Re:Shortcomings of Amazon Mechanical Turk May Threaten Natur...
by 01acheru on Sunday September 19, 2021 @05:51AM
(#28583023)
In late 1700 and early 1800 Europe being a heavy drinker, having some kind of health issue and/or being penniless were the norm for most of the population. If performing a task because of those issues means being exploited then we must assume that almost everyone in Europe at those times were exploited in one way or another.
I understand what you mean if we judge it from modern western standards, but I don’t agree if we judge it by the standards of that era.
It’s all a matter of context IMHO.
Do you have a source for that assertion? As far as I can tell, several of the chess players known to have operated the Turk had substance abuse (chiefly alcoholism), health, and money problems (the words 'debt', 'penniless', and 'destitute' come up a few times). While not proof of abuse, it does suggest a strategy of recruiting the vulnerable.