The International Labour Organization has adopted the first-ever international agreement aimed at protecting digital platform workers, marking a major step in regulating labour conditions in the global gig economy.
The agreement, adopted during the 114th International Labour Conference in Geneva, is designed to extend labour protections to hundreds of millions of workers worldwide employed through digital platforms, including food delivery and ride-hailing services.
The convention applies to all platform workers regardless of employment status, addressing a long-standing gap in labour law as digital work has expanded rapidly across the world.
According to the World Bank, there were up to 435 million online gig workers globally in 2023, many of whom remain outside traditional labour protections such as minimum wage, workplace safety standards and access to social security.
Digital labour platforms often rely on algorithms to assign tasks, determine pay, monitor performance and, in some cases, terminate workers. Despite exercising significant control over working conditions, many companies classify workers as independent contractors rather than employees.
Critics say this classification has allowed platforms to avoid obligations tied to standard employment protections.
Rights groups welcomed the move, describing it as a major milestone for workers’ rights in the digital age.
Human Rights Watch said the convention establishes the first global framework aimed at holding digital labour platforms accountable while setting minimum standards for worker protections.
The ILO, which has 187 member states and a tripartite structure representing governments, employers and workers, said the agreement reflects growing international recognition that labour rules must evolve alongside changing forms of work.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk have criticised Britain, France and Germany for leaving them out of talks...
Türkiye has condemned a defence agreement signed this week between France and Southern Cyprus, describing it as a threat to regional stability and th...
Legions of security officers and police are being deployed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as organisers prepare for what officials describe as an unprece...
Authorities in the western Afghan city of Herat have arrested at least 30 women for allegedly breaching dress rules imposed by the Taliban, according ...
The United States and Iran have traded fresh strikes, with the U.S. hitting military sites and Iran launching missiles and drones at bases and ship...
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk have criticised Britain, France and Germany for leaving them out of talks with Russia about a potential future peace deal for Ukraine.
Legions of security officers and police are being deployed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as organisers prepare for what officials describe as an unprecedented security challenge to protect fans, players and venues across North America.
Authorities in the western Afghan city of Herat have arrested at least 30 women for allegedly breaching dress rules imposed by the Taliban, according to the United Nations agency for women’s rights.
The United States and Iran have traded fresh strikes, with the U.S. hitting military sites and Iran launching missiles and drones at bases and ships near the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping remains active, but tensions are rising as calls grow for restraint and renewed talks.
Mexico and South Africa meet in Thursday’s World Cup opener in Mexico City, with both teams approaching the match from very different positions but facing their own pressures.
SpaceX has made history with the largest initial public offering ever in the United States, pricing its shares at $135 each and achieving a market valuation of $1.77 trillion.
U.S. Donald Trump has said he has cancelled planned strikes on Iranian oil and gas ports announced earlier on Thursday. Trump said he made the decision after senior leadership in Iran agreed to peace talks.
While France hosts next week’s Group of Seven summit, businesses in neighbouring Switzerland have already begun taking precautions, with many shops in Geneva boarded up ahead of a large anti-G7 demonstration expected on Sunday.
Canada’s Privacy Commissioner has found that xAI’s Grok chatbot and its parent company X Corp. violated federal privacy law by launching an AI image-generation tool without adequate safeguards, enabling the creation and distribution of non-consensual sexualised deepfakes.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk have criticised Britain, France and Germany for leaving them out of talks with Russia about a potential future peace deal for Ukraine.
Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly’s Monaco Grand Prix podium has been reinstated after Alpine successfully challenged his post-race penalties through a Right of Review request with the FIA.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that significant “blind spots” remain in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), raising concerns that the true scale of infections may not yet be fully understood.
The United States is planning to significantly reduce the aircraft and warships it makes available for NATO operations in Europe, according to reports citing two senior European officials.
Vietnamese police have broken up a suspected transnational criminal group accused of attempting to establish a large-scale online scam centre in the country, authorities said on Friday, amid a wider regional crackdown on cyber fraud networks across Southeast Asia.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment