Gig & Sharing Economies

Asked to "imagine a better world online," experts hope for a ubiquitous – even immersive – digital environment that promotes fact-based knowledge, offers better defense of individuals’ rights, empowers diverse voices and provides tools for technology breakthroughs and collaborations to solve the world’s wicked problems.

There are racial and ethnic differences in who takes on gig platform jobs and the negative experiences some of these workers say they face.

A recent Center survey focused on gig platform work. Here is more information about how we crafted the survey and what we learned from it.

Some 16% of Americans have ever earned money from an online gig platform. While most gig platform workers say they have had a positive experience with these jobs, some report facing on-the-job troubles like being treated rudely or sexually harassed.

Despite some broad federal guidelines, claimants still face a hodgepodge of different state rules governing how they can qualify for benefits.

Today, 36% of U.S. adults say they have ever used a ride-hailing service such as Uber or Lyft. Prominent urban-rural gaps in adoption exist.

Around half of Americans say the question of working conditions is indeed important to them, though fewer are actually willing to pay more to support businesses that are seen as worker-friendly.

Nearly a quarter of Americans say they’ve earned money in the digital “platform economy” in the past year, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Perhaps surprisingly, though, the most commonly cited motivation for these workers is not the pay.

24% of Americans report earning money from the digital ‘platform economy’ in the past year. The extra income they make is a luxury for some, but a necessity for others.

Americans who live in majority-minority communities are more likely than those who reside in predominately white neighborhoods to say that ride-hailing apps serve neighborhoods that taxis won’t visit.