TED Talks Daily The price of a "clean" internet | Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck
Oct 29, 2019
Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck, documentarians behind "The Cleaners," dive into the hidden world of content moderation on social media. They discuss the unseen workforce responsible for filtering out harmful material, unveiling the psychological toll it takes on these moderators. Shocking stories highlight the dark realities they face, while the conversation challenges listeners to reflect on what a 'clean' internet means. The duo also emphasizes the ethical dilemmas in digital governance and how these practices shape our perceptions of society.
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Limits of AI Moderation
- Image recognition software struggles to differentiate between harmful content and benign images.
- This necessitates human content moderators to make judgment calls.
Content Moderators' Secrecy
- Content moderators operate under secrecy, bound by non-disclosure agreements.
- They face monitoring, threats, and fines for speaking out about their work.
Digital Waste in Manila
- Content moderators, often in Manila, review disturbing content like beheadings and child abuse.
- This digital waste is likened to the analog toxic waste previously shipped to Manila.