Hybrid Assignment 5
Ross uses the example of television show contestants to explain that media’s use of exploiting the efforts of amateurs for little or no compensation is not a practice new, or limited to, new digital media. Old media television has used the premise of contests to avoid paying professional actors. These reality based television shows, whether they be cooking, singing, dancing, quiz, or “reality living” themed are thinly disguised 30-60 minute scripted commercials, the contestants unpaid except (perhaps a very small handful win a prize) the chance for notoriety for post-show ventures, similar to the “compensation of reputation” of online freelancers. This is not a recent development either, as TV game shows and other reality based shows like COPS with low production value but high revenue return have been around for decades.
Online, businesses do similar acts to entice amateurs to engage in work without compensation by similarly holding contests or making the efforts seem like fun, therefore giving the illusion that it is not “work.” It is more often that the laborer does not know or think of themselves as a laborer, engaging in the given task as a fun puzzle, a task designed to engage professionals when they are not at work, or is completed by an out-of-work professional engaging to keep their skills sharp. This is known as crowdsourcing and this type of distributed labor is cast out wide to many individuals by behind the scenes content hosts and data miners looking for wage-free production. The work is spread thin so that any one person’s efforts does not directly affect the outcome, nor does the laborer necessarily understand the planned outcome, though the unseen coordinating manager does and uses many pieces to make a full finished product, the results of crowding together the small efforts of many individuals
These concepts of giving labor without realizing it can be contrasted with the devices on which making these online efforts so easy. The production of the electronic devices, from phones to tablets, are made in China by people who are also being exploited and manipulated into working for a pittance. These all inclusive factories have eliminated competition by completing all aspects of production and have moved to the most rural areas of the country so that there are no other jobs available or competition for better working conditions. Similar to freelancers of the creative sector given the opportunity to work for free or not work at all, at least the freelancers can try to work to make a name for themselves, something the electronics factory workers of China do not have the option to do.
