Deactivated and Desperate: The Black Market for Gig Work Accounts – Ep 4
Release Date: 08/08/2025
Deactivated and Desperate: The Black Market for Gig Work Accounts – Ep 4
Work Rewired
When Uber or DoorDash deactivates a driver, they’re not just pausing an account, they're cutting off someone's livelihood. In this episode, Matt and Alex unpack a shocking investigation by the Tech Transparency Project that uncovered a massive black market where gig work accounts are bought, sold, and rented. But the black market is just a symptom. The real problem? A broken system. We explore the broken appeals process, the lack of transparency, and the high stakes that push gig workers into crisis with no meaningful way to appeal. We close with a look at what needs to change — namely,...
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iPhone vs. Android: Is Uber's Algorithm Pricing You Differently? — Ep 3
Work Rewired
A viral video in India sparked an investigation: Were Uber and Ola charging iPhone users more than Android users? As officials probe consumer price discrimination, Alex and Matt ask the next logical question: What’s happening on the worker side of the app? In this episode, they unpack how Uber’s complex algorithms might be using parameters like phone type, car model, or even ride acceptance history to shape wages, without explaining to drivers the math behind their wages. From the murky mechanics of “black box” pricing to the unequal power of information in platform work, they explore...
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Tipping Point: How DoorDash Workers Sparked a $17M Reckoning – Ep 2
Work Rewired
DoorDash just settled for $16.75 million over allegations it used customer tips to subsidize driver pay, but is that enough to change the game? In this episode, Alex and Matt unpack what really drove this payout, and why it wasn’t an algorithm audit that made the difference — it was workers organizing. From grassroots action to policy pressure, they explore how tech-powered gig work isolates individuals — and how breaking that isolation is the first step toward accountability. Tune in as they ask: What does real transparency look like in the platform economy? And how do you turn...
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Beyond Rides: How Uber’s AI Labeling is Reshaping Work - Ep 1
Work Rewired
In this episode, Matt and Alex explore how Uber has expanded into AI data labeling, a hidden yet essential task that powers machine learning models. But behind this expansion lies a deeper story of algorithmic wage discrimination and the growing influence of tech companies on gig work. Tune in as they dissect the intersection of AI, algorithms, and worker compensation in the platform economy. Connect with Matt Schumwinger: Follow Big Lake Data:
info_outlineWhen Uber or DoorDash deactivates a driver, they’re not just pausing an account, they're cutting off someone's livelihood. In this episode, Matt and Alex unpack a shocking investigation by the Tech Transparency Project that uncovered a massive black market where gig work accounts are bought, sold, and rented.
But the black market is just a symptom. The real problem? A broken system.
We explore the broken appeals process, the lack of transparency, and the high stakes that push gig workers into crisis with no meaningful way to appeal. We close with a look at what needs to change — namely, transparent regulation and collective worker power to hold platforms responsible when livelihoods are on the line.
Connect with Matt Schwinger:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewschumwinger/
Follow Big Lake Data:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/big-lake-data/
Link to Tech Transparency Project Report