Flexible Labor Governance in Digital Media and the Vulnerability of Gig Workers' Social Safety Nets
Keywords:
digital platforms, gig economy, operational management, informal workers, social protection, algorithmic control, employment relationshipsAbstract
The transformation of operational management based on digital applications within the gig economy ecosystem has restructured modern employment relationships, yet potentially escalates the social vulnerability of informal workers. This study aims to analyze the role of gig economy platforms in restructuring labor operational management and to evaluate its impact on workers' social protection guarantees. Employing a qualitative approach with a correlative-phenomenological case study design, data were gathered through in-depth interviews with gig workers, trade union representatives, and labor law experts, supported by platform policy document reviews. The findings demonstrate that algorithm-based operational management consistently controls worker performance and task allocation while transferring operational risks and work expenses directly to individual workers. The absence of access to basic social safety nets, rate setting uncertainties, and the lack of transparency in performance evaluations exacerbate the economic vulnerability of workers. This study concludes that legal regulatory interventions and the reform of inclusive social protection schemes represent crucial steps in ensuring fairness and worker welfare in the digital economy era.
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