Ep. 30 - The Hidden Crisis in Translation: How TriTrab Is Fighting Back

In this episode, the hosts discuss the challenges faced by linguists in the translation industry with Maria Scheibengraf, the founder of TriTRAB, a platform designed to help translators report exploitative agencies anonymously. Maria shares her experiences as a translator and the motivation behind creating TriTRAB, highlighting the systemic issues within the language industry that lead to exploitation. The conversation also delves into the legal protections for TriTRAB, the operational challenges it faces, and the importance of social justice in advocating for fair treatment of linguists. In this conversation, Maria Scheibengraf discusses the efforts of her organization, TriTrap, to address exploitation in the translation and interpreting industry. She emphasizes the importance of fair pay for linguists, the challenges they face, and the need for a collective voice to advocate for better working conditions. The discussion also covers the complaint submission process on TriTrap, trends in user engagement, and the role of social media in raising awareness about these issues. Maria shares insights on the exploitation prevalent in the audiovisual sector and the importance of mainstream media in bringing these concerns to light.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests01:23 The Birth of TriTRAB06:00 Exploitative Practices in the Language Industry12:23 Challenges Faced by Linguists and Agencies14:25 Legal Protections and Risks for TriTRAB18:30 Operational Challenges and Future Directions25:31 Transforming the Translation Industry26:59 Challenges in Language Services28:33 The Interpreter's Perspective29:58 TriTrap: A Platform for Change31:50 The Complaint Submission Process34:06 Trends in Complaints and User Engagement35:58 Raising Awareness and Social Media Impact38:56 Advice for New Linguists41:00 Exploitation in the Audiovisual Sector43:05 The Role of Mainstream Media44:52 Closing Thoughts and Future Directions