Millions of people worldwide now depend on digital platforms for their income. From food delivery couriers to ride hailing drivers and content moderators, technological innovation has opened new opportunities for workers and consumers. However, it has also created a system where workers are often denied their basic rights and protections.
Why this campaign, now?
Under international law, every worker is entitled to decent working conditions and fundamental rights. Yet platform workers often face:
- Labour standards that are sidestepped or poorly enforced.
- Low, unpredictable wages.
- A lack of social protections like insurance, sick leave, and pensions.
Job security is minimal, with workers at risk of being “logged out” or “deactivated.” Over the past two decades, platform companies have reshaped industries while using business models that circumvent labour laws:
- Operating in a regulatory grey zone to avoid employer responsibilities.
- Misclassifying workers as “partners” or “contractors” to deny basic protections.
- Lobbying against regulations that would ensure fair pay and safe conditions.
Big platform companies are making massive profits while shifting all the risks onto workers. They operate in a legal grey zone, avoiding employer responsibilities and lobbying against regulations that would ensure fair conditions. This “race to the bottom” threatens not only platform workers but the entire workforce as technology expands further into new sectors.
Download the campaign toolkit and social media material