28 March 2021
YouTube experiments, porn at Etsy, subscriber exclusives at Porsche and Twitter downvote emojis. Tinder (again) and meet the new factory workers.
Headlines.
YouTube experiments with recommendations based on auto-detection of product in videos, and Etsy looks into scaling down an algorithm mishap where Asian porn is shown to those browsing Asian art.
Downvoting tweets could soon be live at Twitter, and Indian lenders start naming and shaming defaulters to their social circle.
Meeting a date? Tinder will soon let you gift a ride to your date (or receive one) and speaking of rides, ‘Porsche Drive’ subscribers can now drive cars that can’t be bought.
Finally, are AI Ghost Workers the new low-paid workers being exploited?
Sources:
9to5google.com: YouTube experiment will auto-detect products in videos and provide related content links
The Verge: Etsy is surrounding ‘Asian’ listings with erotic photos
TechCrunch: Twitter is exploring the use of Facebook-style emoji reactions
The NY Times: Using Shame, Lending Apps in India squeeze Billions Out of the Desperate
Business Insider: Tinder will let users gift Lyft rides to their dates through a new partnership
Engadget: Porsche adds the Taycan EV to its car subscription service
BBC News: AI: Ghost workers demand to be seen and heard
Perspective.
Not content with knowing what and for how long you watch, YouTube wants to now know what products you have seen, and make better recommendations… that you then buy. Inevitably, this will remove revenue from direct sellers, influencers and reviewers - and indicate your habits in the offline world. Laying a new floor? Tiling your bathroom? If the Google ecosystem didn’t know this yet, it could do now.
Algorithm clever at YouTube has become algorithm too-much over at Etsy, who received a number of complaints from browsers of Asian Art about receiving Asian porn ads. Etsy has apologised. Hmmm - if the algorithm is learning from human behaviour (as it should), are we simply observing reality or is this human bias? Is this a case for why algorithms need to be human monitored? Let’s think before dismissing this as ‘stupid Etsy’.
Human behaviour is emotionally and socially driven, so I find the ability to rate content negatively (socially score) stressful and worrying. One person’s gold is another’s copper. How will a tweet ‘downvote’ impact its’ visibility, and the owner profile? Will the raters’ profile be considered? Will it simply be a volume game? Either way, I think I’m going to reconsider upping my use of Twitter now.
(Some) lenders in India now require access to a borrower’s phone, contacts, photos, text messages and even battery percentage, so you can be named and shamed if you do wrong. How sad. A shocking tactic that plays with a most precious asset - your reputation.
Thumbs up Porsche on an exclusive benefit for subscribers, let’s hope it pays off. Thumbs maybe Tinder/Lyft on your gifting idea. Brilliant in theory (could it mean Tinder interaction still post first-date?) but so many questions. Inevitably now gifting a ride will be an indication of character and care - Is (s)he worth my time if I don’t get a ride? Does (s)he not care? Will (s)he know where I live? Even…how do I get back something left in the Lyft?
Finally, I guess it was inevitable that the new ‘sweat shop’ workers would be those who train the machines, labelling images and moderating content. Anyone else see a ‘fair machine wage’ sticker on a product coming soon?