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Towards a feminist understanding of digital platform work

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  • Clara Punzi

Abstract

The rapid growth of the digital platform economy is transforming labor markets, offering new employment opportunities with promises of flexibility and accessibility. However, these benefits often come at the expense of increased economic exploitation, occupational segregation, and deteriorating working conditions. Research highlights that algorithmic management disproportionately impacts marginalized groups, reinforcing gendered and racial inequalities while deepening power imbalances within capitalist systems. This study seeks to elucidate the complex nature of digital platform work by drawing on feminist theories that have historically scrutinized and contested the structures of power within society, especially in the workplace. It presents a framework focused on four key dimensions to lay a foundation for future research: (i) precarity and exploitation, (ii) surveillance and control, (iii) blurring employment boundaries, and (iv) colonial legacies. It advocates for participatory research, transparency in platform governance, and structural changes to promote more equitable conditions for digital platform workers.

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  • Clara Punzi, 2025. "Towards a feminist understanding of digital platform work," Papers 2510.19450, arXiv.org.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2510.19450
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    1. Astrid Agenjo‐Calderón & Lina Gálvez‐Muñoz, 2019. "Feminist Economics: Theoretical and Political Dimensions," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 78(1), pages 137-166, January.
    2. John Maynard Keynes, 2010. "Essays in Persuasion," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-59072-8, February.
    3. Rodríguez-Modroño, Paula & Pesole, Annarosa & López-Igual, Purificación, 2022. "Assessing gender inequality in digital labour platforms in Europe," Internet Policy Review: Journal on Internet Regulation, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), Berlin, vol. 11(1), pages 1-23.
    4. Andrea Coveri & Claudio Cozza & Dario Guarascio, 2022. "Monopoly Capital in the time of digital platforms: a radical approach to the Amazon case," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 46(6), pages 1341-1367.
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