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Fighting for a fairer internet

doteveryone.org.uk

@doteveryoneuk

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Resolution Trust Exploration

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It’s all about power - trapping people’s feedback traps workers.

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“ From freelancers offering their coding services through platforms like Upwork or PeoplePerHour, to drivers contemplating moving from Uber to Lyft, this is an issue that will rise in salience. And the more important ratings are to a worker’s prospects, the more tied they are likely to be to the platform where they first got established.”

Resolution Trust

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Workshop

Desk research

User

research

Prototyping

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Uber

Drivers are rated by users at the end of a journey. Uber charges 25% commission.

But drivers are not chosen to fulfil a journey from among a set of other potential ‘job-fulfillers’ on basis of reputation.

Although, if reputation/rating dips below a certain level then:

a) driver may lose bonus

b) driver may be cautioned.

All ride requests are blindly matched with the closest available driver, but when you’re matched you’ll see their name, license plate number, photo, and rating.

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Taxify

Also an on-demand rides platform. But on taxify the rating/reputation of the gig-worker is more significant.

You DO choose from a number of (close by) drivers based on their quality rating

The User sets a destination then sees a number of cars that are close by on the app, then she chooses one of these cars.

You have access to the drivers rating/rep for your consideration when choosing. Also, drivers with bad ratings get ‘blocked from the system’.

Taxify charges 15% commission

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Task Rabbit

Clients upload a task, which would would then be bid for by various competing contractors

When you are posting your task you can select ‘Let me review TaskRabbits who make offers’.

You can also browse through categories of tasks and see recent tasks completed, by whom, and the rating (1-5 star + comments)

Can select a contractor based on recent tasks completed and review given for task.

Task Rabbits can also attain ‘Levels.’ Based on rating, no. of reviews, levels and others, you can choose to hire certain Task Rabbits

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MyBuilder

Another ‘Task’ platform

User posts a job which they want fulfilled, then they receive interest from various potential contractors

User can then choose from amongst them, with access to info on the workers feedback and % positive reviews inc.

You can also actively look for builders and let them know that you’re interested in contracting them.

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User Research Insights

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We wanted to understand the behaviour and attitude workers have towards their ratings.

How do workers use their ratings?

How do workers understand their ratings?

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Uber Drivers

Ratings are not important for Uber drivers. The drivers we spent time with and spoke to didn’t have patterns of behaviour around their ratings.
On a day-to-day basis they didn’t check their ratings at all.
Uber use the rating to make sure the services being provided are of a high enough standard.
The only time intervention comes from uber is when a rating drops below around 3.5 stars.
In terms of moving ratings across platforms all the drivers seemed to be confident that their own ability as a driver would allow them to find work easily.
They do not rely on their online reputation to aid any form of their work.

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Deliveroo &

Uber Eats Riders

The ratings system for Deliveroo is primarily designed for Deliveroo to catch those who are not performing well.
Deliveroo riders do not receive feedback from customers however they do have data recorded on them from Deliveroo that they can access.
This means that workers are more focussed on their delivery metrics such as attendance and cancellations. The rider app screens we were shown support this.
Deliveroo now has a system where you can sign up for shifts at the start of the week and priority is given to riders with a ‘higher rating’ (those who don’t miss shifts).
Deliveroo have changed their wages to pay less during the week.

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MyBuilder Users

The reviews and reputation workers develop on MyBuilder are significant in terms of being hired for work. You are hired more as you get more good reviews.

The reputation built up on MyBuilder is still alive in the real world through word of mouth.

Even though word of mouth is powerful, platforms give reassurance to potential customers that workers are not a lone, independent worker.

The platform has ownership over the data - this can be deleted at any time.

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‘I tried to reach them and I was really upset because I had built that profile…I couldn’t take my profile and move it. I lost everything but they didn’t really care because it says in their terms and conditions they can close any account without reason.” - Nick

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Nick’s Story

Nick built up a great profile on Rated People over a year and a half.

Nick’s profile was deleted without reason or warning.

He decided to start a profile on MyBuilder.

When starting this account he had to start from scratch and found it difficult to get jobs.

It would have been helpful if he’d been able to import his reputation data from Rated People.

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What’s possible technically?

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Personal Reference

When approaching MyBuilder Nick submits his CV and utilises reference contacts to verify his rating.

No work required
Being able to start fresh

No guarantee of keeping rating
Cannot verify the information he provides

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Platform Reputation Server.

Nick’s ratings are recorded on a standalone reputations webpage. This is active even if his profile is deleted. Nick can transfer or reference his ratings when moving to my builder. (See Prototype)

Reputation data is not lost
Little work is required

Incompatibility of rating systems
Data is not secure.

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Platform Reputation Server with proof of ownership

Utilising public/private key authentication, Nick verifies his profile and rating achieved on Rated People by providing his key to MyBuilder.

Once verified, MyBuilder can then choose to give Nick an equivalent rating on their platform as he begins work. (See Prototype)

Secure reputation data

Incompatibility of rating systems

This is a more technical challenge, because now we are talking about an interactive service - not a static webpage...so we are needing to prove someone is who they say they are. Public/ Private key is what the dark web uses - if I am a drug dealer and have a profile on silk road and silk road gets shut down - you need to prove you are the same drug dealer that was on silk road on teh new dodgy platform. Publicly it is the same key, .. charlie chaplin drugs has a public key and private key..when they move platforms, drug addicts want more drugs, they have the public key for charlie chapli and the real charlie chaplin is the only ine that can respond to them, because of his private key. If the motivation is there this could work. This is still a thing that requires a human to read it - this is the equivalent of the gov publishing a pdf with data.

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Decentralised Open

Data Standard

Utilising a standardised rating system, both Rated People and MyBuilder can move and verify Nick’s rating across a decentralised system. (see prototype)

A data format would need to be created which would be self hosted on the platforms.

Standardised rating makes transfer of data easy.

Data format needs to be made
This may over simplify rating variables
Data format needs to be implemented in all platforms

This is the same information but in a machine reasdable format. Less humans need to be involved, so if I am going from Uber to Lyft - I can log in with my profile and lyft can move all my ratings across. Benefits - this is what a lot of people arethinking about when they are thinking about ratings. The challenge is - creating an open standard that works across open platforms. What counts as a rating. Harder problem is that if you ever took this to a public consultation, is that 4 out of 5 starts on Uber are different from 4 out of 5 stars on lyft because we hold differet values for each. People may give ratings differently depending on the platform. How do you create a standard across those things. This one is decentralised, so it is an open data standrad and orgs are encouraged to use it but same questions of how do you enforce people to use it.

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Centralised Data Holder

Also utilising a standardised rating system, but hosted by a separate legal entity acting as arbiter of Nick’s rating. This could be a for-profit, nonprofit or government entity.

Ratings are standardised
Ratings are hosted by entity rather than platforms
Platforms cannot meddle with data

Legal entity needs to be created
Most work required

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Potential Solutions

Personal Reference

Platform Reputation server

Platform Reputation Server with proof of ownership

Decentralised Open Data Standard

Centralised Data Holder