Techno-Slavery

A term describing labor relations in the platform economy where workers, legally classified as independent contractors, are subject to algorithmic control as total as traditional slavery, without the protections of employment law. Techno-slavery includes practices like algorithmic wage fixing, unpredictable scheduling that demands constant availability, deactivation without cause, and rating systems that function as modern overseers. The worker is “free” to work elsewhere—but all platforms operate under similar conditions. Techno-slavery updates the master‑slave relation for the gig economy: the platform owns the means of assignment, the worker owns nothing but their device.

Techno-Slavery Example: "The app controlled his schedule, his pay, even his ability to work—he could be deactivated without appeal. He called it techno‑slavery: free to choose which algorithm exploited him."

by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 26, 2026