Data Workers’ Inquiry

Stories of data annotators and content moderators in Nairobi, Kenya

Documentary by @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social #AI

peertube.dair-institute.org/w/gRTuLGE6VJ...

The DWI team attended this year’s INDL-8 Conference! Laurenz and Camilla shared theoretical and methodological insights on Data Workers’ Inquiry, while our amazing collaborators Kauna and Ephantus led a powerful panel on workers organizing and unionizing. 💪

Contenta de que perfiles como el de @milamiceli.bsky.social sea reconocido como uno de los más influyentes en temas de IA time.com/collections/...

Su trabajo en @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social ha arrojado luz sobre condiciones laborales de personas que trabajan en la sombra de la IA,en lo NO mágico

Who is Really Fueling your #AI? Join us on September 17 to discuss precarization and resistance in #datawork, with the @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social, @milamiceli.bsky.social and @superrrnetwork.bsky.social. Don't miss your chance to meet some of the shadow workforce behind AI. buff.ly/dHMHXPV

The Data Workers' Inquiry The Data Workers' Inquiry is a global, radically participatory research initiative spanning nine countries across five continents.

Richard Mathenge, Mophat Okinyi & Kauna Malgwi were on the TIME/100 list. Fasica Berhane's story won the True Story award. Joan Kinyua & others created the Data Labelers Association. Kauna is working on trauma-aware mental health intervention. See more at
www.dair-institute.org/projects/dat...

A black and white art showing a Black woman with an afro strapped on a chair and what looks like ghosts haunting her and surrounding her.

Screenshot of Kauna's inquir, "A Mental Health Intervention for Data Workers" with art showing a red silhouette in front of a screen.

Screenshot of the inquiry which says "If I Had Another job, I Would Not Accept Data Annotation Tasks". And another screenshot of a documentary titled "Annotate to Educate: The Dual life of a Syrian Student & Data Annotator"

I thought the project was cool when Mila told me about the idea, but I didn’t understand how expansive it was going to be until I saw elements of the repository at data-workers.org. Just look at the diversity and quality of outputs: depth reports, animated shorts, documentaries, podcasts and more.

Mila is on the TIME 100/AI list because of her work on the Data Workers Inquiry project (@dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social)

She was tired of writing *about* data workers, which is how one is supposed to conduct research in academia.

Timnit believed in me and my vision even before I was able to put it in words. I’m incredibly grateful to @dairinstitute.bsky.social for giving @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social a home and to Timnit for her leadership, generosity, trust and support❤️

Portrait of Milagros Miceli in a frame that reads TIME100/AI 2025.

I am thrilled to be recognized by TIME as one of the 100 most influential people worldwide in the field of artificial intelligence for my work with @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social.

>> #TIME100AI time.com/time100ai

I want to take this opportunity to share a few reflections on this work 👇🧵

Huge congrats to @milamiceli.bsky.social 🌟

This is a recognition to all of us making the Data Workers’ Inquiry project!

Who is Really Fueling your AI? Precarization and Resistance in Data Work. Join us for an evening with the hidden workforce behind AI, get insights into how workers organize against its harsh realities and learn more about our research project The Data Workers’ Inquiry.

The event is in-person:

📅 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟳𝘁𝗵.
⏱️ 𝟭𝟳:𝟬𝟬 – 𝟭𝟵:𝟯𝟬
📍@weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social, Hardenbergstrasse 32, in Berlin.
🌐 R𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: www.weizenbaum-institut.de/news/detail/...

For those unable to attend, we'll be live-streaming here: www.youtube.com/live/jA3wSMe...

Flyer on the public event: Program: Keynote by Dr. Milagros Miceli "AI is a lot of (data) work: on hidden labor, resistance, and academic solidarity" Panel featuring four data workers: "the workers who make Ai possible" 17.09.2025, 17:00-19:30, Weizenbaum-Institut, Hardenbergstrasse 32, 10623 Berlin

📣 𝗦𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘!
We're excited to co-organize a transnational data worker assembly together with @superrrnetwork.bsky.social on September 16-17 in Berlin.
While the first day is closed-door, we’ll host a public event on the 17th.
👉 Program and registration: www.weizenbaum-institut.de/news/detail/...

Dependency and vulnerability are part of what data workers face every day.

Read quotes from our collaborators — Yasser, Ranta, Wilington, and Alexis — for a glimpse into what life is really like for data workers.

🚨 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝗸𝗧𝗼𝗸 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗲!
In a clear intimidation attempt, TikTok threatened to dismiss one of the organizers. Out of a team of more than 30 employees, it is precisely the worker who took part in the strike who is to be fired.

YouTube video by The Socially Conscious AI Podcast The Hidden Human Cost of AI: Krystal Kauffman Reveals Data Labor Exploitation

Don’t miss The Socially Conscious AI Podcast featuring @krystalkauffman.bsky.social as she dives into the realities of data workers and sheds light on the Data Workers’ Inquiry. Check it out! m.youtube.com/watch?v=WOhi...

Hey everyone!

We just made a list on here for fellow colleagues, data workers, researchers, and advocates:
📋 bsky.app/profile/did:...

Feel free to reply with names or handles you think should be included — we’ll keep updating it!

TikTok-Beschäftigte zeigen, wie man sich gegen einen Tech-Giganten behauptet In Berlin will TikTok massenhaft Mitarbeitende durch eine KI ersetzen – sollte der Konzern Erfolg haben, wird es Nachahmer geben. Doch die Beschäftigten wehren sich mit dem weltweit ersten Streik bei…

In Berlin will TikTok massenhaft Mitarbeitende durch eine KI ersetzen, doch die Beschäftigten wehren sich mit dem weltweit ersten Streik bei einem Social-Media-Konzern. Unsere Forscherin @milamiceli.bsky.social gab eine Einschätzung für @jacobinmagazin.bsky.social 👉 buff.ly/zfeZYDQ

We are joining the workers. Join them too!
📅 Today, July 28, 2025
🕐 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
📍 Regional Labor Court. Magdeburger Platz 1, 10785 Berlin

The first hearing will take place today at 1 PM at the Regional Labor Court in Berlin. TikTok employees will accompany the hearing with a strike and a protest rally outside the court.

Berlin: Tiktok-employees going on strike against massive job cuts German Tiktok censors have trained an AI that is now taking their jobs. Verdi wants to talk, Tiktok doesn't. There was a warning strike on Wednesday.

TikTok management wants to lay off over 160 workers in Berlin as easily and cheaply as possible. After the first meeting of the conciliation committee, employees could be DISMISSED IMMEDIATELY.
www.heise.de/en/news/Berl...

Adio-Adet Dinika presentig at the STIAS, South Africa

Today at the Point Sud 2025 conference on “Furthering Digital Sovereignty and Rights in Africa,” Dr. Adio-Adet Dinika presented “The Algorithmic Plantation: Digital Colonialism and Kenya’s AI Labor Force” at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), South Africa.

🎉✨ Huge congrats to @fasica.bsky.social for being shortlisted for the True Story Award!
Her brilliant piece on content moderation stood out among over 1000 submissions from around the world, placing in the top 3%.

truestoryaward.org/story/508

Dicen que “la IA no destruye empleos; sólo los transforma”. Pero esa “transformación” de la que hablan es solo más precarización. Detrás de los algoritmos hay legiones de trabajadores precarizados e invisibilizados: los trabajadores de datos. @milamiceli.bsky.social @dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social

The leadership of the DLA and Dr. Adio Dinika from DWI

The DWI team in particular has provided ongoing support beyond the launch, continuing to assist with coordination, media strategy, and amplifying data workers’ voices in broader AI and tech accountability conversations.

DWI members join the DLA biweekly Meeting

In collaboration with Data Workers’ Inquiry, the DLA officially launched on February 13th, 2025, under the theme: “Empowering the People Powering AI.”

Flyer for the Data Labelers Association (DLA)

Exciting news! We’ve just launched “Organizing Across Borders” by Joan Kinyua - a data labeler, organizer, and president of the Data Labelers Association (DLA). In this inquiry, Joan reflects on the DLA’s formation and the cross-border solidarity that helped make it possible. data-workers.org/DLA/

Organizing Across Borders, by Joan Kinyua The Data Labelers Association is developing mutual support structures and fighting for better working conditions. This inquiry recounts our path to founding it and acknowledges our ongoing partnership...

🚨NEW INQUIRY!

@joan1k.bsky.social from @datalabelers.bsky.social discusses beginnings, gratitude, and partnerships in this piece.

@dataworkersinquiry.bsky.social is an active partner of the DLA, and we remain united in the fight for the rights of data workers worldwide!

data-workers.org/DLA/

@milamiceli.bsky.social and @alexhanna.bsky.social at the Weizenbaum Institute yesterday to discuss Hanna’s and @emilymbender.bsky.social’s new book “The AI Con”.