Exploitation All the Way Down: Calling out the Root Cause of Bad Online Experiences for Users of the "Majority World"

TL;DR

This paper examines how exploitation in AI and online platforms causes layered harm to Global Majority users, emphasizing the need to address root causes and nuanced experiences rather than blanket solutions.

Contribution

It highlights the interconnectedness of AI-driven exploitation and historical harm, advocating for nuanced understanding and actionable steps to reduce online harm for Global Majority populations.

Findings

Content moderators from the Global Majority face significant harm.

Current protection strategies often perpetuate exploitation.

Nuanced approaches are necessary to effectively address layered harms.

Abstract

Global Majority users are exposed to multitudes of harm when interacting with online platforms. This essay illuminates how exploitation in the advances of Artificial Intelligence is tied to historical exploitation and how the use of blanket terminology overshadows the layers of exploitation and harm ``Global Majority'' populations face. It first discusses the multitude of harm content moderators from the Global Majority face, arguing against the current trend of protection through exploitation, then it illustrates the nuances and differences within the Global Majority, and finally, it outlines actionable items to move away from such harm.