Regulating Digital Platform Payments: Barriers to Fair Compensation and Policy Implications for Egyptian Microworkers

Myriam Raymond and Nagla Rizk ()
Additional contact information
Myriam Raymond: GRANEM - Groupe de Recherche Angevin en Economie et Management - UA - Université d'Angers - AGROCAMPUS OUEST - Institut National de l'Horticulture et du Paysage, LEMNA - Laboratoire d'économie et de management de Nantes Atlantique - Nantes Univ - IAE Nantes - Nantes Université - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises - Nantes - Nantes Université - pôle Sociétés - Nantes Univ - Nantes Université
Nagla Rizk: American University in Cairo

Post-Print from HAL

Abstract: Abstract This paper examines the structural and lived dimensions of financial precarity among Egyptian digital platform workers, focusing on microworkers engaged in globally distributed labor via online platforms. Drawing on survey data (N=948) and focus group discussions, it investigates how payment infrastructures—technological, institutional, and regulatory—shape the inclusion or exclusion of workers from equitable financial participation. The study demonstrates that while platform work creates new income opportunities, workers face persistent frictions in receiving payments. These include inadequate access to international payment gateways, dependence on intermediaries, inconsistent payment timelines, and a lack of redress mechanisms in case of non-payment. These frictions are not marginal but central to workers' experiences, reinforcing their vulnerability and rendering their labor largely invisible to national regulatory frameworks. Through an intersectional analysis, the paper explores how gender and socio-economic status intersect with digital inequalities to exacerbate workers' financial exclusion. Moreover, it reveals how workers attempt to navigate these barriers through informal infrastructures and social networks. Methodologically, the paper combines quantitative analysis of survey data with qualitative insights from structured discussions, allowing a nuanced understanding of both systemic gaps and individual coping strategies. Findings show that more than half of surveyed microworkers had experienced at least one incident of payment delay or refusal, and a significant portion did not know the reason for non-payment—highlighting the opacity of platform governance. The paper calls for a rethinking of financial inclusion policies to account for the realities of digital platform labor in the Global South. It advocates for targeted regulatory action, enhanced worker protections, and the recognition of microwork as legitimate labor deserving of institutional support. In doing so, the study contributes to ongoing debates on platform governance, informal labor rights, and digital justice.

Keywords: digital platform labor; microwork; financial inclusion; platform economy; Egypt; payment policy. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-07-02
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published in Regulating for decent work 2025, Organisation International du Travail, Jul 2025, Genève, Switzerland

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05142973

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Post-Print from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().