The global workforce revolution: Exploring digital labour platforms and the gig economy in the era of globalization

Abstract

The internet has provided us with a convenient and connected world, but it has also brought forth legal complexities. The rise of digital labour platforms has transformed traditional work structures, offering flexibility to workers but also raising concerns about fair wages, employment rights, and social security. Addressing these challenges is crucial for ensuring a balanced and equitable future of work in the digital era. This article examines the intersection of technology and law, emphasizing the challenges and crucial issues that arise when these two areas converge. It recognizes the significant impact of technology on the legal system in today's rapidly advancing technological landscape. The article highlights the complex nature of this relationship and its implications for policymakers, legal practitioners, and society. The first part of the article introduces gig economy and traces the evolution of the Digital labour Platforms in the World and in India discussing the effects of digitalization in the work world. The second part of the article analyses the status of legal recognition of digital labour in India and around the world, discussing the different legal frameworks, which vary depending on the nature of the work and the jurisdiction in question. The authors propose arguments around how recognition of work can only fetch rights related benefits to gig workers. The article in its third part discusses the profound influence of technology on various aspects of the legal field, including the administration of justice, legal research and analysis, and the delivery of legal services. It examines the transformative potential of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and automation, and their impact on traditional legal processes and norms with reverence to India and the global world. Towards the end of the article the authors recognize the significance of international cooperation and harmonization in tackling the global challenges posed by technology and emphasizes the need to align legal frameworks across jurisdictions to establish a unified and standardized approach to technology-related issues.