Privacy, Power, and the Algorithmic Workplace with Matthew Scherer of the Center for Democracy & Technology
Description
Concerns about AI, workplace surveillance, and digital privacy are redefining how companies manage people. As automation scales and monitoring expands, the question is not what to measure but why we should. The urgency sits in the tradeoff between efficiency and human dignity, and now is the moment to set guardrails that protect workers and support responsible innovation.
Matt Scherer, Senior Policy Counsel for Workers' Rights and Technology of the Center for Democracy & Technology, explains how algorithmic management and data-driven decisions are changing hiring, evaluation, and termination. Matt connects legal reality to technical practice and shows where policy clarity matters most.
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Introduction.
02:55 A non-linear path can lead to meaningful work at the intersection of law and technology.
06:40 Technical fluency strengthens policy analysis and improves collaboration with practitioners.
09:11 Civil society organizations advance digital rights through research and advocacy.
13:09 The growth of flexible work arrangements affects access to worker protections.
29:05 Algorithmic management changes how organizations monitor and evaluate people.
34:17 Human judgment remains essential for fair and responsible employment decisions.
42:47 Attempts to quantify intrinsic qualities raise privacy and ethical concerns.
45:28 Policy and regulation lag behind rapid advances in workplace technology.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewus/
Center for Democracy & Technology | LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-democracy-&-technology/
Center for Democracy & Technology | Website
http://cdt.org
"Warning: Bossware May Be Hazardous to Your Health" CDT report
https://cdt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2021-07-29-Warning-Bossware-May-Be-Hazardous-To-Your-Health-Final.pdf
Privacy Badger (EFF browser extension)
https://privacybadger.org/
“Belated Feudalism” by Karen Orren
https://www.cambridge.org/ph/universitypress/subjects/politics-international-relations/american-government-politics-and-policy/belated-feudalism-labor-law-and-liberal-development-united-states?format=PB&isbn=9780521422543
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