Business

Though labor Crowdsourcing is inevitable and has existed informally for a decade or more, there are critics who point out that this model is akin to building digital sweatshops for the information underclass. I believe three important aspects of labor Crowdsourcing will prevent that dreary scenario from occurring.

When first wrapping their minds around Crowdsourced labor, some employers seem hesitant to turn assignments over to an anonymous workforce ("Who are these people and how do we know they’ll do a good job?"). A copywriter I met recently equated crowdsourcing with an image of a thousand monkeys banging on keyboards--random chaos. Whether it be prejudice against primates or some other primal fear, there can be any number of reasons for shunning the Crowd--ultimately having more to do with lack of trust than talent. Some employers may not comfortable with an unknown entity taking on tasks that may require subtle knowledge of their industry and company protocols. Others may be concerned that sensitive company data and materials would be circulated to a faceless mob creating all kinds of confidentiality issues.