Designing Sousveillance Tools for Gig Workers

Designing Sousveillance Tools for Gig Workers

23 Mar 2024 | Maya De Los Santos*, Kimberly Do*, Michael Muller, Saiph Savage
The paper "Designing Sousveillance Tools for Gig Workers" by Maya De Los Santos, Kimberly Do, Michael Muller, and Saiph Savage explores the use of sousveillance as a countermeasure to workplace surveillance in the gig economy. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews and co-design activities with 16 gig workers to understand their attitudes, practices, and challenges related to sousveillance. They found that gig workers often engage in sousveillance to improve labor outcomes, anticipate requesters' needs, and maintain transparency and accountability. However, they also face barriers such as privacy concerns, platform policies, and the need to respect requester preferences. The study emphasizes the importance of human-centered design (HCD) and care ethics in developing empathic and empowering sousveillance tools. The authors propose design recommendations for sousveillance tools that address gig workers' needs and promote well-being, while also maintaining professional boundaries and respecting requester expectations. The research highlights the potential of sousveillance to empower gig workers and mitigate the negative impacts of workplace surveillance.The paper "Designing Sousveillance Tools for Gig Workers" by Maya De Los Santos, Kimberly Do, Michael Muller, and Saiph Savage explores the use of sousveillance as a countermeasure to workplace surveillance in the gig economy. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews and co-design activities with 16 gig workers to understand their attitudes, practices, and challenges related to sousveillance. They found that gig workers often engage in sousveillance to improve labor outcomes, anticipate requesters' needs, and maintain transparency and accountability. However, they also face barriers such as privacy concerns, platform policies, and the need to respect requester preferences. The study emphasizes the importance of human-centered design (HCD) and care ethics in developing empathic and empowering sousveillance tools. The authors propose design recommendations for sousveillance tools that address gig workers' needs and promote well-being, while also maintaining professional boundaries and respecting requester expectations. The research highlights the potential of sousveillance to empower gig workers and mitigate the negative impacts of workplace surveillance.
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