On the Clock is Motherboard's reporting on the organized labor movement, gig work, automation, and the future of work.
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Part of this rush to the app has been fueled by school closures, as well as layoffs and persistent unemployment during the pandemic. Another part comes from out of the already widespread problem of child labor in Brazil: the government last found in 2016 that some 2.4 million children work legally and illegally in Brazil.Delivery apps have removed some accounts used by children, but the Reuters' investigation suggests a wider problem that spills out onto other platforms such as Facebook and Youtube. At one point, Reuters points to "dozens'' of public and private Facebook groups concerning app-based gig work that feature children talking about "signing up to the apps using the identity documents of friends and relatives." There are even public videos on platforms like Youtube that offer instructions on how to best do this. In one video, a child says "I'm here to help all of you who are minors and want to work for Uber Eats'' as he delivers for 99Food and Uber Eats. Another video features an adult explaining how they allow their underage nephew to use their account. "I'm not sure if they are interested in creating programs to stop young people from entering this market," Ludmimla Abilio, a researcher at the University of Campinas, told Reuters. "For now, it seems their only interest is that deliveries get made."In the meantime, the companies’ legal liability is an open question. Delivery workers are classified as contractors in Brazil as they are globally, allowing the firm to tightly control workers to squeeze out more production but to claim distance when it finds itself part of something like child labor. Uber Eats, Rappi, and iFood all told Reuters they have and will continue to take steps to combat what they described as "fraud" on their platforms.Do you work for a food delivery company, an on-demand platform, or a gig company? We'd love to hear from you. Using a non-work phone or computer, you can contact Edward Ongweso Jr. securely on Signal at (202) 642 8240, or email edward.ongweso@vice.com