Agile regulation of the digital platform economy
The gig economy refers to a labour market comprised of short-term jobs, so called "gigs". These "gigs" are usually completed by workers contracted on a non-permanent basis and are mediated via digital labour platforms. The digital gig economy is growing rapidly, and it is estimated that by 2027, around 50% of the global workforce will be involved in some form of gig work. Thereby, the digital gig economy has the potential to play a significant role in addressing unemployment and underemployment around the world.
Numerous governments have embraced digital labour platforms, bringing together businesses, workers, and consumers, as a solution to decrease unemployment. Digital platforms stimulate employment and income generation, but they also encompass risks such as lower employment security and unfair working conditions. This has raised cross-cutting regulatory issues in a number of domains such as labour, social welfare, occupational health and safety, competition, taxation as well as data and consumer protection.
As with other developments around digital transformation, the platform economy is evolving dynamically and therefore a new approach to policymaking and regulation is required – it should be more agile and more collaborative. These two key concepts require a shift from planning and controlling to piloting and implementing policies in a multi-stakeholder setting and foster rapid feedback and iteration. This shift enables a dynamic evaluation process for new and existing regulation by considering stakeholders' opportunity to share their knowledge and concerns and evolving needs on an ongoing basis.
Objectives for the participants
- Informed Understanding: Participants should aim to deepen their understanding of the gig economy, digital labor platforms, and their impact on the global workforce. This includes exploring the benefits and challenges associated with these platforms and their potential role in addressing unemployment and underemployment.
- Regulatory Awareness: Participants should become aware of the regulatory issues surrounding the gig economy, such as labor, social welfare, occupational health and safety, competition, taxation, data, and consumer protection. Understanding these challenges will help foster discussions on effective and balanced policy approaches.
- Stakeholder Perspectives: Encourage participants to bring diverse perspectives to the discussion. This could include perspectives from governments, digital platform operators, gig workers, labor unions, academics, and consumer rights advocates. Exploring these different viewpoints will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.
- Innovative Policymaking: Participants should explore the need for agile and collaborative approaches to policymaking that can keep up with the dynamic nature of the platform economy. Encourage them to think about new methods of piloting and implementing policies that foster rapid feedback and iteration.
- Global Perspectives: Encourage participants to share experiences and insights from different regions and countries. This will enable the audience to understand the variations in gig economy practices and regulatory responses across the globe.
