Labor and the Platform Economy

A defining feature of twenty-first-century capitalism is the emergence of platform labor. While still small, many scholars are convinced it will grow significantly, with far-reaching effects on work. To date, the literature is unsettled on questions such as how “algorithmic management” reshapes power and authority over labor, impacts on conventional jobs, inclusion in the labor market, regulatory requirements, and labor struggles. In this chapter we outline the main lines of contention, identify major gaps in knowledge, and suggest areas for future research. We begin by sketching three dominant themes: A hopeful view, in which platforms expand the range of freedoms and autonomy that income earners enjoy; a technology-centered approach, in which algorithms and digital surveillance and evaluation establish greater management control over labor; and a view in which platforms accelerate a trend toward precarious forms of work. We identify one source of complexity that yields continuing contention: Heterogeneity in the workforce, with varying segments of labor differentially positioned with respect to the platforms themselves. We end by alluding to regulatory struggles and forms of worker mobilization and speculate about possible paths that might yield more humane yet innovative uses of the platform paradigm.