Active Algorithmic Transparency as an Operational Principle of Location-Based Platform Work

The rapid digitalization of work and the expansion of the platform economy have unfolded alongside new labor opportunities, but also deepening labor precariousness. Platform work, and its opaque algorithmic management in particular, is among the driving forces behind rising labor informality, income instability, and weakened collective rights. Together, these dynamics have exposed the limits of traditional labor regulatory frameworks in providing adequate protection within this growing and evolving work reality.

 Since 2022, several Latin American countries have moved toward specific legislation aimed at strengthening existing labor laws by establishing a minimum social protection floor for workers in location-based platform work. To date, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Argentina have each adopted legislation addressing this particular form of platform work, differing in their approaches, scope, and levels of protection afforded. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a constitutive element of location-based platform work. For instance, digital platforms' business models and operational efficiency rely on AI and automatized decisions, which opacity places a significant burden on workers. Algorithms feed on workers' data and shape the assignment of tasks, incentives, earnings, or penalties, yet the extent of this influence remains opaque to workers. At the same time, these mechanisms pressure workers to meet disproportionate times to perform tasks, exposing them to dangerous routes and speeding, while incentivizing excessive working hours. 

Legislative efforts in Latin America here mentioned have addressed algorithmic transparency at some extent, acknowledging workers' right to access to information and be informed about the algorithmic criteria that impact their labor. However, such transparency tends to be limited to general descriptions of variables, without ensuring levels of explainability that would allow workers to effectively understand how automated systems function or their real impact on working conditions. In particular, access to source code is not guaranteed, nor are independent audit mechanisms established, making it difficult to verify biases and errors, as well as to understand systematic management practices.

Building on our last paper about legislative progress around location-based platform work in Latin America, we seek to open a conversation about why algorithmic transparency should be a core operating principle for digital labor platforms, replacing the opacity that currently dominates. We will share our analysis of existing laws in the region, highlighting what they cover and where they fall short in terms of AI, and explore why and how active transparency shapes fair labor practices, an approach necessary from a human rights and social justice perspective.