PI analysis of draft ILO Convention and Recommendation on the platform economy

On 3 July 2025, the General Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted a resolution committing the ILO to adopt a Convention supplemented by a Recommendation concerning decent work in the platform economy following a second discussion on this issue in 2026. 

PI welcomes the ILO's decision as a step in the right direction to protect platform workers who have been at the forefront of new forms of data exploitation in the workplace as we have been documenting for many years. The platform economy has created an environment of unprecedented surveillance and monitoring for workers that greatly threatens privacy and other fundamental rights.

In August 2025, the ILO published updated texts of the draft Convention supplemented by a Recommendation on decent work in the platform economy. PI has examined these texts and provides its analysis of key provisions of them in the attached document below. This analysis builds on PI’s response to the ILO questionnaire on realizing decent work in the platform economy in 2024, and a joint declaration by PI with over 30 organisations from across the world.

Our overall assessment is that the current draft does not sufficiently address certain challenges related to the use of automated systems. In particular, PI is encouraging the ILO and its Members to develop instruments that strongly protect the privacy of digital labour workers by implementing the following measures:

• Requiring platforms to maintain a public register of automated systems deployed and provide workers and their representatives with comprehensive information in accessible language about their purpose, design and functioning. Such information should be provided to workers before they are subject to an automated system, and following any update of the systems concerned;
• Requiring workers to be provided with written explanations for automated decisions that include detailed information in accessible language, including the key parameters considered and their values. Workers should also have access to review by a human being for any decision that impacts their working conditions or access to work;
• Ensuring the existence of safeguards to protect both workers’ privacy and personal data;
• Ensuring access to dispute resolution and remedies is available within a reasonable time and without undue delay.

We believe that these changes are required to prevent automated systems negatively impacting platform workers. Digital labour platforms and member states must be legally obliged to adopt and implement clear and effective measures that protect privacy and autonomy. 

PI will be sharing its recommendations with member states and other interested parties as part of the formal drafting process of the Convention and the Recommendation over the coming months.

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