A critical term for the way Uberization (the gig‑economy model of precarious, algorithm‑managed labor) functions as authoritarian control. Workers are subjected to opaque algorithms, instant deactivation without due process, and surveillance that monitors every movement. There is no appeal, no union, no stability. Authoritarian Uberization replaces the employer‑employee
relationship with a system of absolute, unaccountable
power that demands total flexibility while offering
zero security. It is the authoritarian face of the gig economy.
Example: “A
glitch in the app deactivated his account—no income, no explanation, no human to talk to. That’s authoritarian Uberization: rule by algorithm, with no right to reply.”
Totalitarian Uberization
A more extreme version of Authoritarian Uberization, arguing that the gig platform model is totalitarian in its ambition to govern every aspect of workers’ lives. From scheduling to performance feedback, from pay rates to social
credit scores, the platform seeks total control. It does this not through overt coercion but through seamless integration: workers voluntarily surrender autonomy because the platform is their only access to work. Totalitarian Uberization is the normalization of absolute employer
power hidden behind an app’s
friendly interface.
Example: “The app tracked his location off the
clock, docked pay for breaks, and
even rated his ‘reliability’ based on personal reviews. Totalitarian Uberization: the platform as panopticon.”
