Abstract

Abstract: A general overview of crowdsourcing, what it is, who are the workers, and what you can do with it. Focused on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, it discusses the diverse types of crowdsourcing, motivation for workers and task requesters, and the implications of demographics and economic status of the workforce on data and results. The talk highlights both basic and novel applications of the technology, including surveys, basic user experiments, use with machine learning, and potential VR and AR applications. The talk concludes with a summary of ethical considerations, including accessibility, inclusivity, and workers’ rights on computer mediated platforms.

Biography: Jason is a Lecturer in Human Computer Interaction in the School of Computer Science, at the University of St Andrews. He is a member of the SACHI research group and is focused on both the micro- and macro-impacts of digital technology on people and society. His research topics include economics, crowdsourcing, and sustainable technology; including a focus on human-factors, engineering design, user behaviour, and digital markets at internet-scale, particularly as they extend and shape broader policy. Jason is also a member of the SIGCHI Sustainability Committee, underlining his interest not only in the application and use of novel technologies but the broader impact of both research and practice on wider society. He completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge and is a member of Christ’s College.