Stripping back the mask: Working conditions on digital labour platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic

Kelle Howson; Funda Ustek-Spilda; Alessio Bertolini; Richard Heeks; Fabian Ferrari; Srujana Katta; Matthew Cole; Pablo Aguera Reneses; Nancy Salem; David Sutcliffe; Shelly Steward; Mark Graham

doi:10.1111/ilr.12222

Stripping back the mask: Working conditions on digital labour platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic

Kelle Howson, Funda Ustek-Spilda, Alessio Bertolini, Richard Heeks, Fabian Ferrari, Srujana Katta, Matthew Cole, Pablo Aguera Reneses, Nancy Salem, David Sutcliffe, Shelly Steward, Mark Graham

ICON - Media and Performance Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Digital labour platforms have been widely promoted as a solution to the unemployment crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic has also highlighted the vulnerability of gig workers when cast as essential workers. This article examines the COVID-19 policies of 191 platforms in 43 countries to understand how the crisis has shifted the conventions of the gig economy. Using a typology of “fair platform work”, the authors identify areas of progress in worker protection but also significant shortfalls, including the entrenchment of precarious work as platforms leverage the opportunities arising from the crisis.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	413-440
Journal	International Labour Review
Volume	161
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ilr.12222
Publication status	Published - Sept 2022

Keywords

gig economy
COVID-19
future of work
digital labour platforms
labour rights
precarious employment
working conditions

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1111/ilr.12222Licence: CC BY

International Labour Review - 2021 - HOWSON - Stripping back the mask Working conditions on digital labour platformsFinal published version, 366 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{ba37dc70efab4971a7b9bc7bc7d29ab5,

title = "Stripping back the mask: Working conditions on digital labour platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic",

abstract = "Digital labour platforms have been widely promoted as a solution to the unemployment crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic has also highlighted the vulnerability of gig workers when cast as essential workers. This article examines the COVID-19 policies of 191 platforms in 43 countries to understand how the crisis has shifted the conventions of the gig economy. Using a typology of “fair platform work”, the authors identify areas of progress in worker protection but also significant shortfalls, including the entrenchment of precarious work as platforms leverage the opportunities arising from the crisis.",

keywords = "gig economy, COVID-19, future of work, digital labour platforms, labour rights, precarious employment, working conditions",

author = "Kelle Howson and Funda Ustek-Spilda and Alessio Bertolini and Richard Heeks and Fabian Ferrari and Srujana Katta and Matthew Cole and {Aguera Reneses}, Pablo and Nancy Salem and David Sutcliffe and Shelly Steward and Mark Graham",

year = "2022",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1111/ilr.12222",

language = "English",

volume = "161",

pages = "413--440",

journal = "International Labour Review",

issn = "0020-7780",

publisher = "John Wiley & Sons Inc.",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Stripping back the mask: Working conditions on digital labour platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic

AU - Howson, Kelle

AU - Ustek-Spilda, Funda

AU - Bertolini, Alessio

AU - Heeks, Richard

AU - Ferrari, Fabian

AU - Katta, Srujana

AU - Cole, Matthew

AU - Aguera Reneses, Pablo

AU - Salem, Nancy

AU - Sutcliffe, David

AU - Steward, Shelly

AU - Graham, Mark

PY - 2022/9

Y1 - 2022/9

N2 - Digital labour platforms have been widely promoted as a solution to the unemployment crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic has also highlighted the vulnerability of gig workers when cast as essential workers. This article examines the COVID-19 policies of 191 platforms in 43 countries to understand how the crisis has shifted the conventions of the gig economy. Using a typology of “fair platform work”, the authors identify areas of progress in worker protection but also significant shortfalls, including the entrenchment of precarious work as platforms leverage the opportunities arising from the crisis.

AB - Digital labour platforms have been widely promoted as a solution to the unemployment crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic has also highlighted the vulnerability of gig workers when cast as essential workers. This article examines the COVID-19 policies of 191 platforms in 43 countries to understand how the crisis has shifted the conventions of the gig economy. Using a typology of “fair platform work”, the authors identify areas of progress in worker protection but also significant shortfalls, including the entrenchment of precarious work as platforms leverage the opportunities arising from the crisis.

KW - gig economy

KW - COVID-19

KW - future of work

KW - digital labour platforms

KW - labour rights

KW - precarious employment

KW - working conditions

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132901351&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/ilr.12222

DO - 10.1111/ilr.12222

M3 - Article

SN - 0020-7780

VL - 161

SP - 413

EP - 440

JO - International Labour Review

JF - International Labour Review

IS - 3

ER -

Stripping back the mask: Working conditions on digital labour platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this