Facebook has hired contractors to transcribe users’ audio recorded through the company’s Facebook Messenger app.
Facebook used thousands of outside workers to transcribe audio to check if the company’s automated transcription software was working properly, the company told Bloomberg.
“We paused human review of audio more than a week ago,” the social media platform said Tuesday.
Contractors stressed over the audio transcription work because they were not told how the recordings were obtained or why they were transcribing them. Some of the workers spoke to Bloomberg about their concerns, but requested they not be identified to avoid being fired.
The revelation comes as distrust for tech companies increases along with worry that the companies are using their technology to invade people’s privacy. In April, news broke that the massive online retailer Amazon had hired thousands of workers to listen to and transcribe recordings made through the company’s Echo speakers.
Apple and Google have also used similar strategies to test and improve the accuracy of its audio transcription services, though both companies have said they stopped the practice. Amazon has said it will let users opt out of audio recording.
