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I love the idea of randomly billing corporations for my online 'work' based on arbitrary hourly rates. For example I've reviewed a few places on Google Maps. Ba

I love the idea of randomly billing corporations for my online 'work' based on arbitrary hourly rates. For example I've reviewed a few places on Google Maps. Based on the methodology used for this, I can apparently just charge $20/hr to Google for my work.

kmerfeld 4y ago
Do you not generate any value by providing data to google maps? You are making google maps better when you do it. Why does google get to benefit from your work? Its clearly not reasonable for everyone to demand payment for this type of work, but I think its worth questioning why we let huge companies build products that require this kind of donated labor
- d1sxeyes 4y ago
  You have the cart before the horse here. OP receives value from Google Maps for free. For whatever private reasons they may have, they decide to give value back for free[]. OP is under no obligation to 'donate labour'. [] Assumption is here that there's no 'value exchange', and OP's contribution is not directly related to value they get out of Maps. (as opposed to private bittorrent trackers which maintain an upload ratio requirement etc.)
  - kmerfeld 4y ago
    Google sells ads on google maps. Users are as much of a product as the directions. I've never claimed anyone is under an obligation to donate their labor, I pointed out that it is work and some companies are earning profits from products that require this type of unpaid work to function
    - d1sxeyes 4y ago
      If Google removed all social functionality and user contribution possibilities from Maps, then they'd still be able to monetise it through ads and users would still be the product, so that's not really relevant to the discussion. I would argue that the product does not require unpaid work to function. The other question is whether OP providing reviews to Google is a) really work, and b) really unpaid. I think there are good arguments it's not 'work' (although this is more of a question of semantics), but there are very strong arguments it's not unpaid. Obviously there's no exchange of money, but Google offer a platform for reviewers to share their thoughts and ideas with an audience.

kmerfeld 4y ago

Do you not generate any value by providing data to google maps? You are making google maps better when you do it. Why does google get to benefit from your work? Its clearly not reasonable for everyone to demand payment for this type of work, but I think its worth questioning why we let huge companies build products that require this kind of donated labor

d1sxeyes 4y ago
You have the cart before the horse here. OP receives value from Google Maps for free. For whatever private reasons they may have, they decide to give value back for free[]. OP is under no obligation to 'donate labour'. [] Assumption is here that there's no 'value exchange', and OP's contribution is not directly related to value they get out of Maps. (as opposed to private bittorrent trackers which maintain an upload ratio requirement etc.)
- kmerfeld 4y ago
  Google sells ads on google maps. Users are as much of a product as the directions. I've never claimed anyone is under an obligation to donate their labor, I pointed out that it is work and some companies are earning profits from products that require this type of unpaid work to function
  - d1sxeyes 4y ago
    If Google removed all social functionality and user contribution possibilities from Maps, then they'd still be able to monetise it through ads and users would still be the product, so that's not really relevant to the discussion. I would argue that the product does not require unpaid work to function. The other question is whether OP providing reviews to Google is a) really work, and b) really unpaid. I think there are good arguments it's not 'work' (although this is more of a question of semantics), but there are very strong arguments it's not unpaid. Obviously there's no exchange of money, but Google offer a platform for reviewers to share their thoughts and ideas with an audience.