中国网络内容审核产业中的劳动关系和运行机制研究

Labor Relations and Operation Mechanism in Chinese Commercial Content Moderation Industry

中国庞大的网络内容体量和监管部门日益细化的审核要求使内容审核的用工规模不断增长。与西方研究者对脸书、谷歌的聚焦以及对全球南方审核劳动者的关注不同,对中国内容审核产业的分析揭示了其劳动状况更为丰富的细节及其与当下政治经济环境的深刻互动。本文通过对20名内容审核员/人力资源员工的深度访谈,勾勒出中国网络内容审核产业的劳动状况和运行机制,并尝试与经典的劳动控制理论开展对话。研究表明,算法技术成为内容审核劳动管理的主导性技术。算法的结构刚性和结构弹性使其在强约束的基础上灵活调整规则,实现对劳动者的强驱动和强支配。在平台及其算法工具和人力外包商构成的劳动管理架构下,技术工具和科层制体系得到了前所未有的融合。通过智能监控实现对劳动过程的深度介入,开展虚拟比拼和算法抽检、并推行一套诉诸文化资本贬值的灵活用工话语,平台及其人力外包商掌握了制定劳动规则、配置劳动资源、决定劳动关系的主动权,从而塑造了一个无法协商的互联网雇主。而雇主的无法协商同时也是当前社会整体劳动状况的一种典型映射。劳动不稳定的常态化和就业吸纳能力的萎缩也在持续降低劳动者的议价能力。与此相关的劳动问题、就业问题、传媒经济治理问题亟待进一步研究。

The huge volume of online content in China and the increasingly strict moderation requirements of Chinese government have led to a continuous increase of labor for commercial content moderation.In contrast to the focus of western researchers on Facebook and Google,the analysis of the labor process of China's content moderation industry reveals more vivid details of labor relations and its profound interaction with current political and economic environment.Through in-depth interviews with 20 content moderators/human resources employees,this paper outlines the labor conditions and operation mechanism of the online content moderation industry.Research shows that algorithm has become the dominant technology of content moderation labor management.The structural rigidity and structural elasticity of the algorithm enable itself to flexibly change the rules,so as to achieve strong driving and strong control over workers.Under the labor management by the platforms,their algorithmic tools,and labor outsourcers,technological control and bureaucratic control have been deeper integrated.As a result,the platforms and their outsourcers have been able to establish labor rules,allocate labor resources,and determine labor contracts,thus shaping a non-negotiable internet employer.This is also a typical reflection of labor instability in current society.Meanwhile,the shrinking employment is continuing to reduce the laborers'bargaining power.Related issues require further research and attention.