Amazon's Algorithmic Hiring and Firing Process Raises Concerns

A recent report by Bloomberg has revealed that Amazon is hiring and firing drivers through an algorithm, sparking concerns among affected workers who are part of the company's Flex delivery program. The program is a gig-based contract employment scheme where individuals can deliver packages on their own time, similar to Uber but for Amazon orders. While automating the HR process for these types of roles may seem like a good idea, many drivers are being fired for reasons that aren't entirely within their control, such as flat tires, closed gates at delivery locations, or faulty Amazon lockers.

The algorithm, which is used to monitor and evaluate driver performance, has led to numerous terminations. According to reports, terminated drivers have very little recourse and must pay $200 just to appeal the decision. This lack of transparency and accountability raises concerns about the fairness and reliability of the algorithmic process. It also highlights the need for greater protections and support for gig economy workers who are often treated as independent contractors rather than full-time employees.

The use of algorithms in hiring and firing processes is not unique to Amazon, but the company's approach has drawn attention due to its large scale and impact on a significant number of workers. The debate surrounding algorithmic decision-making in HR raises questions about the role of technology in employment and the need for human oversight to ensure fairness and dignity in the workplace.

Meanwhile, Flying Cars Take to the Skies

A team of inventors has successfully completed a test flight between two cities in Slovakia, marking a significant milestone in the development of flying cars. Dubbed the "Air Car," the prototype features a front half that resembles a standard car and wings on the rear section. The vehicle runs on regular gasoline and can fly at an altitude of 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) with speeds reaching up to 105 mph (170 kph).

The test flight was part of a larger project aimed at creating a practical and commercially viable flying car. While the Air Car is not as fast as commercial aircraft, it offers a promising solution for urban transportation and potentially alleviates congestion on roads. The development of flying cars has been ongoing for several years, with various prototypes and concepts emerging in recent times.

Innovation and Progress

Despite the challenges and controversies surrounding algorithmic decision-making in HR, technological advancements continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in various fields. The Air Car project is just one example of innovation and progress that holds promise for the future. However, as with any new technology, it's essential to consider the implications and potential risks involved.

Quick Bites: Tech News

Several tech-related news stories have emerged recently, including an update from Microsoft regarding Windows 11 compatibility. The company has announced that the preview build of Windows 11 will be compatible with a wide range of CPUs, including those from Intel and AMD. However, it's unclear if this decision may change or become more restrictive in the future.

Another development is the rollout of firmware updates for LG's 2021 OLED TVs to support 4K120Hz playback with Dolby Vision. This update aims to enhance the viewing experience for Xbox Series X owners who can output Dolby Vision at 4K120Hz.

Lastly, Xbox Cloud Gaming has expanded its availability to include compatible iOS devices, allowing users to access the service through their mobile devices. Additionally, Google Stadia has caught up with Xbox in terms of availability on Apple devices.

Wasting Time

As we spend more time in front of screens, it's easy to get sucked into mindless scrolling and browsing. But there's a better way to use your free time – building your own PC! Redux is a PC builder that aims to bring high-performance gaming PCs to the masses without sacrificing quality or affordability.

Redux offers a unique approach to PC building, with no price markup and a simple build process. Users can select their budget, choose from a range of components, and let Redux take care of the rest. The result is a fully assembled PC that comes with a two-year warranty. With Redux, you can focus on gaming or streaming without worrying about the technical details.

The Future of Computing

As technology continues to advance at an unprecedented rate, it's essential to consider the implications for our daily lives and the future of computing. Microsoft's decision to include a wide range of CPUs in its compatibility list for Windows 11 highlights the need for greater flexibility and adaptability in software development.

Meanwhile, LG's firmware updates demonstrate the importance of ongoing support and maintenance for consumer electronics. The expansion of Xbox Cloud Gaming on Apple devices shows how streaming services can bridge the gap between hardware and software to provide seamless experiences.

In conclusion, the world of tech is constantly evolving, and it's crucial to stay informed about the latest developments and advancements. From algorithmic decision-making in HR to flying cars and cloud gaming, there are many exciting stories emerging that showcase the potential for innovation and progress.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: entime for the tech news now with five percent less artificial flavorings historically there hasn't been a whole lot of variety in the motherboard market in terms of which manufacturer to buy from but there's some big news as it looks like one major company is finally gonna start providing boards for fans of team red evga has just released a video teaser for its dark series of motherboards that don't bother with rgb lighting or other ostentatious bling but the trailer very obviously put a ryzen logo behind the dark emblem suggesting that we'll be seeing evga make amd compatible boards for the first time in a very very long time the move makes sense considering amd has been experiencing a surge in popularity ever since 1st gen ryzen and it's never smart to ignore a huge swath of your potential market just ask the folks at blackberry who thought serious professionals wouldn't be interested in the iphone wait they were right actually yeah amazon has made plenty of headlines recently for the way it treats its workers and now another piece of embarrassing news has come out as a bloomberg report has revealed that the tech giant is hiring and firing drivers through an algorithm the affected workers are part of amazon's flex delivery program a gig based contract employment scheme where people can deliver packages on their own time kind of like uber but for amazon orders while it might make some sense to automate the hr process for these types of roles the rub is that many drivers are reportedly being fired for on-the-job mishaps that aren't their fault such as flat tire closed gates at a delivery location or even faulty amazon lockers as the algorithm thinks drivers simply aren't making deliveries on time well it's not wrong true it's just out of their control terminated drivers reportedly have very little recourse as they have to pay 200 bucks just to appeal and even that isn't a sure thing i mean we already have to deal with terrible human bosses enough not talking about you of course linus you're great you're fantastic thank you he's not human he is a robot if anybody knows how to clone lines you let us know despite how much technology has advanced over the last few decades we still aren't driving flying cars everywhere but it looks like we might finally have something close to a real proof of concept as an honest-to-goodness flying car has completed a test flight between two cities in slovakia dubbed the air car the front half of the prototype looks a lot like a standard car with the rest of the body featuring wings and an empanadage and what does that even mean who wrote this it runs on regular gasoline it can fly about 600 miles or a thousand kilometers at an altitude of 8 200 feet or 2 500 meters according to its inventor during the flight the air car got up to speeds of about 105 mph or 170 kph so while it's not as fast as taking a commercial aircraft it's a heck of a lot faster than sitting in rush hour in bratislava we've all been there you know of course with how bad the drivers are here in vancouver i really wonder about the wisdom of giving them all a pair of wings please please for the love of all that's good today's quick bits are brought to you by redux redux is a pc builder striving to bring pc gaming to the masses no price markup it's just a 75 build fee you just select your budget pick your games see how they perform and let them build your pc you just sit back all builds come with a two year warranty you got to click the link in the description start creating your pc today ain't that right james do it do it now wasting time you could be gaming on to the quick bits you know how microsoft is only including 8th gen intel and zen 2 and newer cpus on his compatibility list for windows 11. well microsoft has come out today and said you won't need any specific cpu to run the preview build for windows insiders and they may end up backtracking and allowing more cpus to run win11 in the future they love us what were we just saying about ignoring a huge swath of your potential market don't do it don't do it bad lg is rolling out firmware updates for its 2021 oleds to support 4k 120 hertz with dolby vision boom got him the update is aimed at xbox series x owners whose consoles have the ability to output dolby vision at 4k 120 though there aren't any supported games out for the platform yet lg is also looking at updating its 2020 oled sets and qnet displays should also be getting the update hopefully compatible games will follow soon before lg releases another alphabet soup tv lineup it's a joke hey that's a little dig at lg xbox cloud streaming is now available not only via web browser to everyone but also on all compatible ios devices previously desktop users had to download an app so this will make getting onto the service a little easier plus xbox is now caught up to google stadia in terms of availability on apple devices i guess google's only real advantage in streaming is now gone bye-bye see ya and if you're flying on united anytime soon the airline just announced that bluetooth audio will be available on some of their planes starting in 2025 removing the necessity of getting tangled with a cable in a cramped airplane seat or even worse having to use the complimentary headphones that sound like charlie brown's teacher i have to wonder why it's taking that long to add such a simple feature but i guess you can always entertain yourself in the meantime by doing the crossover puzzle and the in-flight magazine that someone's already probably filled out i put on the face mask that's it for today come back friday for more tech news with two inches of extra legroom this is your captain make sure to like and subscribe catch you on the next onetime for the tech news now with five percent less artificial flavorings historically there hasn't been a whole lot of variety in the motherboard market in terms of which manufacturer to buy from but there's some big news as it looks like one major company is finally gonna start providing boards for fans of team red evga has just released a video teaser for its dark series of motherboards that don't bother with rgb lighting or other ostentatious bling but the trailer very obviously put a ryzen logo behind the dark emblem suggesting that we'll be seeing evga make amd compatible boards for the first time in a very very long time the move makes sense considering amd has been experiencing a surge in popularity ever since 1st gen ryzen and it's never smart to ignore a huge swath of your potential market just ask the folks at blackberry who thought serious professionals wouldn't be interested in the iphone wait they were right actually yeah amazon has made plenty of headlines recently for the way it treats its workers and now another piece of embarrassing news has come out as a bloomberg report has revealed that the tech giant is hiring and firing drivers through an algorithm the affected workers are part of amazon's flex delivery program a gig based contract employment scheme where people can deliver packages on their own time kind of like uber but for amazon orders while it might make some sense to automate the hr process for these types of roles the rub is that many drivers are reportedly being fired for on-the-job mishaps that aren't their fault such as flat tire closed gates at a delivery location or even faulty amazon lockers as the algorithm thinks drivers simply aren't making deliveries on time well it's not wrong true it's just out of their control terminated drivers reportedly have very little recourse as they have to pay 200 bucks just to appeal and even that isn't a sure thing i mean we already have to deal with terrible human bosses enough not talking about you of course linus you're great you're fantastic thank you he's not human he is a robot if anybody knows how to clone lines you let us know despite how much technology has advanced over the last few decades we still aren't driving flying cars everywhere but it looks like we might finally have something close to a real proof of concept as an honest-to-goodness flying car has completed a test flight between two cities in slovakia dubbed the air car the front half of the prototype looks a lot like a standard car with the rest of the body featuring wings and an empanadage and what does that even mean who wrote this it runs on regular gasoline it can fly about 600 miles or a thousand kilometers at an altitude of 8 200 feet or 2 500 meters according to its inventor during the flight the air car got up to speeds of about 105 mph or 170 kph so while it's not as fast as taking a commercial aircraft it's a heck of a lot faster than sitting in rush hour in bratislava we've all been there you know of course with how bad the drivers are here in vancouver i really wonder about the wisdom of giving them all a pair of wings please please for the love of all that's good today's quick bits are brought to you by redux redux is a pc builder striving to bring pc gaming to the masses no price markup it's just a 75 build fee you just select your budget pick your games see how they perform and let them build your pc you just sit back all builds come with a two year warranty you got to click the link in the description start creating your pc today ain't that right james do it do it now wasting time you could be gaming on to the quick bits you know how microsoft is only including 8th gen intel and zen 2 and newer cpus on his compatibility list for windows 11. well microsoft has come out today and said you won't need any specific cpu to run the preview build for windows insiders and they may end up backtracking and allowing more cpus to run win11 in the future they love us what were we just saying about ignoring a huge swath of your potential market don't do it don't do it bad lg is rolling out firmware updates for its 2021 oleds to support 4k 120 hertz with dolby vision boom got him the update is aimed at xbox series x owners whose consoles have the ability to output dolby vision at 4k 120 though there aren't any supported games out for the platform yet lg is also looking at updating its 2020 oled sets and qnet displays should also be getting the update hopefully compatible games will follow soon before lg releases another alphabet soup tv lineup it's a joke hey that's a little dig at lg xbox cloud streaming is now available not only via web browser to everyone but also on all compatible ios devices previously desktop users had to download an app so this will make getting onto the service a little easier plus xbox is now caught up to google stadia in terms of availability on apple devices i guess google's only real advantage in streaming is now gone bye-bye see ya and if you're flying on united anytime soon the airline just announced that bluetooth audio will be available on some of their planes starting in 2025 removing the necessity of getting tangled with a cable in a cramped airplane seat or even worse having to use the complimentary headphones that sound like charlie brown's teacher i have to wonder why it's taking that long to add such a simple feature but i guess you can always entertain yourself in the meantime by doing the crossover puzzle and the in-flight magazine that someone's already probably filled out i put on the face mask that's it for today come back friday for more tech news with two inches of extra legroom this is your captain make sure to like and subscribe catch you on the next one\n"