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Data Collectives as a means to Improve Accountability, Combat Surveillance and Reduce Inequalities

Jane Hsieh, Angie Zhang, Seyun Kim, Varun Nagaraj Rao, Samantha Dalal, Alexandra Mateescu, Rafael Do Nascimento Grohmann, Motahhare Eslami, Min Kyung Lee, Haiyi Zhu

TL;DR

This paper addresses the governance gap in platform-based gig work by outlining how worker data collectives, guided by data feminism, can improve accountability, combat surveillance, and reduce inequalities. It proposes a workshop-based approach that brings workers, researchers, and practitioners together to co-design data infrastructures across platform types, focusing on governance, privacy, trust, and ethical considerations. The key contribution is a concrete, participatory framework for developing boundary objects that inform policy and enable counter-data practices, with explicit attention to disaggregated data, safety, and inclusivity. The work aims to influence labor regulation and promote equitable data practices that empower workers and enhance platform accountability.”

Abstract

Platform-based laborers face unprecedented challenges and working conditions that result from algorithmic opacity, insufficient data transparency, and unclear policies and regulations. The CSCW and HCI communities increasingly turn to worker data collectives as a means to advance related policy and regulation, hold platforms accountable for data transparency and disclosure, and empower the collective worker voice. However, fundamental questions remain for designing, governing and sustaining such data infrastructures. In this workshop, we leverage frameworks such as data feminism to design sustainable and power-aware data collectives that tackle challenges present in various types of online labor platforms (e.g., ridesharing, freelancing, crowdwork, carework). While data collectives aim to support worker collectives and complement relevant policy initiatives, the goal of this workshop is to encourage their designers to consider topics of governance, privacy, trust, and transparency. In this one-day session, we convene research and advocacy community members to reflect on critical platform work issues (e.g., worker surveillance, discrimination, wage theft, insufficient platform accountability) as well as to collaborate on codesigning data collectives that ethically and equitably address these concerns by supporting working collectivism and informing policy development.

Data Collectives as a means to Improve Accountability, Combat Surveillance and Reduce Inequalities

TL;DR

This paper addresses the governance gap in platform-based gig work by outlining how worker data collectives, guided by data feminism, can improve accountability, combat surveillance, and reduce inequalities. It proposes a workshop-based approach that brings workers, researchers, and practitioners together to co-design data infrastructures across platform types, focusing on governance, privacy, trust, and ethical considerations. The key contribution is a concrete, participatory framework for developing boundary objects that inform policy and enable counter-data practices, with explicit attention to disaggregated data, safety, and inclusivity. The work aims to influence labor regulation and promote equitable data practices that empower workers and enhance platform accountability.”

Abstract

Platform-based laborers face unprecedented challenges and working conditions that result from algorithmic opacity, insufficient data transparency, and unclear policies and regulations. The CSCW and HCI communities increasingly turn to worker data collectives as a means to advance related policy and regulation, hold platforms accountable for data transparency and disclosure, and empower the collective worker voice. However, fundamental questions remain for designing, governing and sustaining such data infrastructures. In this workshop, we leverage frameworks such as data feminism to design sustainable and power-aware data collectives that tackle challenges present in various types of online labor platforms (e.g., ridesharing, freelancing, crowdwork, carework). While data collectives aim to support worker collectives and complement relevant policy initiatives, the goal of this workshop is to encourage their designers to consider topics of governance, privacy, trust, and transparency. In this one-day session, we convene research and advocacy community members to reflect on critical platform work issues (e.g., worker surveillance, discrimination, wage theft, insufficient platform accountability) as well as to collaborate on codesigning data collectives that ethically and equitably address these concerns by supporting working collectivism and informing policy development.
Paper Structure (15 sections, 1 figure, 1 table)

This paper contains 15 sections, 1 figure, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Workshop Goals
  3. Workshop Agenda & Activities
  4. Welcome & Keynote
  5. Activity 1: Lightning Talk Introductions & Reflections
  6. Activity 2: Confronting Design Challenges
  7. Activity 3: Co-Designing Worker Data Collectives
  8. Activity 4: Presentation & Artefact Share-Out
  9. Activity 5: Discussion of Takeaways and Future Directions
  10. Post-Workshop Activities
  11. Logistics
  12. Participant Recruitment & Selection
  13. Submission Formats & Requirements:
  14. Resources Required
  15. Workshop Organizers

Figures (1)

  • Figure 1: Overview of Impacted Stakeholders, Worker Challenges/Issues and Potential Data Collectives