Building Community: Gig Workers in Jakarta

Paris Marx is joined by Rida Qadri to discuss how gig workers in Jakarta created networks of mutual aid in the face of a lack of support from companies and the government, and how their experiences show the importance of workers’ local knowledge for delivery platforms.

Rida Qadri is a PhD candidate in Urban Information Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Follow Rida on Twitter as @qadrida.

Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.

Find out more about Harbinger Media Network at harbingermedianetwork.com.

Also mentioned in this episode:

• Rida wrote about how delivery platforms in Jakarta show the importance of the human workers and their local knowledge.
• Paris wrote about Uber’s dark side, including its lack of support for drivers in Mexico and Brazil who faced violence.
• Gojek and Grab may merge, which would cause problems for gig workers in Southeast Asia.

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