Technology: Challenging Ethics

Ifeoma Ajunwa, professor at the Industrial and Labor Relations School at Cornell, discusses the interplay of law and technology in the multiple stages of an employee’s journey, from algorithms that hire the “ideal” worker to mobile apps that monitor workers’ performance. She points out that many of the legal frameworks used today do not contemplate and do not address the issues that arise from the use of the workplace technologies we have now. Professor Ajunwa offers examples of how hiring algorithms can inherit existing human biases, when left unchecked. And she cautions listeners to read the fine print when signing up for employee wellness programs, as many have been found to sell collected data to third parties. 

Professor Ajunwa is an Assistant Professor at the Industrial and Labor Relations School at Cornell University, an Associate Faculty Member at Cornell Law School, and a Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard Law School. She holds a PhD in sociology from Columbia University and a law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Episode Article: Johnson Business Feed

Faculty Page: Ifeoma Ajunwa - Industrial and Labor Relations School, Cornell

Personal Website: ifeomaajunwa.com

Twitter: @iajunwa

Research: SSRN Page