AI often looks smooth and solved, like a Rubik’s cube. But turn it in your hands and each side reveals something hidden.

"[We need to] understand that when we use these products and services, we're not just interacting with a machine. We're interacting with many, many real people of flesh and blood, who often work under terrible conditions." - Prof. Mark Graham @geoplace.bsky.social globalnyt.dk/professor-ka...

Discover our latest article, “Planetary Sex Markets,” now published in Porn Studies. It draws on research led by the brilliant Robbie Warin and Chloe Gott. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

The new @oecd-ocde.bsky.social Fairwork AI Ratings report shows who powers AI and how Humans in the Loop earned a 6/10 score after 14 policy changes. @towardsfairwork.bsky.social now offers certification so buyers can demand higher standards across AI supply chains. wp.oecd.ai/app/uploads/...

New article out in Frontiers in Communication by me, @jonasvalente.bsky.social & @oguzalyanak.bsky.social: "Reflection AI: Feeding the Machine – The Hidden Labour Behind AI Tools and Ethical Implications for Higher Education" It confronts the human cost behind the AI systems now flooding education.

Interesting piece by @economist.com discussing how outsourcing could revolutionize Africa’s economy, with expert commentary from @geoplace.bsky.social @towardsfairwork.bsky.social @oii.ox.ac.uk on implications for Africa's workers. More here: www.economist.com/middle-east-... #outsourcing #Africa

Check out our new paper in the Industrial Law Journal: Fair Work for Platform Workers: Lessons from the EU Directive and Beyond

Lead author: Sandra Fredman, Co-authors: @Darcy Du Toit, Alessio Bertolini, @jonasvalente.bsky.social and @geoplace.bsky.social. Find out more about the Fair Digital Economies research project at the @oii.ox.ac.uk: bit.ly/3TihU28 .

New paper alert! Latest work from @towardsfairwork.bsky.social researchers analyses the implications of the Platform Work Directive and suggests ways forward for the proposed ILO Convention. Read their paper: bit.ly/4nGs5LY 1/2

I appeared on ARD's programme “Titel Thesen Temperamente,” talking about the data workers behind AI. Catch the segment here 👉 www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZD...

AI Value Chains: from Exploitation to Organizing -- with @geoplace.bsky.social, ‪@martinkrz.bsky.social, and Uma Rani Amara - Featured panel @sasemeeting.bsky.social 08:30-10:00 Friday, 11 July, 2025 - Room 517C virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/37937/...

The German version of our book is now out, and is getting some pretty good reviews in the German press. Here's a few of them: www.faz.net/aktuell/feui... www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/ki-feeding-t...

Our article "Beyond the ‘Gig Economy’: Towards Variable Experiences of Job Quality in Platform Work" has been published by 'Work, Employment and Society'. With Nick Martindale and @brendanburchell.bsky.social doi.org/10.1177/0950...

As AI grows more powerful, it’s easy to overlook the people behind the data. At Fairwork, we’re working to change that — with a new way to help companies strengthen labour standards across AI supply chains. Make sure to follow us for the launch this June. #Fairwork #AISupplyChain

Jonas Valente and I have just published a new @lbc.co.uk opinion piece, drawing on our @towardsfairwork.bsky.social cloudwork study to warn that a UK–EU youth mobility scheme could inadvertently funnel young people into exploitative gig roles: www.lbc.co.uk/opinion/view... @jonasvalente.bsky.social

Great piece from HR Review highlighting a new report from @towardsfairwork.bsky.social exposing corporate failure to provide adequate worker protections in Cloudwork economy. Article includes comment from @geoplace.bsky.social and @jonasvalente.bsky.social @oii.ox.ac.uk. Story here: bit.ly/45hbFTh

Proud of my @towardsfairwork.bsky.social team, who were finalists at the University of Oxford Vice-Chancellor’s Awards yesterday

Fixed term RA role with @geoplace.bsky.social - fair.work/en/fw/jobs/

We're hiring at @towardsfairwork.bsky.social Role: Research Assistant Institution: Oxford Internet Institute Salary: Grade 6RS: £34,982- £40,855 per annum Contract: Full-time, fixed-term until 31 October 2025 Application Deadline: Midday, 19 May 2025 fair.work/en/fw/jobs/

Meine Sammeltbesprechung aktueller Bücher über KI und ökonomische Macht ist in der soziologischen Revue erschienen. Ich diskutiere Bücher von Heinlein und Huchler, Hirsch-Kreinsen, @jamesmuldoon.bsky.social, @geoplace.bsky.social und Cant sowie @ceciliarikap.bsky.social . doi.org/10.1515/srsr...

Our book has been spotted as a featured read on the shelves of the Berlin House of Representatives.

There are no rights ‘in’ cyberspace Just got the hard copy of my chapter in 'Research Handbook on Human Rights and Digital Technology' edited by Ben Wagner, Matthias C. Kettemann, Kilian Vieth-Ditlmann, and Susannah Montgomery. www.elgaronline.com/edcollchap/b...

New paper out! “Pressure & Praise as an Action Research Methodology” Read about how we developed the @towardsfairwork.bsky.social methodology to nudge gig work platforms into making hundreds of changes. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Talked to @tbij.bsky.social about the tech paradox: the only ones who can set standards are the ones least willing to. That's why @towardsfairwork.bsky.social is launching a new AI supply chain certification to fill the gap.

Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi, a TikTok content moderator in Kenya, died last week—denied leave, overworked, unheard. Her death is a stark reminder: we need real accountability and protections for data workers. Fairwork stands in solidarity. #JusticeForLadi #Fairwork #DigitalLabour

Here's a preview of the Korean cover for Feeding the Machine. Out soon with New Wave Media. English version here: canongate.co.uk/books/5234-f...

The introduction to my MIT Press book 'Digital Work in the Planetary Market' (with Fabian Ferrari) has now been translated into Russian: ecsoc.hse.ru/data/2025/03... Here's the original in English (open access): idl-bnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/server/api/c...

Silicon Valley's plan to Uberize nursing only worsens our healthcare crisis, we argue. New piece from @fundaustek.bsky.social and myself w/ the support of @geoplace.bsky.social and @veenadubal.bsky.social. www.statnews.com/2025/03/31/u...

Congratulations to @geoplace.bsky.social and the @towardsfairwork.bsky.social team for being recognised in the recent #SocialSciencesImpactAwards - highly commended in the “Scaling & Sustaining Impact” category. Credit: John Cairns

Human Development and the Data Revolution is out today. A new book that I edited with Sanna Ojanperä and Eduardo López. You can download a free and open access version here: fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/... Or buy a copy at all good bookshops.

📢 New study out! Women in Africa’s platform economy face lower pay, greater precarity & sectoral exclusion—despite often being more educated than men. Time to rethink gender equity in gig work! Read more 👉 journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... #GigEconomy #GenderEquality #Africa

Colleagues at @geographers.bsky.social conference #AAG2025 #AAG On Thursday, I'll be presenting about the @towardsfairwork.bsky.social action research project. Join us at 12:50 in the session on activist research in digital geographies and platform urbanism: aag.secure-platform.com/aag2025/soli...

Colleagues at @geographers.bsky.social conference #AAG2025 #AAG On Thursday, I'll be presenting about the @towardsfairwork.bsky.social action research project. Join us at 12:50 in the session on activist research in digital geographies and platform urbanism: aag.secure-platform.com/aag2025/soli...

Colleagues at @geographers.bsky.social conference #AAG2025 #AAG Tomorrow, Matt Zook and I will be previewing some of our research about geographic biases in ChatGPT's responses. Join us at 16:10 aag.secure-platform.com/aag2025/soli...

It’s an honour to receive this acknowledgment for our action research project. The impacts realised by Fairwork have only come about because of the immense amount of work and dedication of a team of hundreds of people in 40 countries. Thanks, and congrats, to each of my brilliant colleagues.

Use this code for 30% off Human Development and the Data Revolution, out next week! global.oup.com/academic/pro...

My department, the @oii.ox.ac.uk is hiring a Departmental Research Lecturer In AI, Government & Policy Details here: www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/vacan...

Gendered inequalities of platform work in Africa A new paper with many of my @towardsfairwork.bsky.social colleagues. Platform work in Africa mirrors existing gender inequalities. Women work fewer hours, earn less, and face greater precarity than men. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Gendered inequalities of platform work in Africa A new paper with many of my @towardsfairwork.bsky.social colleagues. Platform work in Africa mirrors existing gender inequalities. Women work fewer hours, earn less, and face greater precarity than men. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Interesting article discussing the hidden labour behind AI, featuring Professor @geoplace.bsky.social from the OII. It challenges the idea of complete automation, showing how human input is still crucial, often in low-paid and unstable jobs. Food for thought: www.cna.com.tw/news/acul/20...

A nice review of Feeding the Machine by Rosalie Waelen in Capital & Class: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

Colleague in Durham, if you’re free in the afternoon join me at this talk today.

Friends and colleagues in Durham, I'll be speaking at @durham-university.bsky.social Business School next week: www.durham.ac.uk/business/new...

Colleagues at #rightscon2025, join our panel! We’ll be talking about the structural constraints depriving workers of decent jobs, and how all of you, by using digital technologies are implicated. We’ll then focus on what we collectively can do to rewire those structural constraints.

DMV area folks! Join us on March 5 at 12 PM for a luncheon and panel discussion to launch the latest Fairwork U.S. Report: “When AI Eats the Manager.” RSVP: share.hsforms.com/1mE-2CM4tSVq...

Colleagues at #RightsCon2025, do join: "Reskilling for tomorrow: navigating tech transformations and future jobs in the Global South" I'll focus on the @towardsfairwork.bsky.social initiative to certify AI production networks to improve the jobs of data workers. rightscon.summit.tc/t/rightscon-...

Colleagues at #RightsCon2025, do join: "Reskilling for tomorrow: navigating tech transformations and future jobs in the Global South" I'll focus on the @towardsfairwork.bsky.social initiative to certify AI production networks to improve the jobs of data workers. rightscon.summit.tc/t/rightscon-...

Who are the ghost workers powering AI, and how can we safeguard their rights? Interesting interview with Mark Graham @geoplace.bsky.social of the Oxford Internet Institute @oii.ox.ac.uk

Many congratulations Dr Orsborne!! Cailean's work examines whether open-source AI is truly democratising tech, or if it is just another tool for industry dominance. It unpacks how 'openness' is shaped by commercial interests—and helps us think through what that means for the future of AI.

ICYMI: Hear from @geoplace.bsky.social @towardsfairwork.bsky.social @oii.ox.ac.uk speaking at the #AIActionSummit about AI and workers rights at the session on AI & The Future of Work. Watch the talk: bit.ly/40So2Bv