food deliveries, ride-hailing, household services, or editorial work are just some of the examples of the kind of services that are increasingly being ordered via digital platforms. Although work commissioned through online platforms has not yet become a mass phenomenon in Germany, the number of platform workers has been steadily increasing and the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated this trend. Over the last few years, the Policy Lab has been closely observing the development of the platform economy on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and has been analysing the situation in conjunction with all relevant stakeholders. This has led to the realisation that, while platforms do create jobs, the balance of power between the platform operators and platform workers is often distributed too unevenly.

In a key issues paper released on December 2nd, the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, explores key considerations and sets out specific proposals for a juster platform work in order to strengthen own-account platform workers. On December 1st, Federal Minister Heil presented and discussed the paper at the Digital-Gipfel in a panel with representatives from labour unions, platform operators as well as platform workers.

In connection with AI, we are also focusing on the integration of this technology in society: with the Civic Innovation Platform, we are funding innovative AI projects for the benefit of the common good. We have already received many good ideas and the community is steadily growing. In order that further project partnerships can be created, we have extended the deadline for submissions to the idea contest to 15 December. Register now!

The team of the Policy Lab