Press/Studies BBC's "Digital Human" podcast about MTurk (April 2016)

electrolyte

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There's a BBC podcast called Digital Human that talks about various digital online issues. They have a new episode called "Online Adventures in Microwork". It talks about MTurk, what it's like, and gives an example of a HIT. The HIT they mostly talk about is when Crowdsource posted the "invisible girlfriend/boyfriend" text chatting HITs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075pm43
 

Tigerpants

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.05 cents to respond to these messages? This isn't around anymore is it.

edit: facepalm it was crowdsource. lol
 
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Tigerpants

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The comments made about being an independent contractor and sort of revolving your life around work are very Interesting. I see that reflected here a LOT. Like, working on AMT does feel a lot like being an independent contractor, and fortunately AMT doesn't yell at us like the Uber app does, but I've noticed that I worked on a few HITs from a requester, now they email me every time they put up HITs. I never asked them to do that, and I'm pretty sure I never allowed it either. The HITs aren't even that great iirc.

But the fine line being tread between having a flexible schedule, I can work when I want, and working when there's money to be made is a dynamic I see voiced here constantly. People getting up at 4am to work on zoltars. Are you making your own schedule? Yes, but at the same time, no. I made the choice to get up at 4am, but it's to make sure I can pay my phone bill. I'd much perfer to sleep in til 2 pm and work until 2am, but that's just not going to pay the bills when the most lucrative work is available between 6-12 am pst.

edited to add: Oh yeah, and setting up alerts on their smartphone so other forum members can wake them up for good HITs. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, but you really have to consider how much effort and time you're really putting into your job when you're interrupting your sleep, showers, etc.
 
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