Technology and the Formalization of the Informal Economy

Abstract

The informal economy became the new frontier for technology firms. The monetization of the activities in the informal economy has resulted in the formation of global enterprises such as Uber, Careem, Bolt, and Gojek. This paper discusses the social outcomes of data-driven platform technology in the informal economy through a case study that describes the activities of Gojek, an Indonesian online motor taxi platform. The unique role online service platforms play in marginalized communities, the speed at which platforms have expanded globally, and the influence on the debate around labor laws make it well worth the time to assess how this specific technology corresponds with human development. In particular, the impact platforms have on the level of social inclusion. The transformations platforms have made show the desire to solve broken systems in society through technology. This also explains how Gojek transformed from an online gig work mediator to a digital banking system, assisting financial inclusion efforts for unbanked people. This paper concludes that social inclusion can indeed only be achieved when the split in society is addressed between the informal and the formal economy–for example, facilitating corporations to create financial access for people at the periphery without acknowledging legislation that got them there in the first-place anchors the inequality even further.