “centaur” describes a certain kind of machine/human collaboration, in which “decision-support” systems (which the field loves to call “AI”s) are paired with human beings for results that draw upon the strengths of each, such as when a human chess master and a chess-playing computer program collaborate to smash their competition. In labor circles, “chickenization” refers to exploitative working arrangements that resemble the plight of the American poultry farmer.
One key tuyul feature: spoofing the GPS telemetry fed to the dispatch algorithms so drivers don’t have to enter dangerous traffic jams around train stations in order to book rides with commuters as they arrive. These video creators are also the source of the bulk of the platforms’ wealth, but — like other chickenized workers — they have no way to know what they’ll get paid for their labor, and don’t find out until the algorithm digests their materials and decides whether or not they will be exposed to the people who’ve explicitly subscribed to their feeds. That’s where Tracking Exposed comes in: They’re a loose collective of digital human rights advocates who offer browser plugins that help reverse-engineer the recommendation systems of Facebook, Pornhub, Amazon, TikTok, and YouTube.
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