Rights & Wrongs
The Inhumanity of the Algorithms
The gig economy has exploded across the globe. Whether organizing food deliveries or providing domestic labor, the companies behind these apps are making billions by using algorithms to assign tasks, set pay, evaluate performance, and even fire workers. For the companies that built these systems, the model promises high rewards and low risk. But for workers, like Apraham, Agnes and Graeme, they’ve rewritten the rulebook, shifting the dangers of doing business onto their shoulders while limiting their control over earnings and working conditions. This week, host Ngofeen Mputubwele speaks to gig workers and researcher Léna Simet about the pitfalls of these platforms, and what governments can do to help. Apraham Urfalian: Uber driver in Lebanon Agnes Mongera: Platform worker in Kenya Graeme: Bicycle courier in Scotland Léna Simet: Senior Advisor on Economic Justice, Human Rights Watch
