Category: Platforms

A.I. and job applications

This report published by Bavarian Broadcasting shows quite clearly how ‘decision support systems’ based on artificial intelligence (AI) can be far less objective than expected.

Webpage screenshot showing different scaled results for the same person's interview, but with different backgrounds
Different background, different result, but same person.

The report investigates the question of whether or not AI can make the selection process of candidates more objective and faster. Admittedly, it does not say much about the ‘speed’ of the process, but it sheds light on how easy it is to tweak its results around. A scarf, a pair of glasses, or a library background clearly alter the result scores of the algorithm.

The study adopts an AI system and algorithm designed and developed by a German start-up, and it is measured against the OCEAN Model for personality traits.

The Uber game

Things under the ‘gig economy’ (or within platform capitalism) change very rapidly, and I do not know to what extent the parameters of the game created by the Financial Times about Uber are still sound. I guess that by and large conditions of gig workers have not improved, although everywhere in US and EU, single States are trying to better regulate, in a way or another (e.g. California passes Ab5 act; ruling of Employment Appeal Tribunal in UK), platform’s management of their workers and the rights/conditions they provide them with.

It is interesting enough, though, to try out and experience a typical working week of an Uber driver.

Can you make it in the Gig Economy?

…I cannot.

Switching social

Often we complain about Facebook, Google, YouTube and other platforms, and even more often people believe that everybody keeps using them, because there are no valid alternatives.

That is not true, and here at Switching Social they have collected a thorough list of alternatives to the most used and renowned social media/platforms. As clarified in their FAQ: these alternatives, while not perfect, have a much better configuration or design with regards to users’ privacy and the underlying ‘business models’ (steering clear from typical venture capitalist ones).

The list also exist in French, Italian, German, and Turkish.

Treedom platform

Yesterday, I stumbled upon Treedom for the first time (despite existing since 2010). An Italian platform/project addressing reforestation work in a sustainable and ethical way.

Treedom allows you to choose a type of tree and pick a few locations worldwide where to plant it in. Local farmers are then enrolled and paid via the platform to take care of planting the trees, which are geo-tagged and monitored via the platform.

They also have a wealth of information and side projects revolving around CO2 emission, sustainable development goals and the like.

A very interesting commoning project/platform.