Algorithmic Bias Against Gig Workers With Care Duties Fuels Research and Strikes

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A peer-reviewed analysis published on 12 April 2026 in The Conversation, authored by Universitas Gadjah Mada lecturer Suci Lestari Yuana, argues that algorithmic management systems used by gig platforms structurally disadvantage workers with caregiving responsibilities. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork with Indonesian gig workers, the study finds that opaque ranking systems penalise cancellations and low acceptance rates without accounting for domestic obligations, disproportionately harming women. The research coincides with a major labour action on 25 December 2025, when roughly 40,000 delivery workers across five Indian cities struck against platforms including Swiggy, Zomato, and Amazon, demanding transparent wages, rest breaks, and an end to ten-minute delivery targets. The strikes were organised by the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers and allied unions led by veteran organiser Shaik Salauddin. Following a follow-up strike on New Year's Eve, the Indian government directed quick-commerce platforms to drop ten-minute delivery advertising, though broader worker demands remain unresolved.

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