Word on the street is that the workers are getting fed up. There's talk of petitions, protests and boycotts. Crowdflower's response will be a pretty good indicator of their true feelings about the workers. I suspect I know what their (lack of) response will be, but it will be interesting to see what happens, if anything.
I predict some promises, like the one made almost one year ago about at least 1 guaranteed work mode after quiz mode. We know how well THAT promise was kept. I think some Crowdflower worker's nose grew 2 inches that day.
Saturday 27 February 2016
I want to clarify something that may have been misunderstood in my posts. So far in all of the years I have been doing CF tasks, I have only had a few problems that were cleared up quickly. I have never received a flag, but I live in fear of waking up one morning to see that my turn has come.
When I read in the forums that someone has had a flag since 2013 - that's THREE YEARS - I can't help but ask myself if I am next. Even if this person's flag was warranted, this kind of punishment it not. Some tasks are just difficult, some TAs are just plain jerks, and some TAs couldn't find their way out of a paper bag with 3 sides missing.
The flag system needs to go. Admit that it was a failure and move on. A life sentence for such trivial things should never happen.
There's ongoing problems with broken tasks and incorrect test questions that NEVER GET CORRECTED. That is where your focus should be right now.
When I read in the forums that someone has had a flag since 2013 - that's THREE YEARS - I can't help but ask myself if I am next. Even if this person's flag was warranted, this kind of punishment it not. Some tasks are just difficult, some TAs are just plain jerks, and some TAs couldn't find their way out of a paper bag with 3 sides missing.
The flag system needs to go. Admit that it was a failure and move on. A life sentence for such trivial things should never happen.
There's ongoing problems with broken tasks and incorrect test questions that NEVER GET CORRECTED. That is where your focus should be right now.
--------
Now let's talk about "quiz mode". It has been described as a "training tool" by a CF rep in the forums. I disagree. It's more of a "get these questions correct NOW or you'll be kicked to the curb" tool. No second chance to actually learn what the TA wants. Learn it NOW or see ya later. And the kicker - if work mode counts against your global accuracy, then so does quiz mode. And it doesn't even pay! The things that make you say "huh??" Why would I want to jeopardize my accuracy for something that doesn't even pay?!
I remember years ago when there was a true training tool. You couldn't move on to work mode until you successfully completed training. You could keep at it until you finally passed. There were times when I didn't think I would EVER get out of training, and I stuck with it mostly out of stubbornness. But I learned how to do the task! Sometimes it takes awhile to figure out where the TA's head is at and what they are looking for. Sometimes the instructions are so ambiguous that you don't know WHAT the TA wants. But now you get one shot and one shot only.
WHY would you remove something that actually did train the workers and replace it with a one shot deal??
Friday 26 February 2016
It's both heartbreaking and infuriating to wake up in the morning to read new stories of people who received an unfair flag and lost their badges. And it's especially infuriating to read this response from a CF rep:
if a high enough percentage of people file a support ticket about a job, then you're automatically forgiven.
forgiven?? FORGIVEN?? Some SOB TA hands out an unfair flag because he doesn't know how to create a task properly, or the task is broken, or the worker's opinion isn't the same as the TA's, or because the TA has his own agenda going on, and it's the WORKER than needs to be forgiven?? REALLY??
and let's not overlook this gem:
if a high enough percentage of people file a support ticket about a job
incredible.
my response to that: even ONE unfair flag is one too many
The flag system needs to be pulled immediately and either put out to pasture (my preference) or revamped. It's just not working as it is.
if a high enough percentage of people file a support ticket about a job, then you're automatically forgiven.
forgiven?? FORGIVEN?? Some SOB TA hands out an unfair flag because he doesn't know how to create a task properly, or the task is broken, or the worker's opinion isn't the same as the TA's, or because the TA has his own agenda going on, and it's the WORKER than needs to be forgiven?? REALLY??
and let's not overlook this gem:
if a high enough percentage of people file a support ticket about a job
incredible.
my response to that: even ONE unfair flag is one too many
The flag system needs to be pulled immediately and either put out to pasture (my preference) or revamped. It's just not working as it is.
Thursday 25 February 2016
Question: Is it in the Task Author Handbook that "easy task, great pay!" is code for "scam task bwahahaha"?
----------
It appears that my blog is getting a little popular. Not to worry, CF Peeps, I don't plan on being vindictive or rude or overly insulting. Just telling it like it is from a worker's perspective. Maybe you expected the workers to stay silent and accept the crumbs thrown their way, but enough is enough. We're tired of the unfair flags. Heck, we're tired of the flags, period. We're tired of task authors who can't be bothered to verify their test questions before posting the task. We're tired of task authors who don't correct their bad questions after the task is live. We're tired of task authors decreasing the amount of pay AS WE ARE WORKING ON THE TASK! If they want to reduce the pay, pull the task, change the pay, then re-post it with a new ID!! Common courtesy!
We want to be respected.
Wednesday 24 February 2016
So I'm doing some tasks, get a "correction" when the TA's answer is obviously wrong. He must have been distracted when he set up that particular question. So I challenged it and continued on. The same question comes up again, I answer, and bam! Another "correction". The TA apparently can't be bothered to fix HIS mistake.
Sailing along quite nicely, and the SAME question comes up again. This time a little devil appeared on my right shoulder whispering in my ear to give the TA the answer he wants even though it's the wrong answer. I gave in to the temptation and....no "correction". Me - 1; TA - 0
And now I feel guilty. Thanks alot ya chump!
Sailing along quite nicely, and the SAME question comes up again. This time a little devil appeared on my right shoulder whispering in my ear to give the TA the answer he wants even though it's the wrong answer. I gave in to the temptation and....no "correction". Me - 1; TA - 0
And now I feel guilty. Thanks alot ya chump!
Monday 22 February 2016
Crowdflower, Task Authors, Oh My
I am a worker on Crowdflower, and if you are a Task Author, then I have a bone to pick with you! Actually, several bones!
Read on...
The biggest bone: Flags. The bane of the worker's existence. Feared among the most diligent workers. Why? Because when a task author gives a major flag, not only is the worker prevented from doing level 3 tasks for THAT task author, but he is also prevented from doing level 3 tasks for EVERY OTHER task author!
Incredible, isn't it? I have no idea why some brainiac at Crowdflower ever thought that THAT was a great idea, but evidently SOMEONE did.
Were you aware of that? Did you know that you held such power? That if you had a problem with a worker, that it isn't just between you and that worker, but your actions also affects other task authors? And there is rarely any turning back. Once that major flag is given, it's lights out for the worker & level 3 tasks forever. Even a bank robber can get time off for good behavior, but get a major flag on Crowdflower and it's there for life with no parole. All because of a task that pays pennies. To quote a Crowdflower employee who thinks pretty colors on the blog is more important than actually improving their system "flags are a fact of life".
Is Crowdflower sounding a bit foolish right now? I hope so, because they are. And YOU'RE not sounding all that great either, what with some of the downright silly reasons for some of these flags. Giving you the benefit of the doubt, maybe you weren't fully aware of how these flags affect the workers, so when you hand out a major flag for trivial reasons such as submitting too fast, or taking too long to submit, or maybe you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, you quite possibly had no idea that you were handing out a life sentence that would prevent that worker from doing level 3 tasks FOREVER for ALL task authors. If I was one of the other task authors, I would be really ticked off that you were taking it upon yourself to prevent workers from working on my tasks.
Another bone: Broken tasks and bad test questions. Seriously, put a bit more effort into creating and verifying your tasks before you submit them - some of the most frustrating things when trying to work on tasks are the tasks that either won't submit because they're broken, images that don't load, or being "corrected" on a test question when YOUR answer is the one that is wrong. And making it worse is when you don't correct your answer! Many times I have put too much faith in a task author, thinking surely he's corrected his error, only to have my answer marked wrong yet again. (Mr. Look at Advertisements, I'm pointing at you!)
This is enough to make a worker want to scream! AND it's enough to make a worker decide to give the answer he KNOWS is wrong, but it's the answer the task author THINKS is right, and as a result, the task author gets bad data. And at this point, he deserves it. Why would a worker want to continue to erode his accuracy level giving the actual right answer when the task author can't be bothered to correct it?
And submitting a ticket to Crowdflower is useless because they quote some ridiculous "40%" rule ("40% of the workers didn't submit a ticket so too bad so sad for you, there's nothing we will do"). That actually makes them partially responsible for the bad data you're getting.
Crowdflower is equally useless regarding the unscrupulous task authors that seemingly create tasks just so they can flag the workers knowing that those flags are usually permanent. Unfortunately Crowdflower buries their heads in the sand and/or passes the buck when this gets reported, likely because they consider the workers to be expendable. They just deny deny deny.
Hence the main reason for this rant. The workers have noone on their side. Oh sure, there's a Crowdflower employee that visits the message forums claiming to want to help, asking for ideas to improve the task list. This seems to be a yearly request that serves only to waste time and make the workers even more frustrated. On any given day in a particular forum there is a long list of broken tasks being reported, which one would think would raise red flags that something is amiss when there are THAT many broken tasks, but sadly that isn't the case. Sure, a few of the tasks get fixed, but this employee seems to need a narrated powerpoint presentation highlighting why the task is broken before she'll even consider taking action. Describing the problem in plain English doesn't seem to sink in.
And there's more - but to me, besides the flag fiasco, one of the most important issues is the fact that the workers have no way to identify the task authors so that the bad ones can be avoided. How utterly stupid. They might as well say "here, do some tasks from this list. Some of the task authors will give you a major flag that will never be removed, just because they can. We won't tell you which ones, or how to avoid them. Think of it as a game, a gambling game. Happy tasking!"
My point? Since Crowdflower is all talk and no action when it comes to protecting the workers, I want you, the task authors, to step up to the plate for us. Surely you can't think it's fair for you to give flags that effectively ends any possibility of the worker ever doing level 3 tasks for ANYONE. As responsible task authors, that HAS to make you uncomfortable! Let Crowdflower know that that is not acceptable. Tell them that while you have the right to prohibit a worker from working on YOUR tasks, that you shouldn't have the right to prohibit workers from working on the tasks of other task authors.
As for Crowdflower - where to begin...for starters, how about a little perspective - these are tasks for pennies! PENNIES! This flag system you have going is like trying to kill a fly with a sledge hammer - it's overkill!
The flag system has to go - it SHOULDN'T be a fact of life! Look, I know you have a problem with cheaters - I've seen first hand some of the things they try to pull - but you're catching too many innocent workers in your nets, and that is not acceptable!
And the passing the buck has to stop - there are good honest task workers who have received undeserved flags, and are pleading for help from your reps, only to be told "I have no control, I can't help". Do you have any idea how discouraging and frustrating that is? Here's a thought - if YOU can't help, then find someone who CAN! You need to come up with a better system to punish the proven cheaters that DOESN'T leave honest workers stranded, badgeless, and without hope.
I remember the days BEFORE badges - when tasks had a training mode that you could keep repeating until you finally passed and were able to move on to work mode. We didn't have to worry about The Hammer coming down from abusive task authors (and YES, Ms. CF Rep, there ARE abusive TAs - you can deny it all you want but experienced workers know better).
I don't know what happened - maybe CF got a new CEO fresh out of military school who was determined to WHIP THOSE WORKERS INTO SHAPE!! No excuses! No mercy!! No humanity for those peons! We will show them WHO IS BOSS!!
Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it. Welcome to OUR world.
Read on...
The biggest bone: Flags. The bane of the worker's existence. Feared among the most diligent workers. Why? Because when a task author gives a major flag, not only is the worker prevented from doing level 3 tasks for THAT task author, but he is also prevented from doing level 3 tasks for EVERY OTHER task author!
Incredible, isn't it? I have no idea why some brainiac at Crowdflower ever thought that THAT was a great idea, but evidently SOMEONE did.
Were you aware of that? Did you know that you held such power? That if you had a problem with a worker, that it isn't just between you and that worker, but your actions also affects other task authors? And there is rarely any turning back. Once that major flag is given, it's lights out for the worker & level 3 tasks forever. Even a bank robber can get time off for good behavior, but get a major flag on Crowdflower and it's there for life with no parole. All because of a task that pays pennies. To quote a Crowdflower employee who thinks pretty colors on the blog is more important than actually improving their system "flags are a fact of life".
Is Crowdflower sounding a bit foolish right now? I hope so, because they are. And YOU'RE not sounding all that great either, what with some of the downright silly reasons for some of these flags. Giving you the benefit of the doubt, maybe you weren't fully aware of how these flags affect the workers, so when you hand out a major flag for trivial reasons such as submitting too fast, or taking too long to submit, or maybe you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, you quite possibly had no idea that you were handing out a life sentence that would prevent that worker from doing level 3 tasks FOREVER for ALL task authors. If I was one of the other task authors, I would be really ticked off that you were taking it upon yourself to prevent workers from working on my tasks.
Another bone: Broken tasks and bad test questions. Seriously, put a bit more effort into creating and verifying your tasks before you submit them - some of the most frustrating things when trying to work on tasks are the tasks that either won't submit because they're broken, images that don't load, or being "corrected" on a test question when YOUR answer is the one that is wrong. And making it worse is when you don't correct your answer! Many times I have put too much faith in a task author, thinking surely he's corrected his error, only to have my answer marked wrong yet again. (Mr. Look at Advertisements, I'm pointing at you!)
This is enough to make a worker want to scream! AND it's enough to make a worker decide to give the answer he KNOWS is wrong, but it's the answer the task author THINKS is right, and as a result, the task author gets bad data. And at this point, he deserves it. Why would a worker want to continue to erode his accuracy level giving the actual right answer when the task author can't be bothered to correct it?
And submitting a ticket to Crowdflower is useless because they quote some ridiculous "40%" rule ("40% of the workers didn't submit a ticket so too bad so sad for you, there's nothing we will do"). That actually makes them partially responsible for the bad data you're getting.
Crowdflower is equally useless regarding the unscrupulous task authors that seemingly create tasks just so they can flag the workers knowing that those flags are usually permanent. Unfortunately Crowdflower buries their heads in the sand and/or passes the buck when this gets reported, likely because they consider the workers to be expendable. They just deny deny deny.
Hence the main reason for this rant. The workers have noone on their side. Oh sure, there's a Crowdflower employee that visits the message forums claiming to want to help, asking for ideas to improve the task list. This seems to be a yearly request that serves only to waste time and make the workers even more frustrated. On any given day in a particular forum there is a long list of broken tasks being reported, which one would think would raise red flags that something is amiss when there are THAT many broken tasks, but sadly that isn't the case. Sure, a few of the tasks get fixed, but this employee seems to need a narrated powerpoint presentation highlighting why the task is broken before she'll even consider taking action. Describing the problem in plain English doesn't seem to sink in.
And there's more - but to me, besides the flag fiasco, one of the most important issues is the fact that the workers have no way to identify the task authors so that the bad ones can be avoided. How utterly stupid. They might as well say "here, do some tasks from this list. Some of the task authors will give you a major flag that will never be removed, just because they can. We won't tell you which ones, or how to avoid them. Think of it as a game, a gambling game. Happy tasking!"
My point? Since Crowdflower is all talk and no action when it comes to protecting the workers, I want you, the task authors, to step up to the plate for us. Surely you can't think it's fair for you to give flags that effectively ends any possibility of the worker ever doing level 3 tasks for ANYONE. As responsible task authors, that HAS to make you uncomfortable! Let Crowdflower know that that is not acceptable. Tell them that while you have the right to prohibit a worker from working on YOUR tasks, that you shouldn't have the right to prohibit workers from working on the tasks of other task authors.
As for Crowdflower - where to begin...for starters, how about a little perspective - these are tasks for pennies! PENNIES! This flag system you have going is like trying to kill a fly with a sledge hammer - it's overkill!
The flag system has to go - it SHOULDN'T be a fact of life! Look, I know you have a problem with cheaters - I've seen first hand some of the things they try to pull - but you're catching too many innocent workers in your nets, and that is not acceptable!
And the passing the buck has to stop - there are good honest task workers who have received undeserved flags, and are pleading for help from your reps, only to be told "I have no control, I can't help". Do you have any idea how discouraging and frustrating that is? Here's a thought - if YOU can't help, then find someone who CAN! You need to come up with a better system to punish the proven cheaters that DOESN'T leave honest workers stranded, badgeless, and without hope.
I remember the days BEFORE badges - when tasks had a training mode that you could keep repeating until you finally passed and were able to move on to work mode. We didn't have to worry about The Hammer coming down from abusive task authors (and YES, Ms. CF Rep, there ARE abusive TAs - you can deny it all you want but experienced workers know better).
I don't know what happened - maybe CF got a new CEO fresh out of military school who was determined to WHIP THOSE WORKERS INTO SHAPE!! No excuses! No mercy!! No humanity for those peons! We will show them WHO IS BOSS!!
Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it. Welcome to OUR world.
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